A Japanese soy sauce brewed with all or nearly all soybeans and little to no wheat, originally the liquid drawn off miso production. It is the gluten-free member of the soy sauce family, though brands differ and labels still need reading.
What it does in a recipe: Salt and deep fermented umami, with a rounder, less sharp finish than standard soy sauce. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Gluten-free soy sauce, Wheat-free soy sauce
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Condiments & saucescategory
Quick answer
Soy sauce
1 tbsp tamari = 1 tbsp soy sauce
All substitutes, best first
4 ways to replace tamari
Soy sauce
Closest match
1 tbsp tamari = 1 tbsp soy sauce
The same fermentation, the same salt and glutamate load — the only meaningful difference is the wheat in the mash and a slightly brighter, sharper aroma.
Trade-offThinner body and a sharper top note. In most cooked dishes the difference disappears.
Allergen checkThis swap undoes the entire reason many cooks buy tamari: standard soy sauce is brewed with wheat and contains gluten. Do not make this substitution for anyone who is coeliac or gluten-sensitive.
Coconut aminos
Reliable
1 tbsp tamari = 1 tbsp coconut aminos + a generous pinch of salt
Fermented coconut sap gives the same dark savoury-sweet character without soy or wheat, but at roughly a third the sodium, so it needs salting up.
Trade-offSweeter and gentler. Marinades will caramelise sooner in a hot pan.
Allergen checkThe go-to when both soy and gluten are off the table. Some tree nut allergy protocols include coconut, so confirm with a clinician before serving it to someone with a diagnosed nut allergy.
Gluten-free liquid aminos
Reliable
1 tbsp tamari = 1 tbsp gluten-free liquid aminos
Hydrolysed soy protein supplies free glutamates and salt directly, which is the functional core of what tamari contributes.
Trade-offSharper and one-dimensional next to brewed tamari; the long-fermented depth is not there.
Allergen checkStill a soy product. Confirm the gluten-free claim on the specific bottle in your hand, and treat a severe soy allergy as a matter for medical advice, not recipe substitution.
Rice miso thinned with water
In a pinch
1 tbsp tamari = 2 tsp rice miso whisked into 2 tsp warm water
Miso and tamari come from the same fermentation lineage, so the glutamates and salt are closely related; thinning it gives you a pourable liquid instead of a paste.
Trade-offCloudy rather than clear, so it will muddy a dipping sauce or a clear broth. Flavour is earthier and less salty-sharp.
Allergen checkOnly rice-based miso is reliably gluten-free — barley miso (mugi) and many mixed misos contain gluten. Check the label, and note that all conventional miso is a soy product.
Worth knowing
Tamari and soy sauce are interchangeable on flavour but not on diet. Keeping both bottles labelled clearly in the cupboard saves a lot of trouble when you cook for mixed company.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.