You don’t always have to buy coconut aminos at the store. Here is an easy recipe for a 5 ingredient DIY coconut aminos substitute that you can make at home. It only takes a few minutes of prep time and it’s made with cheap pantry ingredients so you’ll save some money!

How to make coconut aminos at home

You can use some common pantry ingredients to mimic the depth of flavor of coconut aminos pretty easily. All you have to do is simmer the ingredients for 10 minutes to reduce and thicken into a sauce and you’re all set!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Beef broth – To get that savory, umami flavor
• Balsamic vinegar – Adds a little sweetness and acid balance
• Fish sauce – Another layer of umami and salty goodness
• Tomato paste – Adds depth of flavor and thickness to the sauce
• Onion powder – Flavor to help mimic a “true” coconut aminos taste
• Maple syrup – Optional, adds a little sweetness similar to coconut aminos
• Sea salt – Also optional, if you’re looking for a saltier sauce you’ll want to add a pinch

But wait, what are coconut aminos?

Don’t want to read the details on coconut aminos? Click here to jump straight to the recipe.

Coconut aminos are a liquid made from coconut tree sap and sea salt. They have become popular as an alternative to soy sauce, with much less sodium.

Coconut aminos are naturally:

• Gluten-free
• Soy-free
• Vegan

They also:

• Contain about 60-70% less sodium than soy sauce
• Don’t contain any MSG
• Contain 17 amino acids

An alternative to soy sauce

Coconut aminos are typically used as an alternative or replacement for soy sauce. If you are avoiding soy for any reason (you can read more about the dangers of soy here) coconut aminos are a good option.

They are:

• Not as salty as soy-sauce
• Slightly sweet tasting
• A good source of savory, umami flavor

Coconut aminos vs. Liquid aminos

Don’t be fooled by liquid aminos. Although they have “aminos” in the name, they are not the same. In fact, liquid aminos (such as Bragg) are a liquid protein concentrate made from soybeans and very similar to soy sauce. Liquid aminos are much saltier than coconut aminos and contain soy so they are not a recommended soy sauce alternative.

Coconut aminos and Whole30

We discovered coconut aminos for cooking when we started eating mostly Whole30 and have never looked back. They are the perfect ingredient for asian-inspired meals, sauces and marinades. They add depth of flavor to any dish. You’ll find them in many of our recipes and you can find all of our Whole30 recipes here.

This DIY coconut aminos recipe is Whole30 compliant as long as you don’t include the maple syrup. Don’t worry, you won’t miss it! You’ll still get the salty umami flavor you are looking for and still get a tiny bit of sweetness from the balsamic vinegar.

Coconut aminos and the Keto diet

Because coconut aminos are made from coconut tree sap, which is basically a syrup, they are not very keto friendly. However, this coconut aminos substitute recipe is much lower carb than the average store bought coconut aminos.

Here is the breakdown:

	Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos	DIY Coconut Aminos Substitute
Calories	5	3
Carbohydrates	1g	.25g
Fiber	0g	.06g
Sodium	90mg	121mg
Protein	0g	.25g

All amounts above are per 1 tbsp serving

So, good news! You can use this homemade version to replace coconut aminos or soy sauce in your favorite Keto recipes. You’ll get similar flavor with a lower carb count.

But why make a coconut aminos substitute?

While coconut aminos are great, there are a few reasons you might not want to use it or buy it at the store.

• It can be expensive
• Some stores don’t carry it
• Which brand of aminos to buy can be confusing (see coconut aminos vs. liquid aminos above)
• You may have trouble finding it in your area to purchase in store or online (Certain countries)
• Maybe you can’t eat coconut or soy but want a sauce similar to coconut aminos or soy sauce

You might like the homemade version better

Personally, I like making my own sauces and seasonings at home. Once you try it, you’ll never go back! It’s much cheaper to make them at home and you don’t have to spend an hour at the store looking at ingredients on all the bottles.

Here are some other DIY seasoning and sauce recipes we love:

• CHIPOTLE AIOLI
• PALEO TACO SEASONING
• 5 MINUTE ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE
• 6 EASY WHOLE30 SAUCES
• 10 EASY HOMEMADE SPICE BLENDS

Your turn to try this DIY coconut aminos and soy sauce alternative

Grab a handful of items from your pantry and put them on the stove to simmer for a few minutes. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to recreate the flavor of coconut aminos in your own kitchen! Leave a comment below to let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic and tag us @realsimplegood on Instagram, we love seeing what you’re cooking!

---

---

Like this Recipe?

SHARE IT NOW OR PIN IT FOR LATER!

---

---

FAQ About coconut aminos and alternatives

---