01
Soy Sauce
3.3best for cooking1 tsp : 1/4 tsp
Adds umami and color; reduce other liquids slightly
3.3
salt substitute
for cooking.
On the stovetop, salt's job is timing-flexible: a pinch early draws moisture from onions in 4-6 minutes for fond, while a finish-pinch keeps greens bright. Most stovetop dishes tolerate salty liquid stand-ins because the pan keeps mixing and reducing them. Watch for two failure modes: liquid subs change the volume in tight recipes (deglaze with less wine), and dark sauces tint pale dishes brown. Ratios below assume 1 tsp table salt as the target sodium load.
top substitutes
adjustment for cooking
Use 1 tsp soy sauce per 0.25 tsp salt and pull 1 tsp from any other liquid in the pan. Soy adds amino-acid umami plus a brown tint that suits braises and stir-fries but darkens cream sauces. Add it after the deglaze so the alcohol burns off first, otherwise the sauce tastes flat.
02
Miso
3.3best for cooking1 tsp : 1/4 tsp
Adds salt plus deep umami flavor
3.3
adjustment for cooking
Whisk 1 tsp white miso per 0.25 tsp salt into a ladle of warm pan liquid first, then return it to the heat. Direct contact with a 350°F skillet caramelizes miso sugars in 30 seconds and turns the dish bitter. Miso brings 0.5 g protein per teaspoon, deepening any stovetop braise.
03
Fish Sauce
3.3best for cooking1 tsp : 1/4 tsp
Very salty and savory, best in Asian dishes
3.3
adjustment for cooking
Use 1 tsp fish sauce per 0.25 tsp salt, added in the last 5 minutes of cooking — long simmering volatilizes its top-note esters and leaves only the funk. The sodium load is roughly 1,400 mg per teaspoon, so taste before adding any other salty stock or soy.
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04
Tamari
3.31 tsp : 1 tsp
Liquid salt plus umami; gluten-free soy sauce
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Tamari subs at 1:1 by teaspoon for salt and stays gluten-free, since it ferments without wheat. Use it in stovetop rice, glazes, or pan sauces where soy would normally land. Its 18% sodium-by-weight matches soy almost exactly, but the taste runs less sharp and slightly sweeter from longer fermentation.
05
Coconut Aminos
3.32 tsp : 1 tsp
Much milder; use double for salt equivalent
3.3
06
Anchovy Paste
3.31/2 tsp : 1 tsp
Salty and savory; melts into sauces invisibly
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Smash 0.5 tsp anchovy paste into hot fat at the start of cooking — 60 seconds at medium heat dissolves the fish entirely and leaves only umami. Paired with garlic in a 1:1 ratio it builds a savory base for tomato sauces and braises that reads as depth, not as fish.
07
Worcestershire Sauce
3.31 tsp : 1 tsp
Salty-umami depth; use in marinades or stews to boost savor without using salt directly
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 tsp Worcestershire per 1 tsp salt in stews and chili. The vinegar-tamarind acid (pH 3.5) brightens long-cooked dishes that lose top notes after 90 minutes of simmering. Add it in the last 10 minutes; earlier and the malt sugars caramelize against the pot bottom and turn slightly bitter.
08
Dijon Mustard
3.31/2 tsp : 1 tsp
Adds salt plus tang; works in dressings or rubs but leaves a mustard note
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Whisk 0.5 tsp Dijon per 1 tsp salt into pan sauces off heat — direct simmering past 180°F breaks the mustard's emulsion and dulls its heat compounds (allyl isothiocyanate). Best in cream sauces for chicken or pork, where the tang cuts dairy fat without adding browning color.
09
Seaweed
3.31 tsp : 1 tsp
Dried kelp flakes ground; mineral saltiness
3.3
10
Capers
3.31 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Briny and salty; chop fine to distribute
3.3