HOW TO USE NOYA SAUCE
What Is Soy Sauce?
Traditional soy sauce is made by fermenting soya beans with salt, usually alongside wheat, over months. The result is dark, salty and deeply savoury — the backbone of cooking across China, Japan, Korea and much of Southeast Asia.
It's one of the oldest condiments still in daily use, and one of the most effective. It also contains two of the most common allergens, soya and wheat, which puts it out of reach for a lot of people. Many supermarket versions add colourings, MSG or mushroom extract on top.
What NOYA Is
NOYA is brewed from wild Scottish seaweed instead of soya beans. Water, coconut nectar, vinegar, sea salt, yeast extract and seaweed build the same savoury depth with none of the soya, wheat or gluten.
It's certified organic, vegan, and free from all 14 major allergens, with no preservatives. NOYA has been awarded three stars at the Great Taste Awards, and Sozyë was named Great Taste Startisan of the Year 2022.
What It Tastes Like
On the nose it reads as soy sauce. On the tongue it's savoury and lightly sweet with a clean saltiness, sitting somewhere between light and dark soy in depth. The coconut nectar gives it a roundness that soy sauce doesn't have, and it lacks the slightly bitter edge some soy sauces carry.
Use it as a direct swap — one for one, wherever a recipe calls for light or dark soy sauce.
How to Use NOYA
- Stir-fries — a splash while the vegetables are still moving, then a little more off the heat.
- Marinades — on its own or with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Good on tofu, mushrooms, aubergine and vegetables.
- Dipping — for sushi, dumplings, spring rolls, or straight onto good bread.
- Salad dressings — with toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar. One of its best uses; try our classic NOYA vinaigrette.
- Glazing and basting — brushed on during roasting, where it caramelises and keeps things from drying out.
- Rice and noodles — stirred through at the end.
- Soups, stews and gravies — added early for savoury depth.
- Roasted vegetables and nuts — tossed through before roasting.
- Caramel and ice cream — a small amount, working the way a pinch of salt does.
A good habit: add a little during cooking and finish with a little more at the end. The first builds depth, the second brings brightness.
Common Questions
Is it a like-for-like substitute? Yes. Use the same quantity your recipe calls for.
Does it taste of seaweed? No. Seaweed is the source of the savouriness, not a flavour you notice.
Does it need refrigerating? Not until opened. Once opened, keep it in the fridge and use within six months.
Is it gluten-free and soya-free? Both, and free from all 14 major allergens.
What's in it? Water, coconut nectar, vinegar, sea salt, yeast extract and seaweed, with no preservatives.
Why Seaweed
Seaweed needs no farmland, no fresh water, no fertiliser and no feed. It grows on the tide. Ours is harvested by hand off the north coast of Scotland, cut so the holdfast stays intact and the plant regrows within weeks.
Seaweed has been a source of savoury flavour for centuries — see our guide to edible seaweed, or what umami is, for more.