My bottle of soy sauce clearly states in bold letters to “Refrigerate after opening.” However, none of the ingredients included in my Kikkoman soy sauce look like they would require refrigeration. So what’s the deal? Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated?
Does Soy Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated?
After doing a bit of quick researched, I learned that soy sauce does NOT need to be refrigerated. However, refrigeration will extend the shelf life of soy sauce, so it’s not a bad idea to store it in the fridge if you don’t go through bottles of it regularly.
This is the official information from Kikkoman’s website:
Once opened, the soy sauce will start to lose its freshness and the flavor will begin to change. By refrigerating the sauce, the flavor and quality will remain at their peak for a longer period. As long as no water or other ingredients have been added to the soy sauce, it would not spoil if it had not been refrigerated.
Recipes with Soy Sauce
Ready to get cooking with that soy sauce? Whether you store it in the refrigerator or pantry, this condiment can be used in so many different ways! Here are a few of my favorites:
Be sure to check out my entire archive of soy sauce recipes!
Types of Soy Sauce
Soy sauces can vary quite a bit in flavor, appearance, and even texture. However, most recipes you’ll find online and in cookbooks don’t specify which type of soy sauce to use. Varieties include:
Japanese Soy Sauce
- Koikuchi (dark)
- Usukuchi (light)
- Tamari
- Shiro
- Saishikomi
Chinese Soy Sauce
- Light
- Dark
- Double Dark
Read more about the different types of soy sauces, their differences, and when to use which one in this great article from Serious Eats!
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