Is Worcestershire Sauce Gluten-free?

Find out if Worcestershire sauce is safe for a gluten-free diet, which brands to look for, and how to substitute this ingredient in recipes.

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Worcestershire sauce is an overlooked but very flavorful condiment in any kitchen. This ingredient is full of flavor and brings a depth to whatever dishes you add it to, however it isn’t always clear if it’s safe for a gluten-free diet.

In my kitchen, I use Worcestershire sauce pretty sparingly: in meatloaf, burgers, hearty soup or chili, Chex mix, and Bloody Mary’s.

I’ll be honest, the last one happens maybe once a year at most. I’m pretty sure my last bottle of Worcestershire sauce lasted almost up to the expiration date, because it got so little use.

However, the thing about Worcestershire sauce is that it’s one of a kind. It has a truly unique taste that is hard to replicate (and I’ll tell you how to try to replicate it later in this post). 

Even if you think you can live without it, I’m telling you the second you try to toss it out, you’ll likely find yourself picking up another bottle to sit in the back of your pantry until you truly *need* it again.

In this post, we’re going to look at Worcestershire sauce in depth and find out what’s in it, if it’s gluten-free, discuss gluten-free brands of Worcestershire sauce, and learn about some Worcestershire sauce substitutions.

What is Worcestershire sauce?

Worcestershire sauce is a flavorful sauce that’s used to give a depth of flavor to many meat and vegetable dishes. It has a savory umami flavor and is made up of mostly vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, onions, anchovies, garlic, tamarind extract, and chili peppers. 

While many brands have tried to replicate the flavor of Worcestershire sauce, Lea and Perrins is considered the original brand of this sauce. When we’re talking about Worcestershire sauce, we’re almost always referring to this one brand.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. If you purchase wheat bread, there will be gluten in it, because wheat by nature has gluten.

Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form or gluten or wheat derivatives. These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives.

Ingredients of the original Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

According to the Lea & Perrins website, the ingredients in their Worcestershire sauce are: Distilled white vinegar, molasses, sugar, water, salt, onions, anchovies, garlic, cloves, tamarind extract, natural flavorings, chili pepper extract.

Is Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

Although the Lea & Perrins brand contains “natural flavorings” which is often a sign of hidden gluten, I was able to confirm through a few different sources that in the US, their Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.

There are a few other brands that offer gluten-free worcestershire sauce as well. We’ll go through those now.

Gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce Brands

Although there are a number of Worcestershire sauce brands out there besides the most common and well known Lea & Perrin’s brand, not all of them are gluten-free. Let’s go over some of those that are safe for your gluten-free diet.

Colgin

This brand labels their Worcestershire sauce as gluten-free, so you know it contains less than 20ppm as required by the FDA to have this label on the bottle.

French’s

This well-known brand is owned by the parent company of McCormick. This brand states on their website that their Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.

Great Value

This brand from Walmart shares on their website that this is a gluten-free product. Although I didn’t see a gluten-free label on the product itself, the only place the gluten may be hiding is in the distilled white vinegar, the caramelized sugar syrup, and natural flavor.

If you’re nervous about the potential for gluten in these ingredients, it’s best to opt for another brand.

Heinz

This brand of Worcestershire sauce contains no gluten ingredients. The Kraft Heinz brand is good about clearly labeling gluten in products.

This Worcestershire sauce does not have a gluten-free label and is not considered gluten-free, because it may have shared equipment and have the potential for cross contamination.

Lea & Perrins

This is the most well-known and common brand of Worcestershire sauce, and is gluten-free, but only if you live in the US. In the UK, malt vinegar is used which is derived from barley, making it not safe for a gluten-free diet.

The Wizard’s Gluten-free Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

This brand is gluten-free and is safe for a gluten-free and vegan diet. In place of anchovies, which are a common ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, this brand uses shiitake mushrooms for a depth of flavor.

