Hoisin Sauce (Gluten Free, Whole30, Vegan)

You can whip up this authentic lip-smacking homemade gluten-free hoisin sauce substitute recipe in just 15 minutes—and it’s vegan and Whole30-friendly, too!

What is hoisin sauce?

Traditional hoisin sauce—a centuries-old Chinese barbecue sauce—can be hard to pin down. A thick, robust sauce used as a glaze or condiment, hoisin literally means “seafood” in Cantonese, even though the sauce actually contains zero seafood, and isn’t typically served with it. In the West, this tangy-sweet sauce is often misidentified as plum sauce or raisin sauce, despite containing neither plums nor raisins. To top it off, there’s a dizzying number of hoisin sauce varieties out there, and each one offers a slightly different flavor profile.

A healthy gluten-free hoisin sauce substitute!

I originally created this homemade hoisin sauce recipe for our second cookbook, Ready or Not!, but it’s become such a fan favorite that I’ve decided to share here! Many homemade hoisin sauce recipes include ingredients like oyster sauce, soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, miso paste, fermented, soybean paste, or sugar so they’re no bueno if you’re gluten-free or paleo.

After weeks of tinkering, I came up with a fantastic Whole30 version of this rich sauce using Paleo-friendly ingredients that still delivers all the complexity and flavor of the classic, with none of the soy, wheat, sugar, or preservatives! Plus, it’s nut-free and vegan!

How do you use hoisin sauce?

The possibilities are endless if you love hoisin sauce. Traditionally, it’s used as a dipping sauce for meats or spring rolls or slathered on buns or wraps filled with Moo Shu Pork or Peking Duck. You can also mix it into marinades for grilled meats because hoisin sauce imparts a sticky and savory yumminess. Squeeze bottles filled with hoisin sauce are also commonly found at your table when you’re dining at Vietnamese restaurants because it’s used to flavor steaming bowls of phở. I don’t do this, but lots of folks even use hoisin sauce to season their weekday stir fry!

Ingredients

• Medjool dates, pitted: In place of white sugar, brown sugar, or honey, or molasses, I like using Medjool dates as a natural sweetener. It also helps as a natural thickener for the sauce. Dried plums (a.k.a. prunes) will also work!
• Sunflower butter: To add a nutty flavor, I use unsweetened sunflower seed butter. If you don’t like sunbather, you can use tahini (to keep it nut-free) or use almond butter.
• Coconut aminos: I use this in place of soy sauce. Coconut aminos add a natural sweetness and umami (indescribable savory flavor)! If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce but you may have to use less or add a little more dates because they’re both saltier than coconut aminos.
• Rice vinegar: This adds a nice acidity and tanginess to the sauce. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can also be used.
• Aged balsamic vinegar: Make sure you get a nice aged balsamic vinegar so it adds a natural sweetness and is more mellow than non-aged balsamic. I like this aged balsamic vinegar the best.
• Chinese five-spice powder: This fragrant spice blend is the traditional flavor that folks associate with hoisin sauce—don’t leave it out!
• Toasted sesame oil
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• Water

How to make a gluten-free hoisin sauce substitute

First, use a sharp knife to mince and mash up the dates until they’re the consistency of a thick, sticky paste.

Next, combine the minced dates with the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the sauce thickens and darkens. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Want a smoother sauce? Blitz it with an immersion blender until it reaches your desired consistency.

Time to slather this paleo hoisin sauce on everything! Make some Moo Shu Pork already!

How do you store it?

This condiment can be kept in the fridge in a sealed airtight container for up to 1 week. (If it gets too firm, just stir in a tablespoon or two of water when you’re reheating it.)

More healthy homemade Asian sauce recipes

• All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
• Tonkatsu Sauce
• Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Vegan Fish Sauce
• Sriracha