5 BEST Sweet Soy Glaze Substitutes to Try
If you’re looking for an alternative to sweet soy glaze, look no further.
Sweet soy glaze is a combination of soy sauce, sugar, and other spices that adds a unique flavor to a variety of dishes.
But don’t worry if you don’t have this glaze on hand—there are plenty of other tasty ingredients you can use as a substitute.
In this article, we’ll share the five best substitutes for sweet soy glaze, including teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, honey chili garlic sauce, miso paste, and barbecue sauce.
Read on to find out how each alternative can add a delicious touch to your favorite recipes.
What’s Sweet Soy Glaze?

Sweet Soy Glaze is a sweet and salty sauce that is regularly used for BBQ and marinades in Asian cuisine.
It’s a combination of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and other seasonings that create an umami flavor experience.
The texture of the glaze has a thick but light consistency to it, which makes it great for coating foods being cooked.
The sweetness of the glaze combined with the savory taste of the soy sauce gives food an irresistibly flavorful finish.
Sweet Soy Glaze is simple to make and can be used as a topping for grilled meats or vegetables, mixed into dipping sauces, or even poured over noodles and salads.
Next time you’re bored with your typical recipes, add some Sweet Soy Glaze in the mix – your taste buds won’t regret it.
5 Sweet Soy Glaze Substitutes to Try
1 – Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce is an essential part of Japanese cuisine and makes a great alternative to sweet soy glaze.
Teriyaki sauce is a versatile and flavorful sauce that is easy to make at home.
It’s also found in many grocery stores and is a great item to have on hand when you need a quick and flavorful addition to a meal.
The sauce is made by combining sake, soy sauce, and sugar.
Depending on the recipe, different ingredients may be added, such as garlic, ginger, and mirin, a sweet rice wine.
All of these ingredients are combined in a saucepan and simmered over medium-high heat until thickened.
The result is a thick, sticky sauce with a salty-sweet flavor that pairs well with a variety of dishes.
Teriyaki sauce has a unique balance of salty and sweet flavors, with a hint of garlic and ginger.
The texture is thick and sticky, and it’s a great way to add a punch of flavor to a variety of dishes.
It can be used to marinate proteins such as chicken or beef, or it can be drizzled over vegetables or noodles.
It also makes a great dipping sauce for spring rolls or dumplings.
2 – Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is a widely-used condiment in Chinese cuisine and is a key ingredient in many dishes.
It is a thick, black, and sticky condiment that is made from sweetened soybean paste, garlic, sesame oil, and various spices.
The flavor of hoisin sauce is sweet and savory, with a slightly spicy kick.
Hoisin sauce is traditionally used to marinate meat, vegetables, and seafood and can also be used as a dipping sauce for various dishes.
It can be added to stir-fries or used as a glaze for roasted or grilled meats, or it can be reduced to a thick, syrupy sauce to use as a topping or side dish.
Hoisin sauce is a great substitute for sweet soy glaze in many dishes.
The flavor profile is similar, with a sweet and savory taste, although the hoisin sauce is slightly spicier.
The texture of hoisin sauce is much thicker than sweet soy glaze, so you may need to thin it out with a bit of water or broth to achieve the desired consistency.
When substituting hoisin sauce for sweet soy glaze, you may want to reduce the amount you use to avoid over-sweetening a dish.
Since hoisin sauce is already sweet, a little goes a long way.
For an even more complex flavor, try adding a few other ingredients, such as garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, oyster sauce, fish sauce, or five-spice powder.
3 – Honey Chili Garlic Sauce

Honey chili garlic sauce is a great choice for those looking for a sweet and spicy alternative to sweet soy glaze.
It’s a flavorful, versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes, from stir-fry to marinades.
Its combination of honey, chili, and garlic create a rich and robust flavor that takes dishes to the next level.
Honey chili garlic sauce is made with honey, chili paste, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
This combination of ingredients creates a complex and intensely flavorful sauce.
The honey sweetens the sauce, while the chili and garlic add a spicy kick.
The soy sauce and sesame oil provide a savory depth of flavor that rounds out the taste.
This sauce has a thick and saucy texture with a sweet, spicy, and garlicky taste.
Its deep flavor adds complexity to any dish without overwhelming the other ingredients.
The garlic provides a pungent aroma, while the chili adds a hint of heat.
The soy sauce and sesame oil give the sauce a savory depth of flavor, while the honey balances out the spiciness.
4 – Miso Paste

Miso paste is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans.
It is a rich, salty, and slightly sweet condiment that adds a unique umami flavor to dishes.
Miso paste is an excellent substitute for sweet soy glaze, as it offers a similar sweetness with a more complex umami flavor, making it an ideal replacement.
In its most basic form, miso paste is a mixture of fermented soybeans and salt, but it can also be made with other ingredients such as rice, barley, and even seaweed.
The fermentation process is what gives miso paste its distinct umami flavor, and it can vary in color and taste depending on the ingredients used and the length of fermentation.
Miso paste has a creamy, nutty, and salty taste with a slight sweetness.
It’s a versatile condiment that can be used in soups, dressings, and marinades or as a flavor enhancer for fish, vegetables, and even desserts.
The depth and complexity of miso paste make it an excellent substitute for sweet soy glaze, as it adds an umami kick that is missing from the glaze.
When substituting miso paste for sweet soy glaze, you will need to adjust the other seasonings to balance the flavor.
Start by reducing the amount of sweetness in the dish, as miso paste is already naturally sweet.
You will also need to add a bit of salt to compensate for the reduced sweetness.
Additionally, miso paste can be combined with other ingredients, such as honey or mirin, to further adjust the sweetness level of the dish.
5 – Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce is one of the most popular condiments around, adding zesty flavor to ribs, steak, and hamburgers.
Most sauces are made from a combination of tomato paste and vinegar or ketchup as a base, with spices and ingredients like garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, and typically some sort of sweetener added for depth.
This mixture results in tartness that has a sweetness to it as well.
The consistency can range from syrupy to more liquid-like – depending on how much water is added – but overall, it strikes a balance between being thick enough to stick to the food being cooked yet looser than honey or caramel.
It’s an ideal substitute for sweet soy glaze due to its similar thickness and tanginess.
By combining soy sauce with sugar or brown sugar along with minced garlic, horseradish mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and (optionally) liquid smoke, you can quickly make a version that’s similar to barbecue sauce.
Conclusion
Sweet soy glaze is a great way to add a bit of sweetness and an Asian-inspired flavor to a variety of entrées such as grilled fish or pork.
However, if you’re looking for something a bit different, there are a few delicious alternatives.
Teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, honey chili garlic sauce, miso paste, and barbecue sauce are all great substitutes for sweet soy glaze.
Each of these options has unique flavor profiles that can bring a unique and delicious flavor to whatever dish you’re cooking.
Ultimately, it will come down to personal preference and what you’re trying to create.
Whether you are looking for a sweet, savory, spicy, or garlicky flavor, these five substitutes are sure to add something special to your dish.

5 BEST Sweet Soy Glaze Substitutes to Try
Ingredients
- 1 – Teriyaki Sauce
- 2 – Hoisin Sauce
- 3 – Honey Chili Garlic Sauce
- 4 – Miso Paste
- 5 – Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- Choose a preferred substitute from the provided list.
- Follow the cooking instructions for the selected substitute.
- Use the correct proportion of ingredients when preparing the substitute.