Is Worcestershire sauce gluten free? The answer to that is it depends. It depends on the brand name as well as the ingredients used to make the sauce. Some brands are and some brands aren’t. We’ll take you step by step in how to know if Worcestershire sauce is gluten free.
What is Worcestershire Sauce?
Worcestershire sauce is a fermented condiment that’s brown in color. It’s traditionally made from anchovies, garlic, vinegar, salt and other seasonings. It’s generally used as a flavoring for cooked foods.
What is the Difference Between Worcestershire Sauce and Soy Sauce?
You might be thinking to yourself, both sauces are brown, what’s the difference. The main difference between the two sauces is that Worcestershire sauce takes much longer to ferment.
While soy sauce requires only about 6 months to ferment, Worcestershire sauce requires more like 2 years to ferment.
The Basics of Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is technically a fermented condiment that includes vinegar as an ingredient for length of shelf life.
The sauce is popularly used to make Caesar salad dressing as well as mixed in to make other sauces.
How It Was Invented
According to stories read across the internet, the sauce was invented by mistake in Worcester, England in the 1800s. The story goes that a customer came into Lea & Perrin’s and ordered the condiment, then left never coming back.
A few years later, the remains of the sauce were about to be thrown away and the clerk dared to taste it, an epic moment. That’s when Worcestershire sauce was accidentally invented.
It now belongs to a line of fermented condiments.
How It Tastes
What does Worcestershire sauce taste like? The most dominant flavor of the sauce is an umami flavor. It also has slightly sweet and slightly sour flavors from the sugar and vinegar.
What is it Made of: Ingredients
The ingredient label of our bottle of Kroger brand Worcestershire sauce includes the following:
water, distilled vinegar, molasses, salt, citric acid, dextrose, caramel color, natural flavors, maltic acid, hydrolyzed soy and corn protein, dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic.
The ingredient label lists this product as also containing soy.
Nutrition Facts for Worcestershire Sauce
According to our bottle of Kroger brand sauce, the serving size is 1 teaspoon. Here are the nutrition facts for one serving.
Calories 5
Total Fat 0g
Sodium 55mg
Total Carbs 1g
Protein 0g
3 Types of Worcestershire Sauce
There are 3 main kinds of Worcestershire sauce. Those kinds are vegan, gluten free, and low sodium.
Vegan. Vegan sauce is made without any animal by-products and without ingredients that compromise the environment.
Gluten Free. There are some brands of sauce that are made gluten free on purpose and have obtained certification for their product accordingly.
And there are others that are accidentally gluten free, meaning they simply use ingredients that don’t contain gluten.
Low Sodium. Low sodium varieties are made with less salt for those who prefer it or require it for dietary restrictions.
Overview of Gluten
There are a variety of foods that have the potential of containing gluten, perhaps more than would be expected. Following is a list of potential gluten containing foods according to the grain that the food is made from.
Wheat is found in foods such as breads, cereal, soups, dressings, pastas, sauces, and baked goods.
Barley is found in breads, beers, and malt products.
Rye is found in cereals, breads, and beers.
Titricale is found in breads, cereals, and pastas.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a family of protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and titicale. The protein helps foods to maintain their shapes and acts as the glue to hold it all together.
Who Needs Gluten Free Products?
Gluten can cause gastrointestinal problems in some people who don’t tolerate gluten as well.
And for those with Celiac disease, an auto-immune response, it can cause severe damage and debilitation leading to damage to the lining of intestines.
It’s possible for some to have gluten sensitivity without having Celiac disease.
Substitutions
If you’re in a pinch and need to find an appropriate substitute, here’s our list of best options based on flavors.
Fish sauce. Fish sauce makes a good substitute because it carries that umami flavor throughout.
Soy sauce. Soy sauce has some of the same earthy undertones as Worcestershire sauce. The sweet and sour aspects as well as the umami flavor is present.
Combine soy sauce, ketchup, and fish sauce. Looking for a bit sweeter combination of flavors, add a hint of ketchup to the mix.
Can Celiacs Eat Worcestershire Sauce?
