What Is Soy sauce, dark and How Can I Use It?

Soy sauce, dark is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 161 recipes to get you started.

Key Points

Thick, almost black soy used mainly to color a dish, not to season it.
Aged longer than light soy and sweetened with molasses or caramel.
Add a small amount for glossy brown color; light soy still does the seasoning.
Less salty than light soy, so swapping it in leaves food under-seasoned.
Most Chinese dishes use both; fake it with light soy plus a little molasses.

What is soy sauce, dark?

Dark soy sauce is the thick, almost black soy used to color a dish rather than to season it.

It is aged longer than light soy and often blended with a little molasses or caramel. That gives it a syrupy body and a deep mahogany color, with a gentle sweetness behind the salt.

The key thing to know is what it is for. Dark soy is a coloring agent first, a seasoning second. A small amount stains a braise or a plate of noodles a glossy brown that light soy could never produce.

It is less salty than light soy, so you cannot lean on it to season. That is the other bottle's job.

Cooking With Dark Soy

Reach for it when you want color and a touch of sweetness. A teaspoon or two darkens a braise or a plate of noodles into that glossy brown you see in restaurant cooking, while light soy or salt carries the actual seasoning.

It is the color behind a red-braised Hongshao Wanyu and the deep glaze on Braised Chicken Drumsticks. In a wok dish like Drunkard's Noodles or a sticky General Tso's Chicken, a little dark soy pulls the whole dish toward a rich brown.

Use a light hand. It stains fast.

Because it is concentrated and slightly sweet, a heavy pour can turn food muddy-looking and faintly bitter, so add it gradually and judge by color.

It works best added early in a braise, where the long, slow cooking lets the color set and deepen evenly through the dish.

Dark Versus Light, and the Usual Mistake

The two soys do opposite jobs, and the common error is using one for the other. Light soy is thin and pale and salty, the seasoning bottle; dark soy is thick, dark, and lightly sweet, the coloring bottle.

Swap dark in where a recipe wants light and the dish ends up too dark and a little sweet while still tasting under-seasoned, because dark soy simply has less salt to give.

Most Chinese dishes use both together: light soy for the salt and savory depth, dark soy for the color. They are partners, not rivals, which is why a well-stocked kitchen keeps a bottle of each.

Substitutes

There is no exact single swap, but you can fake it. Stir a small pinch of brown sugar or a few drops of molasses into regular or light soy sauce to add body and sweetness and a darker color.

Kecap manis, the sweet Indonesian soy, is thicker and much sweeter; use it where the extra sweetness is welcome and cut back any other sugar.

For color alone without added salt, a drop of molasses or a little caramel coloring darkens a dish on its own. If you only need flavor and not color, light or regular soy stands in directly.

Buying and Storage

Check the label for naturally brewed soy plus caramel or molasses, and choose that over a thin product padded with additives. Bottles are often marked "dark soy" or "superior dark soy," and some include added mushroom for extra depth.

It pours noticeably thicker and slower than light soy, an easy way to tell the two apart if a label is unclear.

Like all soy sauce, it keeps a very long time thanks to the salt. Store it cool and dark, and refrigerate after opening to hold the color and flavor at their best.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 tbsp (18g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 10Calories from Fat 0

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.0g 0%

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1005mg 42%

Total Carbohydrate 1.0g 0%

Dietary Fiber 0g 1%

Sugars 0.3

Protein 1.9g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 0% • Iron 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find soy sauce, dark: Soy sauce, dark is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Soy sauce, dark is a member of the Legumes and Legume Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese: 酱油，黑
British (UK) term: Soy sauce, dark
en français: la sauce de soja foncée
en español: salsa de soja oscura

How much does soy sauce, dark weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 tbsp	18 grams
1 teaspoon	6 grams

Legumes and Legume Products

Beans 235 Beans with pork, canned 45 Beans, dried 19 Black beans 445 Black beans, dried 29 Great northern beans 58 Kidney beans, canned 128 Red kidney beans 519 Red beans 47 Navy beans, dried 26

Recipes using soy sauce, dark

There are 161 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Asian Salad Nicoise

This Nicoise Salad is a beautiful play off its French counterpart. It keeps the traditional string beans, potatoes, boiled eggs and tuna, but it adds an Asian inspired dressing that elevates this salad to the next level. By changing the usual white potatoes to sweet potatoes, it becomes a healthier version of the recipe. Sweet potatoes provide more vitamins and minerals than regular potatoes and they have fewer calories. Add in the Omega-3 benefits in the tuna, the protein of the eggs, and fibre-packed beans, and you have got a power packed lunch that tastes like a million dollars. This recipe will certainly be singing to your taste buds tuna.

