The Absolute Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes

There are countless different types of vinegar in the culinary world, but of these, balsamic vinegar is one of the most versatile.

According to Substitute Cooking, balsamic vinegar is made from unfermented grape juice, which is responsible for its opaque dark color and sweet, acidic taste. Since vinegar is Worcestershire’s main ingredient, says the Stone Soup, using balsamic as a substitute keeps the sauce’s tart sweetness from getting lost in translation. 

To substitute, Know Your Pantry recommends combining equal parts balsamic vinegar and tamarind paste. Tamarind is a fruit pod collected from trees native to Northern Africa and Asia, reports Food Network. The tamarind pods contain a sticky pulp, which is extracted and typically made into tamarind sauce, paste, juices, and concentrates. 

Combined with balsamic vinegar’s acidic sweetness, the earthy flavor and thick viscosity of the tamarind make for an apt Worcestershire substitute.