Chances are you've got a bottle of soy sauce kicking around in your kitchen. (Or at least, you know, a bunch of little packets of the stuff tucked away in some drawer somewhere.) And chances are better that you only break it out on specific occasions—a stir-fry, say, or a batch of homemade fried rice. Which is a shame, really, because soy sauce has the potential to be one of the most versatile players in your kitchen, no matter what you're making. Allow us to explain.
For starters, soy sauce, which is made from fermented soybeans, is packed with umami; it lends an unmistakable depth of flavor to basically anything touches. On top of that, there’s plenty of salt in soy sauce, which makes it great for seasoning pretty much anything that needs seasoning. (Pretty much everything.) Which is all to say: You should think of soy sauce less as a condiment and more as umami and salt in liquid form, something you can use to add complexity and punch whenever it is needed, a dash at a time. Here are some ideas for making the most of that bottle.
Meat
Soy sauce has a lot to give to meat. If you’re prepping a steak, a piece of pork, or maybe some chicken in a wet marinade, consider adding a splash of soy sauce to the mix, especially if your marinade has acid (i.e. citrus and/or vinegar) in it. Whether you're grilling, roasting, or pan-searing, that soy sauce will help the protein take on the burnished, caramelized color you're after faster, making it less likely that you'll overcook the interior of your meat waiting for the exterior to brown. It also lends a savory boost, making that meat taste meatier and balancing out the sharpness of other elements in your marinade.
Veggies
Ever put a little soy sauce in a salad dressing? You're missing out. Just a few drops in a vinaigrette is enough to add layers of richness and complexity to the simplest green salad—just make sure to add it before you season with salt as you normally would, otherwise you run the risk of over-seasoning. And tossing veggies that you plan on roasting with a few dashes of soy sauce (along with oil and whatever other spices you'd normally use) works similarly to the way it works on meat, encouraging better browning and adding a big umami boost. We also strongly advocate for adding a bit of soy to the pan when you're deglazing caramelized onions, which sends the savoriness of the finished product through the roof.
Soups and Stews
Now, let’s talk soups and stews. Have you ever had a soup with thin, sad broth? It’s tragic, right? Well, the beauty of soy sauce is that in that little bottle you’ve got a world of flavor. Seasoning a broth-y soup with a bit of soy is an easy way to add richness and make those flavors sing, especially if you're starting off with less-than-delicious boxed broth from the store. And soy plays especially nice in thick, rich stews and other meaty braises, adding a final layer of depth and seasoning to an already many-layered tapestry of flavor.
So what have we learned today? Soy sauce is your new best friend, the secret weapon that has the potential to punch up anything you're making that could use a little salinity, color, and complexity. Just use it sparingly at first, especially when you're sneaking it into unfamiliar places, or in instances where you are already adding salt—you don't want to turn your mouth into Death Valley. Got it? Good!