Oyster sauce is a staple of many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese. The thick brown sauce adds an umami flavor, giving dishes like beef and broccoli, noodle stir-fries, and Asian vegetable dressings a rich, savory taste. But if you have a shellfish allergy, you may wonder if it’s safe to eat foods made with oyster sauce.

Are There Oysters in Oyster Sauce?

Oysters are a kind of shellfish. However, some people with shellfish allergies can safely eat oysters because there are different types of shellfish: crustaceans and mollusks. Some people are only allergic to crustaceans, which include shrimp, crayfish, crab, and lobster. Others react to both crustaceans and mollusks. Mollusks include clams, scallops, mussels, and oysters. If you’ve ever had a reaction from eating one type of shellfish, talk with your allergist or another healthcare provider before trying others.

All regular oyster sauce does contain some form of oyster. The sauce was originally made by boiling down pots full of oysters, although many brands now use oyster extract combined with other ingredients, such as salt and sugar. No matter how it’s made, if you have a shellfish allergy and aren’t sure whether oysters are safe for you, it’s best to avoid oyster sauce.

Avoiding Oyster Sauce at Restaurants

If you have a shellfish allergy, you know to skip the oyster bar at a seafood restaurant. However, it can be easy to unknowingly eat food containing oyster sauce when you’re dining out. If you enjoy a cuisine that’s heavy on oyster sauce, such as Chinese, talk with the restaurant staff and explain your allergy. The server should be able to direct you to safe options on the menu or check with the kitchen staff for clarification.

Chain restaurants can also be a good resource because they’re more likely to note allergens on their menus. For example, P.F. Chang’s, an international Asian restaurant chain, lists the common allergens, including shellfish, in each of their menu offerings.

If you have food allergies, whenever you visit a restaurant, bring your allergy treatments with you, whether that’s an over-the-counter antihistamine or an epinephrine auto-injector in case of life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Choosing Substitutes for Oyster Sauce

If you’d like to prepare a recipe that has oyster sauce on the ingredient list, don’t worry — you still have options. Vegetarian and vegan oyster sauce substitutes provide the flavor of oyster sauce without actual oysters. They usually use a combination of soy sauce or tamari and shiitake and oyster mushrooms, along with salt and sugar. If you have other allergies, such as gluten, be sure to check the labels carefully.

In addition, a variety of other sauces can provide flavor without triggering shellfish allergies. Soy sauce, fish sauce (as long as it contains only fin fish), hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, mushroom sauce, black bean paste, and even Worcestershire sauce can safely provide a hit of umami. If you’re using a thinner ingredient, such as soy sauce or mushroom broth, add some sugar and cornstarch to make the taste and texture closer to that of oyster sauce. For a thicker but sweet sauce like hoisin, add salt and combine with mushroom broth to match the flavor of oyster sauce.

Join the Conversation

On MyFoodAllergyTeam, people share their experiences with food allergies, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What are your best strategies for avoiding food allergens like oyster sauce? Have you found a good substitute for oyster sauce in your cooking? Let others know in the comments below.