This brand makes both a wheat and gluten-free version, so be sure to look for the gluten-free one if you’re looking to pick this up.

Wan Ja Shan

This Worcestershire sauce brand has both a gluten-free and vegan label, making it safe for a gluten-free diet, as well as those who avoid eating animal products.

365 Everyday Value

This brand contains no gluten ingredients, but is not labeled as gluten-free. It discloses on its bottle that it is made in a facility that also processes wheat, so there is a risk for cross contamination with this brand.

Depending on your level of sensitivity to gluten, this might be one to avoid.

Is my favorite brand of Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

You may have a favorite brand of Worcestershire sauce that you keep on hand in your kitchen. I get questions about all kinds of different brands, so I think it would be useful to answer some commonly asked questions for popular Worcestershire sauce brands.

Is Burman’s Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

This brand contains malt vinegar which is derived from barley, a gluten-containing grain. Avoid this brand if you follow a gluten-free diet.

Is French’s Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

French’s brand states on their website that their Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free. This is a safe brand for someone following a gluten-free diet.

Is Great Value Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

This brand from Walmart shares on their website that this is a gluten-free product. Although I didn’t see a gluten-free label on the product itself, the only place the gluten may be hiding is in the distilled white vinegar, the caramelized sugar syrup, and natural flavor.

If you’re nervous about the potential for gluten in these ingredients, it’s best to opt for another brand.

Is Heinz Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

This brand of Worcestershire sauce contains no gluten ingredients. The Kraft Heinz brand is good about clearly labeling gluten in products in the ingredients list. 

This Worcestershire sauce does not have a gluten-free label and is not considered gluten-free, because it may have shared equipment and have the potential for cross contamination.

It’s best to review the ingredients lists before buying as recipes can change without notice.

Is Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?

In the US, Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free as it uses distilled white vinegar that is derived from corn.

The distillation process removes any potential gluten from grains that are used, IF the grains used to make the vinegar contain gluten to begin with.

In the UK, this brand uses malt vinegar. Malt vinegar is derived from barley, which is not gluten-free and is best avoided. If you’re in the UK or Canada, be sure to check ingredients lists before buying to see which vinegar is used in the product.

What is a gluten-free substitute for Worcestershire sauce?

If you’ve read this post and realized that the brand you have in your pantry contains gluten, what can you use in your recipe until you’re able to get a gluten-free option? 

Of course, the real thing is best, because it has such a myriad of different flavors in just one simple sauce. But if you can’t get that, try one of these ideas.

Here are a few ideas for substituting Worcestershire sauce in a recipe:

• Gluten-free tamari soy sauce
• Gluten-free tamari soy sauce & ketchup (equal parts)
• Dry sherry
• Red wine
• Coconut aminos

For more ideas, check out this post from Food52.

Is Worcestershire sauce dairy-free?

Yes, most Worcestershire sauce is dairy-free as there are no milk products or derivatives used in this sauce.

Is Worcestershire sauce vegan?

Worcestershire sauce is generally not vegan, as it contains anchovies. Since it has fish, it is not considered to be vegan.

However, you can buy vegan Worcestershire sauce brands as I’ve listed above, such as The Wizard’s and Wa Ja Shan brands.

Can you make your own gluten free worcestershire sauce at home?

Worcestershire sauce is a complex ingredient that is made with a number of different layers of flavor and ingredients.

While it seems virtually impossible to replicate it at home, you can certainly try your hand at it and decide for yourself!

Here are a few recipes I’ve found online to try out – and all are gluten-free!

• Homemade Gluten free Worcestershire Sauce
• Gluten free Worcestershire Sauce
• Gluten free Worcestershire Sauce
• Paleo Worcestershire Sauce

I hope if you’ve been wondering if you can still use Worcestershire sauce in your cooking on your gluten-free diet, that this post has helped you clear up any questions you may have.

I also hope you’ve found a brand you can try out and keep in your pantry to use for all your favorite dishes to give them a new layer of flavor.

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