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!

A collage of the cooking steps to make paleo hoisin sauce.

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

An overhead shot of the raw ingredients to make a homemade gluten-free hoisin sauce substitute.
  • 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.

A closeup of a chef's knife mincing Medjool dates on a gray cutting board.

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

An overhead shot of the ingredients of paleo hoisin sauce in a saucepan before it gets cooked.

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

A closeup shot of paleo hoisin sauce simmering in a small stainless steel saucepan

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

Using an immersion blender in the the saucepan to make the paleo hoisin sauce smooth.

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

An overhead shot of paleo hoisin sauce in a gray bowl topped with sesame seeds and chives

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.)


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Hoisin Sauce (Gluten Free, Whole30, Vegan)

4.94 from 16 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings 12 tablespoons
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!

Ingredients 
 

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Instructions 

  • 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 or high powered blender (my Vitamix gets it super smooth) until it reaches your desired consistency. Time to slather this paleo hoisin sauce on everything!

Video

Notes

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.)

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Fiber: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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26 Comments

  1. Hi, I wanted to know how long does it last in the fridge and is there a way to keep it for longer than say (guessing) 2-3 weeks?

      1. Is there a particular reason this would only last 1 week in the fridge? Most of the ingredients seem pretty robust, I would think it would last a while longer in a sealed container. If not, could I freeze the sauce in an ice cube tray and store it long term and take out a few cubes as needed?

        1. There are no preservatives so I don’t feel comfortable suggesting a longer time in the fridge. You can definitely freeze it if you want to keep it longer.

  2. I just made this and it’s got a nice flavor to it. In all honesty I’ve never had hoisin sauce before. I know, I know. But I could totally see myself eating it just by itself. I had date syrup and almond butter. Everything else I had. It’s delicious.

    1. I was going to ask about the taste if subbing for date syrup and almond butter. Sounds like it worked out! I want to try this tonight.

  3. 5 stars
    Can you please tell me what constitutes a serving size? I am trying to figure out the carb count. I see that it is 9 carbs, but is that per 1 Tbsp?
    Thank you!