Our Vegan Oyster Sauce is made with shiitake mushrooms and coconut aminos for a soy-free, sugar-free, and paleo compliant alternative to traditional oyster sauce. The trick is soaking the mushrooms overnight before making the sauce. Some people say you can use hot water to soak the mushrooms for 30-60 minutes and get the same results. Those people are wrong. It’s worth the wait to get the deepest, richest flavor. We also use a little Chinese five spice powder and just a touch of sesame oil to balance everything out so you can enjoy the rich umami flavor in your favorite dishes without the added salt and sugar.
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Vegan Oyster Sauce
Paleo compliant Vegan Oyster Sauce made with shiitake mushrooms.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/4 Cup 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups cool water
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp Lakanto Golden
- 1/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Prepping the Mushrooms
- Rinse the dried mushrooms under cold running water then place in a glass bowl. Add 2 cups cool water, cover, and let soak 8-12 hours.
- After soaking is complete (min 8 hours), drain liquid into a large measuring cup. Gently squeeze each mushroom to remove excess water and set them aside. Add the remaining water to the measuring cup with the rest of the mushroom water (there will be grit from the mushrooms in the water).
- Rinse the bowl from the mushrooms and rest a fine mesh strainer lined with paper towel or a coffee filter on top. Slowly pour the water from the measuring cup through the strainer to remove any grit, then measure 1 1/4 cups and set aside. Discard any excess water.
Prepping the Ingredients
- Trim off any tough stem pieces from the mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Mince garlic and grate ginger.
- Heat a 10″ sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon of avocado oil and the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic, toss, and cook 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer mushroom mixture to a blender (we used a bullet blender fitted with a large cup).
Putting it Together
- Add the coconut aminos, Chinese five spice powder, Lakanto, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the mushroom water to the blender. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer back to the pan. Pulse the remaining 1/4 cup mushroom water in the blender to get every drop of the sauce out and add to the pan.
- Stir and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 1 1/4 cup. Add remaining 1/8 tsp salt, to taste, if needed.
- Remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, and transfer to a glass container to cool completely.
Notes
Refrigerate cooled sauce in an airtight glass container up to 2 weeks.
Freeze sauce using an ice cube tray (each well is about 2 tablespoons). Once set, transfer to a reusable zip top bag, remove excess air and store frozen up to six months.
Separation will occur during refrigeration and when defrosted. Stir/shake to combine before using. Total time does not include soak time.
Nutrition Estimate Per Serving (1 TABLESPOON = 1/20 RECIPE) – Calories: 10, Fat: .2g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: .2g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 57g, Potassium: 13.2mg, Carbohydrates: 1.9g total/1.7g net, Fiber: .2g, Sugar: .6g, Protein: .2g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 0%, Iron: 0% (based on 2,000 calorie diet).
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Plant-Based, Chinese, Paleo
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: VEGAN OYSTER SAUCE, VEGETARIAN OYSTER SAUCE, PALEO OYSTER SAUCE, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, GLUTEN-FREE, GRAIN-FREE, PALEO, LOW-CARB, SOY-FREE, SUGAR-FREE, #LAKANTOSWEETENED
OMG – this was the first time ive tried to make V oyster sauce and it was spectacular. I dont love ginger so i reduced the amount for me and i doubled the shitake mushrooms – just because i can – lol – Really really good. Worth the effort – 5 Stars
★★★★★
We love hearing this and are always excited when you take our basics to the next level! A seafood allergy was the catalyst for the development of this recipe. We’re taking notes and are gonna try it your way next time.
Can dried shitake powder be used instead of dried shitake? If so, about how much? Thanks.
Hi Gerri,
Generally speaking, you can substitute mushroom powder for dried mushrooms at a 1:3 ratio (one tablespoon of powder to 3 tablespoons of mushrooms). This is best for soups and stews that don’t require (or in addition to) the full mushroom. However, in this recipe, substitution is not possible because the mushrooms are soaked to reconstitute (creating a stock), cooked with ginger and garlic (to bring out the full umami depth), and then pureed. This creates both the body for the sauce and contributes to most of the the flavor.