Yes, those with Celiacs disease can consume it. However, it’s best either to make your own so that you have control over the ingredients used as well as the environment it’s made in.
Or, carefully review labels and choose a product that has a gluten free certification.
Brands of Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce
Is Worcestershire sauce gluten free? + the best brands. What brands of Worcestershire sauce are gluten free? We’ve listed some of the more popular options below.
French’s Worcestershire Sauce
Lea and Perrins Original Worcestershire Sauce
The Wizard’s Gluten-Free Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Natural Earth Products Organic Worcestershire Sauce
WanJaShan Organic Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce
Haddar Worcestershire Sauce
Kroger’s Worcestershire Sauce
Is Worcestershire Sauce Gluten Free?
Worcestershire sauce isn’t always gluten free. You’ll notice its dark brown color that comes from soy sauce which is not always gluten free.
Does Worcestershire Sauce Have Gluten?
Our firm answer is, it depends. Some brands do and some brands don’t. You’ll want to carefully check the labels.
How to Buy Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce
Here are our top three tips for how to buy gluten free sauce.
Check the label. Check the label for a gluten free certified product, or read ingredients to see if gluten is contained.
Check the brand. Check the brand against our lists we’ve provided for you here.
Contact the company. If you’re still unsure about the safety of this product for your dietary restrictions, check with the company.
Worcestershire Sauce Without Gluten Ingredients
These are the sauces that we would consider to be made gluten free by accident. They’re not gluten free certified, but rather it just so happens that they’re made with ingredients that don’t contain gluten.
Bourbon Barrel
Annie’s Homegrown
Heinz
Bull-Dog
365 Everyday Value
TryMe Wine & Pepper Worcestershire sauce
Heinz 57 Steak Sauce with Lea and Perrons, but in this case Heinz 57 is not gluten free, so avoid this combo.
How To Make Gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce at Home
To make Worcestershire sauce at home, you’ll need the following ingredients. Then, follow our step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten free
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Let’s Make the Sauce
Here are the instructions for preparation and making the sauce.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix the ingredients together and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend in the blender until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
How to Store the Sauce
There are two different ways you can store Worcestershire sauce. If the sauce is sealed from the store, it can be stored at room temperature.
Once the sauce is opened, we recommend storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following are frequently asked questions that relate to is Worcestershire sauce gluten free? If you have a question that’s not answered here, please feel free to drop it to us in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to answer it.
How do you know if Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free?
The best way to know if Worcestershire sauce is gluten free is to read the label first noting the ingredients used to make the sauce. You can also check for a gluten free certification on the label. And finally, contact the company for clarification if necessary.
Is there gluten in Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce?
No, Lea and Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce is gluten free.
Is Heinz Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
Yes, Heinz Worcestershire sauce is made with gluten free ingredients.
Is Great Value Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
Yes, the Walmart brand of Worcestershire sauce is made with non-gluten containing ingredients.
Is Aldi Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
No, the brand of Worcestershire sauce that Aldi carries contains malt vinegar, which makes it not gluten free because malt vinegar contains gluten.
Is Market Pantry Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
No, Market Pantry Worcestershire sauce is processed in a facility where wheat is handled, which exposes it to potential contamination of gluten.
Is French’s Classic Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
Yes, French’s is a good brand to buy if you’re needing gluten free Worcestershire sauce.
How can you tell if Worcestershire sauce is bad?
The best way to tell if Worcestershire sauce is bad is to take the best if used by date into consideration. Then check the smell and appearance of the sauce. If either of these seems off, throw the sauce away and don’t risk eating it.
Can you eat Worcestershire sauce raw?
You can eat Worcestershire sauce directly from its bottle, rather than cooking it. But it’s intended to be a flavor enhancer for cooked sauces, rather than being slathered on at the end.
Is Worcestershire sauce dairy-free?
Yes, Worcestershire sauce contains no milk and is naturally a dairy free product.
Related Ideas:
Gluten free chocolate cake
Gluten free rice krispies
Ghirardelli peppermint bark gluten free
Save to Pinterest:
Gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce
Equipment
- saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce gluten free
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Here are the instructions for preparation and making the sauce.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix the ingredients together and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and blend in the blender until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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