Gluten Free Soy Sauce vs Tamari Tasting

The Difference Between Soy Sauce and Tamari

Soy sauce is a fermented wheat-based product while tamari is made using a brewing process. Both products are now widely available so gluten free shoppers can quite easily find safe products. Here's a snapshot of the difference between these two ingredients.

Soy Sauce

• originated in China
• originally made using a fermentation process
• traditionally half soy beans and half wheat

Tamari

• originated in Japan
• originally made by a brewing process
• traditionally wheat free, a by-product of miso

Soy sauce and tamari do not taste the same and neither do any two brands of soy sauce. There's nothing like a head-to-head comparison to find out what you prefer, so you might as well have a little fun in the process.

How To Host a Soy Sauce vs Tamari Tasting

For my tasting I chose three soy products that are readily available to me. Two brands of tamari and one inexpensive brand of soy sauce. I chose these based on the ingredient label and the cost.

Make a sushi pizza, hand rolled sushi or both for a fun tasting party. Include a Tasting Card with the categories you want to compare. Umami taste, saltiness, cost, a clean label (no words you don't understand) and on and on. Get the super tasters in your group to come up with those points.

Eat, vote and have fun!

Fun Facts for a Soy Sauce and Tamari Tasting Party

Gluten free soy sauce is readily available everywhere now. I see tamari at health food stores and some well stocked supermarkets and Asian stores. The following companies have a long history and share interesting stories on their websites. Find some fun facts to add to your discussion at a Soy Sauce and Tamari Tasting Party.

• San J does a good job explaining their brewing process for tamari.
• Amano Foods has a nice description of their wheat free tamari and soy sauces, plus they sell teriyaki sauce and a few miso products.
• Eden Foods clearly describes the difference between their wheat free and gluten free products.
• Kikkoman describes how they changed a traditional soy sauce by replacing wheat with rice to make a gluten free soy sauce.
• Eden Foods calls their produce tamari soy sauce and talk about the testing done to ensure their products are gluten free.
• Kikkoman and Lee Kum Kee brands of soy sauce are both readily available in grocery stores.
• Bragg Liquid Aminos Seasoning is considered a soy sauce substitute. It is made by a different process using soy beans and filtered water. The taste is quite different.

Recipes For a Soy Sauce vs Tamari Tasting Party

I love Asian food and cook both traditional and non-traditional dishes from many countries, with soy sauce or tamari. Here are a few of my favourites to consider for your tasting party.

• My appetizer picks would be Spicy Thai Meatballs in Lettuce Cups or my healthy smoked salmon sushi pizza.
• For a kitchen party make homemade sushi rolls together, then taste and enjoy!
• If you're including salad consider one of my two favourite potluck salads; this Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad or a California Roll Salad.
• For a sit down dinner start with this non-traditional Green Salad with Asian Dressing and Crispy Bean Thread Noodles followed by Sesame Salmon on Greens or Lion's Head Meatballs.

Celiac Travel Tip: Gluten Free Soy Sauce To Go

San J Tamari is sold in bottles but they also have little to go packets for travelling! If you want more tips like this follow Allergic Living. The site includes celiac disease (even though it isn't an allergy), publishes credible medical advice, as well as recipes free of the Top 9 Allergens. The ads are where you see cool things like these packages of soy sauce, medic alert bracelets, travel cards and more.