The ultimate guide to soy sauce:

Soy sauce is more than a condiment—it’s the heart of Asian cuisine. Ready to stock the best for your store or restaurant? This guide will help you find the best soy sauces that deliver authentic flavors. We have the ideal options for your business—discover them here.

What is soy sauce?

Soy sauce is a condiment made from soybeans, wheat, water, and salt, created through fermentation that can last from months to years. This process creates a unique, rich flavor that balances saltiness, sweetness, and bitterness. Chemically produced soy sauces are faster to make but tend to lack the rich flavor found in traditionally fermented varieties, which significantly affects their quality and taste.

Light soy sauce

Traditional soy sauce typically refers to light soy sauce due to the natural or traditional fermentation methods it undergoes. Light soy sauce, the standard, and most used variety does not mean less salt but is light in color. In fact, light soy sauce is saltier and thinner compared to dark soy sauce and is often used in cooking, marinades, and dips where you want the saltiness to shine without overpowering the dish with color.

Dark soy sauce

Dark soy sauce is thicker, less salty, and has a sweeter taste due to added brown sugar or molasses. It is commonly used to add color rather than strong flavor in many dishes. It is commonly used as a marinade, glaze on meats and seafood rather than a dipping sauce since it’s much thicker than a dipping sauce.

Specialty soy sauces

At Beagley Copperman in addition to the traditional light and dark soy sauces, there are specialty variants that suit specific culinary needs. Here is a few:

Sakura gluten-free soy sauce- A gluten-free Japanese-style soy sauce made without wheat, richer and less salty than regular light soy sauce. Ideal for dipping, marinades, and gluten-free recipes.

Pantai mushroom soy sauce- It is made by infusing soy sauce with mushroom extracts, adding a unique earthy flavor to vegetarian dishes, soups, and stir-fries.

Datu Puti soy sauce with calamansi- Popular in Filipino cuisine. It adds a savory saltiness and tangy citrus, making it a great dipping sauce for grilled meats, seafood, and dumplings

Alternative options include Indonesian Ketjap Manis, which is a sweet, thick, and syrupy soy sauce, ideal for marinades and stir-fries.

Check out our complete selection of soy sauces, featuring a wide range of light, dark, and specialty varieties – from only the finest brands.

How traditional soy sauce is made

Soy sauce is traditionally made by cooking soybeans and roasting wheat, mixing them with salt, water, and added koji mold which forms a moromi mixture. The mixture ferments for 6 months to 2 years. After fermentation, it’s pressed, pasteurized, and bottled for its rich, savory flavor.

Understanding the differences between soy sauce varieties can impact the authenticity and flavor of dishes. Whether you are running a restaurant or stocking retail shelves, choosing the right type of soy sauce—and knowing how it is used—can help you meet the various needs of your customers.