From light and salty to dark and sweeter varieties, soy sauce can be used in an incredible variety of ways to liven up your meals. But did you know there’s plenty of flavour to be had beyond your favourite Asian dishes? Soy sauce can elevate your weeknight steak, pasta and even dessert, says MasterChef Australia 2023 finalist and Lee Kum Kee ambassador Declan Cleary.
“There’s so many different soy sauces out there,” explains Cleary.
“The light soy sauces are saltier compared to the darker soy varieties that are deeper, richer and more caramelised and not as salty. Don’t be scared, soy sauce doesn’t have to be pinpointed to Asian cuisine.”
I joined Cleary on an adventure to the Hong Kong and China headquarters of iconic Asian condiment brand Lee Kum Kee, and he shared four ways to use soy sauce to boost flavour in every day recipes.
1. Elevate your meat-and-three-veg
While a stir-fry or noodle dish is a favourite for midweek dinners, soy sauce makes a tasty addition to your classic steak. Plus, it’s a great way to use up the last drops of your bottle.
“I’m quite a simple eater throughout the week, I tend to have meat and veg, steak and salad or fish and salad,” says Cleary.
“Rather than using salt on my steak, I use soy sauce. Salting a steak gives it that nice crust, and the saltiness of the soy gives a similar result.
“I’ll empty the last of a soy sauce bottle into a dish and let the steak marinate in it.
“It’s a standard Western ‘meat and three veg’ dinner, but it’s got that salty umami flavour from the soy.
“Soy sauce is versatile enough to make a dressing or marinade out of it, but when I’m getting to the end of the bottle, it’s great with steak!”
2. Transform a simple tomato pasta
“You wouldn’t think to use soy in pasta but it’s much like using it with noodles,” says Cleary.
“I add it into a tomato pasta sauce to give it that depth of umami and body of flavour.
“Tomatoes have that aspect and the soy sauce enhances it. I’m adding soy in broths, soups, steak, pastas.”
3. Experiment with soy sauce ice-cream
Move over, salted caramel, there’s a new salty-sweet flavour trend for 2025.
“I’ve been mucking around lately with soy sauce and ice-cream. It’s a bit of a game changer! There’s an amazing flavour in it,” says Cleary.
“Use a darker soy, where it’s richer, more caramelised and sweeter.
“I make my own crème anglaise and add soy into it before I put it into the ice-cream churner. Or a thick kecap manis over vanilla bean ice-cream is a vibe! It’s salty and sweet.”
4. A spicy summer treat
As well as using soy in his everyday cooking, Cleary reveals another surprising dessert creation using a spicy Lee Kum Kee soy sauce-based condiment, chiu chow chilli oil.
“I make a dessert with sweet and charred caramelised pineapple and a light and fresh coconut sorbet,” explains Cleary.
“I use the Lee Kum Kee chiu chow chilli oil to make a chilli caramel.
“Bitter, sweet pineapple, fresh coconut sorbet, and rich, spicy caramel chilli sauce to give it a bit of a kick. It works!”
The making of soy sauce
Lee Kum Kee’s sustainability rated sauce production base in Xinhui, China covers a sprawling 1.33 million square metres. With their strong quality control processes and more than 3,000 fermentation tanks, the company produces 48,000 bottles of soy sauce per hour.
Soy sauce is made from soybeans and wheat and traditionally fermented in tanks for at least three months depending on the type of sauce. Gluten-free soy sauce is made with corn starch instead of wheat.
What is the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?
Light soy:
- Salty and savoury with a strong umami flavour.
- Light reddish-brown colour and thinner.
- Mainly used for seasoning.
- Add to stir-fries, dressings and dipping sauces.
Dark soy:
- Less salty and milder in flavour with sweetness.
- Caramel is added to light soy before being concentrated.
- Dark brown colour and thick.
- Adds colour and flavour to noodles, casseroles and braises.
Other sauces to try:
- Kecap manis: a thick and sweet Indonesian sweet soy sauce, use as a glaze, for dipping or drizzle over rice.
- Chiu chow chilli oil: a condiment made from preserved chilli, garlic and spices, serve with rice, dumplings or poached eggs and avocado toast.