Is hoisin sauce gluten-free? Usually not

Usually not. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans, sugar, vinegar, garlic and spices, and most versions also contain wheat, either as flour or through soy sauce brewed with wheat.

What to check

• The label: wheat is named and highlighted in the EU and UK, and declared in the US. Gluten-free hoisin sauces exist.
• In restaurants: hoisin is in Peking duck pancakes, char siu, stir-fries and dipping sauces. Ask, and bring your own gluten-free version if you can.

Keep reading

• Is soy sauce gluten-free?
• Is oyster sauce gluten-free?
• Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?

Sources: Coeliac UK, EU Regulation 1169/2011 and 828/2014, US FDA gluten-free rule and FALCPA, Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less). Checked 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.