Chinese cuisine is rich with flavors, often using a variety of sauces, condiments and aromatics that may not always be easily accessible or in your pantry. If you find yourself missing an ingredient or two while cooking a Chinese dish, don’t worry! Here’s a guide to common ingredient substitutions for Chinese cooking so you can still enjoy authentic flavors at home.
If you haven’t already, check out my list of Essential Chinese Ingredients. It’s nice to have these pantry staples to start with. You can also learn more about each ingredient by visiting my Pantry Page.
If you can’t find the ingredient substitutions information you need, leave a comment below, including the recipe you’re trying to make. I will try my best to answer your questions.
Chinese Ingredient Substitutions
Chinese Sauces, Pastes & Wet Condiments
In an ideal world, it’s great to have all the correct ingredients in a recipe on hand to create the most authentic tasting Chinese food. But when you need something in a pinch, here is a list of ingredient substitutions to help you cook your favorite dish for dinner.
Light Soy Sauce & Soy Sauce
Substitute:
- Tamari (Gluten-Free): Offers a similar deep umami flavor without gluten.
I do not recommend coconut aminos as a substitute because it is way too sweet and it doesn’t add enough umami to the dish.
Dark Soy Sauce
Substitutes:
- Soy Sauce + Molasses: Adds color, a hint of caramel flavor, and a thicker texture.
- Regular Soy Sauce + Brown Sugar: Helps achieve similar caramelization, but your dish will come out lighter in color.
Shaoxing Wine (Chinese Cooking Wine)
Substitutes:
- Dry Sherry (Gluten-Free): Closest substitute with a similar deep, complex flavor.
- Japanese Sake (Gluten-Free): The flavor is milder and slightly sweeter but it still works well in a dish.
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock: If none of the above are available or you’re going alcohol-free.
I do not recommend using mirin as a substitute because it’s way too sweet and changes the flavor profile of the dish too much.
Chinkiang Vinegar (Chinese Black Vinegar)
Substitutes:
- Distilled Vinegar: It tastes less fruity but still adds a nice tangy flavor.
- Rice Vinegar: It has a nice fruity taste but will make the dish less tangy.
- Malt Vinegar: It has the nuttiness and sweetness of Chinkiang.
I do not recommend using Balsamic Vinegar because it’s too sweet and changes the flavor profile of the dish too much.
Rice Vinegar
Substitutes:
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Similar mild tanginess and fruitiness.
- White Wine Vinegar: Similar mild tanginess.
- Distilled Vinegar: A stronger tangy taste and less fruity.
Fermented Black Beans (Douchi)
Substitutes:
- Black Bean Sauce: Convenient alternative.
- Miso Paste + Soy Sauce: Mimics the deep umami taste.
- Oyster sauce: It completely changes the flavor profile but your dish should still come out tasty.
Chinese Chili Oil
Substitutes:
- Chili Crisp (like Lao Gan Ma): Nearly identical flavor.
- Homemade Chili Oil: Takes a few minutes to make and it tastes fresher.
Doubanjiang (Fermented Broad Bean Paste)
Substitutes:
- Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste): Offers a similar spicy and umami kick, though slightly sweeter.
- Chili Oil + Miso Paste: Combine to achieve fermented umami and spiciness with a touch of sweetness.
Oyster Sauce
Substitutes:
- Hoisin Sauce + Soy Sauce + A Touch of Fish Sauce: Provides a touch of sweetness, a thicker consistency, and umami from the sea.
- Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce: For a gluten-free dish.
- Mushroom Stir Fry Sauce (Gluten-Free): Vegan option with similar depth.
Hoisin Sauce
Substitutes:
- Homemade Hoisin Sauce: Achieve similar texture and taste.
- Oyster Sauce + A Touch of Sugar: Achieve similar texture and taste with more umami.
Tian Mian Jiang (Sweet Bean Paste)
Substitutes:
- Hoisin Sauce: Only use this to replace Tian Mian Jiang as a condiment, for example, as a dipping sauce or sauce for Peking duck.
- Homemade Black Bean Sauce: This is a better alternative if using Tian Mian Jiang as main ingredient, for Zha Jiang Mian (Fried Sauce Noodles).
Chinese Sesame Paste
Substitutes:
- Unsweetened Natural Peanut Butter: Achieves similar nuttiness and texture.
- Tahini: Achieves similar nuttiness and texture, but with a grassy flavor.
Chinese Spices, Dried, Cured & Pickled Ingredients
Sichuan Peppercorns
Substitutes:
- Black Pepper + Lemon Zest: To create a spicy and citrusy effect, but without the numbing sensation.
- Sansho Pepper (if available): Common in Japanese cuisine but similar in effect.
White pepper
Substitutes:
- Black Pepper: To add a spiciness but without the bright grassy flavor.
Chinese Dried Chili Pepper (Facing Heaven Pepper)
Substitutes:
- Korean Dried Chili Pepper: Creates a very similar taste but less spicy.
- Italian Dried Chili Pepper: Creates a very similar taste.
Chinese Chili Flakes
Substitutes:
- Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes): Creates a very similar taste but less spicy.
- Italian Chili Flakes: Creates a very similar taste.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
Substitutes:
- Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms: Creates a similar taste and texture, although less intense and less smoky.
- Dried Wild Mushroom Mix: Creates a similar umami and texture, but the flavor profile will change slightly.
Cornstarch (Thickening Agent)
Substitute:
- Potato Starch: Nearly identical texture.
Meat & Produce
Ground Meat
A lot of recipes on my website call for a certain type of ground meat to add flavor to a dish. In these recipes, ground chicken, turkey, pork and beef are all interchangeable. For a vegetarian alternative, you can use a small amount of rehydrated shiitake mushrooms as an alternative.
For recipes using ground meat as a main ingredient (such as dumplings), chicken and pork are interchangeable. Beef and pork are interchangeable. Beef and lamb are interchangeable. For vegetarian options, check out my vegan dumplings recipe, and vegetable egg rolls recipe.
Sliced Meat
In most stir fry recipes, chicken and pork are interchangeable. Beef and lamb are interchangeable.
Fresh Ginger, Garlic & Scallion
These three aromatics are crucial in Chinese cooking, and many recipes use all three of them. For recipes that use all three, you can always skip one of them and slightly increase the others. But if a recipe uses a large amount of ginger, garlic or scallion (such as Garlic Fried Rice, Scallion Oil Noodle or Ginger Scallion Sauce), you should not skip or replace it.
Scallion (Green Onion)
Substitutes:
- Onion: The flavor is less strong and the texture will be different.
- Shallot: A milder flavor and slightly different flavor profile.
Bok Choy & Choy Sum
Substitutes:
- Broccolini: You can further slice the stem on the bias for a nicer texture.
- Spinach: Yields a nice tender texture.
- Swiss Chard: Offers similar texture but changes the flavor profile slightly.
- Chinese broccoli: You can further slice the stem on the bias for a nicer texture.
Bamboo Shoots
Substitutes:
- Water Chestnuts: Add a similar crispy texture and mild sweetness.
- Carrot: Adds a similar crispy texture and mild sweetness.
Conclusion
Cooking Chinese dishes at home shouldn’t be limited by ingredient availability. With these handy substitutions, you can still create delicious, authentic-tasting meals. Experiment and adjust the flavors to your liking, and enjoy exploring the rich world of Chinese cuisine from your own kitchen!
