The Best Soy Sauce You Should Start Using ASAP

Most people know of Japanese-style soy sauce, but it's not the only type on the market. For something unique, look to Indonesia’s kecap manis, which is sweet, briny, and tangy.

Kecap manis offers a much more multi-dimensional flavor than many other soy sauces. Like other varieties, it starts out with soybeans fermented in brine and koji mold.

While Japanese varieties stay simple with just water, salt, soybeans, koji, and sometimes wheat, kecap manis features palm sugar and other ingredients like fish sauce or spices.

The end product is sweet, rich, smoky, aromatic, and much more syrupy in texture compared to other versions. It’s in many Indonesian recipes, but also works well in other settings.

Kecap manis is great for marinades and can add some umami richness to stews, sauces, or stir fry. Its thick consistency and complex flavor also make it a good dipping sauce.