23 Soy Sauce Recipes That Are Packed with Flavor

October 29, 2020

These soy sauce recipes prove that you should always have the condiment on hand. Soy sauce can be used in a variety of ways, including marinades and dipping sauces. The condiment can often be high in sodium, so if that’s a concern for you, look for a low-sodium version. Or if you’re gluten-free, look for tamari instead. Recipes like Crispy Scallops with Soy Dipping Sauce and Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes are flavorful, healthy and make the most of a versatile ingredient.

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Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu

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Here we marinate tofu cubes in soy sauce and lime juice with a touch of toasted sesame oil, then roast them--perfect tofu every time.

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Soy Sauce Eggs

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Try this salty-sweet hard-boiled egg recipe as a swap for deviled eggs at your next party or as a midday snack. Or serve on top of your next ramen noodle bowl.

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Crispy Scallops with Soy Dipping Sauce

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These crispy scallops are an addictive treat. Make it a Meal: Serve with brown rice and steamed broccolini.

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Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

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Sweet potatoes glazed in a savory-sweet combination of soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil makes a delectable side dish. If you don't eat them all at the first sitting, reheat in a nonstick skillet--they are even more delicious the second time around. (Adapted from Local Flavors, copyright 2002 by Deborah Madison. Reprinted with permission from Broadway Books.)

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Marinated in Spicy Soy Sauce

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Crisp on the outside and buttery-tender on the inside, these sweet and spicy soy sauce-marinated pork tenderloin medallions make for a delicious, healthful and elegant entree. Serve with snow peas, brown rice and Sour Mango Salad on the side.

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Honey-Soy-Ginger Glaze

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Keep this super-simple, versatile glaze on hand and you will be able to elevate any type of grilled or roasted meat, poultry, seafood or vegetable to company fare. Wait until the food has 5 to 10 minutes left to cook before brushing with the glaze. Then turn often, brushing with glaze, to create a glossy crust.

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Sesame-Ginger Marinated Vegetables

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Crisp vegetables get Asian flair in this easy marinated vegetable recipe. We use green beans, carrots and broccoli, but feel free to use 4 cups of whatever vegetables you have on hand. Serve as an appetizer or on top of your next bowl of ramen.

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Soy-Lime Tofu & Rice Bento Lunch

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Tofu, rice and vegetables are classic bento ingredients. Make extra rice for dinner and roll leftovers into balls for lunch. To keep green veggies vibrant and crisp, cook them briefly and immediately dunk them into a bowl of ice water. You can also use cubed store-bought baked tofu in place of the roasted tofu.

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Citrus-Soy Dipping Sauce

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This citrus-soy dipping sauce, a blend of reduced-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, lime juice and vinegar, has so much more great flavor than plain old soy sauce--and less sodium too!

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Stir-Fried Japanese Eggplant with Garlic-Soy Sauce

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If you like "eggplant in garlic sauce" from your favorite Chinese restaurant, this is the dish for you! It's spicy and slightly sweet, but not sticky-sweet like some restaurant versions tend to be. Keep some basic Asian condiments in your arsenal and you can easily and quickly pull off this garlic eggplant recipe at home! Also, because this whole dish comes together very fast, have everything ready to add to the pan before you start cooking.

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Soy-Marinated Flank Steak with Soba Noodles

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Flank steak takes on savory Asian flavors with this quick steak marinade recipe. We like buckwheat soba noodles for their nutty flavor but any noodle, such as rice noodles or spaghetti, works well too.

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Pork Chops with Orange-Soy Sauce

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This dish uses a very traditional French technique: you first brown meat in a skillet, then roast it in the oven. Make sure you use cookware that's oven-safe, preferably cast iron or stainless steel.

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He Bao Dan (Pocket Eggs with Soy-Sesame Sauce)

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In Wuhan, China, this is a common way of cooking eggs. Serve warm over rice or noodles.

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Soy & Roasted Garlic Dressing

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Roasted garlic gives this Asian-inspired dressing a deep, nutty flavor. It's great on any combination of salad greens, or use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings.

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Tofu with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

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Tofu and vegetables get a dramatic lift from a spicy peanut sauce. Serve with a cucumber salad for a low-calorie, nutrient-packed vegetarian supper.

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Sautéed Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

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Peanut butter, balanced with a little soy sauce and vinegar, makes a delicious and kid-friendly sauce for broccoli and other vegetables. Giving the broccoli a head start by steaming it before sautéing it with the other vegetables ensures that all the vegetables are nicely cooked at the same time.

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Soy-Lime Baked Buffalo Wings

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Make this baked Buffalo chicken wing recipe at home to save 138 calories and a whopping 598 milligrams of sodium compared to the same number of deep-fried wings. If your market sells its chicken wings whole, you'll want to separate each into a wingette and a drumette so they cook evenly. They're easy to split apart with a sharp knife. Serve with carrot sticks, celery and ranch (or blue cheese) dressing.

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Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze

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Versatile miso (fermented soybean paste) keeps for months in the refrigerator and adds instant flavor to soups, sauces, dips, marinades and salad dressings. In general, the lighter the miso, the milder and sweeter its flavor. Light miso is the key to the wonderful flavor of this salmon.

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Sesame-Maple Roasted Tofu

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This quick and healthy dinner pairs creamy tofu and crispy snap peas with a tahini-maple sauce. Make it a meal: Serve with udon noodles and Green Tea-Poached Pears for dessert.

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Elise's Sesame Noodles

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Whole-wheat pasta bolsters fiber and nutrients in this popular Asian noodle salad. The recipe is from Annelise Stuart of Germantown, New York.

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Soy-Lime Scallops with Leeks

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Grill these tender scallops with an Asian-style glaze for an impressive yet easy dinner any night of the week.

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Plank-Grilled Sweet Soy Salmon

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Using a plank to grill fish keeps it from sticking or falling through the grate and imparts a subtle smoky flavor to the salmon. You could also use mahi-mahi or Pacific halibut in this recipe.

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Sesame Tamari Vinaigrette

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The roasted-nut and citrus flavors of this easy dressing go well with Asian-style salads or meals; try drizzling it on grilled shrimp or chicken breast, too.

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