Beef With Broccoli Stir Fry (New Year)

The secret to this recipe is cooking the beef in 1 cup of oil to seal in the juices, and cooking the broccoli in water to make it crisp and tender. For a more authentic touch, try using Chinese broccoli, which has an appearance and taste similar to asparagus.

BBQ Lamb Ribs

BBQ lamb ribs grilled until the skin crisps, then brushed with a honey, soy and red wine glaze over a cooling fire so it caramelizes instead of burning. Juicy, tangy ribs straight off the grill.

Asian Edamame & Carrot Salad

This quick and easy salad is packed with great flavour, and it's so refreshing.

Asian Coleslaw

Looking for a coleslaw recipe that's different and refreshing. Why not try this Asian twist on the classic dish. With its crispy Napa cabbage, Chinese icicle radish, and a touch of sesame seeds, it's a perfect blend of flavors and textures that will make your taste buds sing.

Brown Sugar & Soy Glazed Salmon with Broccoli Rice

This easy to make dish will for sure wow your dinner table. The brown sugar and soy sauce glaze is salty and sweet, which makes a delicious crust for the salmon after broiling. Broccoli rice is a perfect side dish to go with the salmon.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

This dish, which originated on the island of Hainan, off the coast of Southern China, emphasizes the natural sweet flavour of an absolutely fresh chicken and served with rice that is cooked in chicken fat with garlic and then simmered in chicken stock.

Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad

This tasty chicken cabbage salad is very easy to make, and packed with flavour. Enjoy!

Spicy Sichuan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)

A classic Chinese noodle dish, it's served in almost every Chinese restaurant in China, and every family knows how to make this easy yet delicious dish.

Spicy Sichuan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)

A classic Chinese noodle dish, it's served in almost every Chinese restaurant in China, and every family knows how to make this easy yet delicious dish.

Glazed Salmon Fillets

Quick and easy glazed salmon fillets. Asian inspired flavors that is rich in protein and healthy fats.

Beef Chow Fun with Black Bean Sauce

Beef chow fun stir-fries marinated flank steak with fresh wide rice noodles, fermented black bean paste, garlic, ginger, onion, and peppers. A 15-minute Cantonese wok classic.

Pork-Ribs in Delicious Sauce

Chinese-style pork ribs marinated in five-spice, soy, and sesame, then deep-fried until crispy and glazed with a sweet-savory tomato-laced sauce. A takeout classic worth making at home.

Hongshao Wanyu

Hongshao wanyu: crispy whole fish (or cod fillet) pan-fried then braised in a fragrant sauce of dried tangerine peel, black bean, ginger, garlic, and dark soy. Classic Chinese technique.

Peanut Sauce (Nuoc Leo)

Vietnamese peanut sauce (nuoc leo) with chicken livers, crunchy peanut butter, tahini, and dark soy sauce. A rich, savory dipping sauce for spring rolls, grilled meats, and rice paper wraps.

Thai Ham & Chicken Salad

Colorful Thai salad platter with shredded chicken, sliced ham, blanched napa cabbage, carrots, and red pepper in a punchy lime-soy-garlic dressing with toasted almonds.

Chinese Chili with Peppers

Ground lamb wok-fried with tri-color bell peppers in a rich sauce of hoisin, oyster sauce, black bean paste, chili sauce, and sesame oil. A Chinese-style chili served over steamed rice or buttered noodles in under 40 minutes.

Clams in Black Bean Sauce (Chinese New Year)

Fermented black beans can be found at Asian markets; but if unavailable, you can substitute prepared black bean sauce.

Chow Mein (Two Sides Brown Noodles)

Here's a recipe for Chow Mein which is a pretty classic application using pan fried noodles.

Satay-Style Beef with Broccoli

Satay-style beef stir-fry with Chinese broccoli, shrimp paste, dark soy sauce, and rice wine. Thin-sliced steak wok-fried and tossed in a savory peanut-inspired sauce.

Satay-Style Beef with Broccoli

Satay-style beef stir-fry with Chinese broccoli, shrimp paste, dark soy sauce, and rice wine. Thin-sliced steak wok-fried and tossed in a savory peanut-inspired sauce.

