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Substitutes for Anchovy in Dressings & Sauces

7 Best Substitutes for Anchovy

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Anchovies add salty umami depth essential for many dishes like Caesar dressing and pasta sauces. These seven substitutes provide varying levels of fishiness, umami, and briny intensity to suit cooked, raw, and vegan applications.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Kitchen Tips, Substitutes
Cuisine: Various
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon Anchovy Paste Use 1 teaspoon anchovy paste per anchovy fillet
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce Use 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce per anchovy fillet in cooked dishes
  • 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce Use 1 teaspoon soy sauce per anchovy fillet; adjust salt as needed
  • 1 teaspoon Miso Paste Use 1 teaspoon miso paste per anchovy fillet; white miso milder, red or brown stronger
  • 1 tablespoon Chopped Capers Use 1 tablespoon chopped capers per anchovy fillet; adds brine but no umami
  • 1 tablespoon Chopped Olives Use 1 tablespoon chopped olives per anchovy fillet in cold dishes
  • DIY Vegan Fish Sauce Blend Simmer 1 cup water, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dried seaweed,

Method
 

  1. Choose the substitute based on your dish—anchovy paste or DIY vegan blend for raw or cooked; Worcestershire or soy sauce for cooked; capers or olives for raw brine.
  2. Prep the substitute as needed—blend pastes, finely chop capers or olives, or simmer the vegan fish sauce blend.
  3. Use the recommended ratio per anchovy fillet to maintain flavor balance.
  4. Adjust seasoning and taste to ensure the desired umami depth and saltiness are achieved.

Notes

  • Anchovy paste provides a smooth texture and identical salty umami flavor but lacks the fillet’s texture.
  • Worcestershire and soy sauces work best in cooked applications where liquid consistency is acceptable.
  • Capers and olives add briny flavor for raw dishes but do not replicate anchovy’s umami depth.

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