Why It's Confusing
Fish sauce is rarely listed clearly on restaurant menus. It is often used as a background seasoning in curries (including most Thai curry paste), stir-fries, dipping sauces, and salad dressings. It also overlaps with other umami condiments like oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
Some dishes that look fully plant-based, like pad thai or green papaya salad, may still contain fish sauce. Common commercial bottles such as Red Boat list only anchovy and sea salt [[1]](#source-1), while Three Crabs adds sugar and hydrolysed wheat protein on top of an anchovy base [[2]](#source-2).
In some regions, "vegetarian" versions still include fish sauce because fish is not always classified as meat.
Where It Commonly Appears
- Thai cuisine
- Vietnamese cuisine
- Cambodian cuisine
- Pre-made Southeast Asian sauces
It may also appear on labels as:
- Anchovy extract
- Fish extract
What To Watch For
- Ask directly if fish sauce is used in the dish
- Check ingredient labels carefully
- Do not assume "vegetarian" means vegan
- Cross-contamination is usually not the issue. The ingredient itself is.
Vegan Alternatives
Plant-based alternatives are typically built on:
- Mushrooms
- Seaweed
- Soy blends
Ocean's Halo Organic Vegan Fish Sauce is a widely available example built on seaweed and shiitake [[3]](#source-3). Look for products clearly labelled as vegan fish sauce substitutes.