If you've noticed coconut aminos turning up in recipes lately, you're not imagining it. Japanese-style cooking is having a real moment in British kitchens. In the four weeks to early October, sales of Japanese cooking sauces in UK supermarkets were up 17% on the year before, according to the market research firm NIQ. That was the biggest rise of any food category it tracked.
More of us are making teriyaki, stir-fries and rice bowls at home, and plenty of people have reached the bottom of the soy sauce bottle wondering what else is out there. Coconut aminos is one of the answers. Here's what it is, how it differs from soy sauce, and how to get the most out of a bottle.
What is coconut aminos?
Coconut aminos is a dark, glossy seasoning sauce that looks a lot like soy sauce. Instead of fermented soya beans, it's made from coconut nectar, the sap produced by the flower blossoms of the coconut tree.
Our RAWGORILLA Organic Coconut Aminos has just three ingredients: organic coconut nectar, organic coconut vinegar and salt.
The name can be confusing. It isn't a supplement, and you don't need to know anything about amino acids to use it. Think of it simply as a soy-style sauce that happens to come from the coconut palm.
How does it compare to soy sauce?
Taste. This is the biggest difference. Coconut aminos is sweeter and milder than soy sauce, with a gentle caramel note and a softer salty edge. Soy sauce is sharper and more intensely savoury. Neither is better. They just do slightly different jobs.
Ingredients. Traditional soy sauce is brewed from soya beans and wheat. Coconut aminos is made without either, which is why many people who avoid soya or wheat reach for it instead. If you're cooking for someone with allergies, always check the label.
Salt. Our coconut aminos contains 0.6g of salt per 100g. A typical soy sauce contains around 16.9g of salt per 100ml, so if you're keeping an eye on your salt, it's a useful swap.
How to use coconut aminos
You can use coconut aminos almost anywhere you'd use soy sauce. Start by swapping it like for like, then taste. Because it's milder, you may want a little more, or a squeeze of lime or a pinch of salt to sharpen it up.
In a stir-fry. Add a couple of tablespoons at the end of cooking, along with garlic and ginger, and toss everything together so the sauce coats the vegetables.
As a glaze. Coconut aminos thickens beautifully when it's simmered, which makes it ideal for a sticky teriyaki-style glaze. Simmer it with a little Organic Coconut Sugar, grated ginger and garlic, then thicken with a spoonful of cornflour mixed with water. Our Teriyaki-Style Chickpeas with Roasted Squash uses exactly this method.
In a marinade. Mix it with garlic, ginger, lime juice and a little oil, and use it to marinate tofu, mushrooms, vegetables or chicken before roasting or grilling.
In a dressing. Whisk a tablespoon into tahini with lemon juice and a splash of water for a quick dressing for grain bowls and roasted vegetables. It's what gives the drizzle on our Black-Eyed Bean & Sweet Potato Traybake its depth.
As a dipping sauce. On its own, or with a little chilli and lime, it's a gentle dip for dumplings, spring rolls and sushi.
In everyday British cooking. This is where coconut aminos surprises people. A spoonful adds depth to a pot of chilli, a gravy or a tomato sauce, much like Worcestershire sauce would. Try it in our Black Bean & Coconut Chilli or our Homemade Baked Beans, where it rounds out the tomato sauce.
Three quick autumn ideas
Glazed roast squash. Toss wedges of squash in coconut oil, roast until tender, then brush with coconut aminos for the last five minutes.
Sticky mushrooms on toast. Fry sliced mushrooms until golden, add a splash of coconut aminos and a knob of butter or a little coconut oil, and let it bubble until glossy.
A warming noodle broth. Simmer vegetable stock with ginger, garlic and a few tablespoons of coconut aminos, then add noodles, greens and whatever leftover vegetables you have.
How to store it
Keep the bottle in a cool, dry place, away from strong light and heat, and follow any storage advice on the label once it's open.
The bottom line
Coconut aminos isn't trying to replace soy sauce, and it doesn't need to. It's a different seasoning with its own character: sweeter, milder and made without soya or wheat. If you've been cooking more Japanese-style food at home this year, or you're simply after a new way to add depth to autumn dinners, it's well worth a place in the cupboard.
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