Pork in Hot Peanut Sauce

Pork shoulder stir-fried with garlic and ginger, then simmered in a spicy peanut sauce with dark soy, sesame oil, and dried chiles, served over steamed bean curd and preserved radish.

Guizhou Lianai Doufu

Guizhou lianai doufu: golden-fried tofu squares stuffed with a garlicky cilantro-chili filling, simmered in a gingered soy sauce. A spicy Southwest Chinese classic worth the effort.

Guizhou Lianai Doufu

Guizhou lianai doufu: golden-fried tofu squares stuffed with a garlicky cilantro-chili filling, simmered in a gingered soy sauce. A spicy Southwest Chinese classic worth the effort.

Spicy Pork Strips with Black Fungus

Szechuan-style pork shoulder stir-fried with cloud ear black fungus, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and ginger in hot chili sauce. An authentic Chinese wok dish.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai pineapple fried rice with fresh pineapple, dried Chinese mushrooms, long beans, and eggs, served in a hollowed-out pineapple shell. A showstopping wok-fried rice dish.

Ken's Hot-And-Sour Soup

Homemade hot and sour soup with shredded pork, tofu, dried Chinese mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and egg ribbons in a tangy, peppery broth.

Moo Grataem (Stir Fry Pork with Garlic)

Moo grataem, a Thai garlic pork stir-fry with fish sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, and fresh cilantro. Thin-sliced pork tenderloin over rice in 30 minutes flat.

Lamb Steamed in Rice Powder

Lamb steamed in rice powder, a Sichuan-style fen zheng rou with toasted rice and star anise coating marinated lamb. Banana leaves line the bamboo steamer for aromatic, silky-tender meat.

Stir-Fried Beef with Orange

Stir-fried beef with orange peel, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chiles. The classic Szechuan restaurant dish with tender velveted beef, citrus perfume, and a numbing tingle on the finish.

Stir-Fried Beef with Orange

Stir-fried beef with orange peel, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chiles. The classic Szechuan restaurant dish with tender velveted beef, citrus perfume, and a numbing tingle on the finish.

Long Life Noodles with Egg

Long life noodles with egg: blanched egg noodles topped with wilted spinach, a soft-poached egg, and a glossy soy-sesame chicken broth. Chinese New Year birthday tradition in a bowl.

Seasoned Vegetarian Broth

Chinese-style vegetarian broth made with dried shiitake mushrooms, Sichuan preserved vegetables, scallions, and both light and dark soy sauce. A rich, savory base for soups and stir-fries.

Crabs with Ginger & Green Onions

Stir-fried crabs with ginger and green onions in a classic Cantonese wok preparation. Fresh crab cooked fast over high heat with garlic, rice wine, and soy sauce.

Dry-Fried Shrimp with Ginger

Dry-fried shrimp with fresh ginger, garlic, scallions, and Chinese rice wine in a hot wok. A fast, saucy stir-fry that goes from raw to plate in under 5 minutes.

Ginger Crabs

Wok-fried ginger crabs with garlic, scallions, rice wine, and a light-dark soy sauce blend. A fast Chinese-style crab stir-fry that goes from wok to table in minutes.

Hot Chili Beef & Onion Soup

Korean-style hot chili beef soup with braised beef, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, green onions, garlic, and toasted sesame seeds in a rich, spicy broth. Slow-simmered for deep flavor.

Braised Chicken Drumsticks

Chinese red-cooked chicken drumsticks with chestnuts braise crispy fried chicken in dark soy sauce, sherry, five-spice, and rock sugar until glossy mahogany. A classic hong shao technique for festive Chinese dining.

Drunkard's Noodles

Vegetarian Thai drunkard's noodles stir-fried with green chilies, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh basil. Spicy, aromatic, and on the table in under 40 minutes. A fiery wok-tossed noodle dish for heat lovers.

Chinese: Chicken Chunks with Peanuts in Spicy Sauce

Crispy chicken chunks coated in water chestnut flour, deep-fried golden, then tossed with roasted peanuts in a spicy sauce of chili paste, dark soy, sesame oil, and Chinese red vinegar. Restaurant-quality kung pao at home.

Mandarin Soup

Mandarin soup simmers pork, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and bean curd in chicken broth with a silky egg ribbon finish. Classic Chinese soup for cold nights.

Golden Pigeon with Winter Melon

I used Cornish Game Hens, but you could also use a cut up chicken. If you can't get winter melon, watermelon will work. Winter melon is white, very mild tasting and a tad denser than watermelon. I think you could get away using something like Honeydew too.

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