Is French’s Worcestershire Sauce Gluten Free?

Last Updated on July 4, 2024

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: is French’s Worcestershire Sauce gluten-free? We’ll also be taking a look at other brands and the options available to us. But first, let’s take a look at what it actually is!

What Is Worcestershire Sauce?

It’s a condiment that I couldn’t live without. It tastes savory, a little sharp, and extremely tangy. It has a very distinct flavor, so it certainly isn’t for everyone – a bit like marmite! You’ll certainly either love it or hate it. I, for one, absolutely adore it. It goes perfectly with grilled cheese – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

It’s a kitchen staple and is great for packing a punch into any meal. It was made in Worcester (no surprises there!) by Lea and Perrins. It’s base ingredients are vinegar, molasses, and anchovies.

From using it in marinades, as an accompaniment, adding to your salad, or even spicing up your cocktail – it’s a very versatile condiment.

Does Worcestershire Sauce Have Gluten?

You may have noticed the word vinegar listed above and instantly clammed up. And while there are many gluten-free Worcestershire sauces available, they definitely aren’t all suitable for our lifestyle. A lot of brands use white vinegar – which is completely fine for a gluten-free diet. However, some brands use malt vinegar, which contains barley. Barley is absolutely not suitable for a gluten-free lifestyle.

It’s always best to check the label of anything you’re buying and always keep an eye out for malt vinegar when buying Worcestershire sauce. We’ll be taking a look at some of the top brands that are suitable for us.

Although there are many brands that are naturally gluten-free, they may not necessarily label it on the bottle, so we’ll be looking at brands that label it clearly; it always gives me peace of mind.

Is Heinz Worcestershire Sauce Gluten-Free?

Good news! If you’re a fan of the Heinz Worcestershire Sauce – it is most definitely gluten-free. Whilst it isn’t clearly labelled gluten-free, there are no gluten-containing ingredients in this sauce. It’s made with distilled white vinegar, instead of malt vinegar – which means it’s safe for us.

You can usually pick it up in your local grocery store for around $2. However, if you’d prefer your Worcestershire sauce to be marked gluten-free, or certified gluten-free – let’s look at some other alternatives.

Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauces

There’s a range of options for us to choose from if you’re craving Worcestershire sauce, so here’s a round-up of the best brands available.

Lea & Perrins Original Worcestershire Sauce

Lea and Perrins is the most famous brand of Worcestershire sauce out there. You never quite can beat the original! The ingredients contain no gluten and the label very clearly states that the product itself is gluten-free. The only allergen listed on the bottle is fish (which is from the anchovies). The ingredients used are distilled white vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, water, sugar, onions, anchovies, garlic, tamarind, and chili pepper – all safe for gluten intolerant individuals!

It’s cholesterol-free, fat-free, and of course, gluten-free. You can often pick it up in your local grocery store.

It’s important to note that if you’re outside of the US, Lea and Perrins will not be gluten-free. In Europe, Worcestershire sauce is made with malt vinegar, which means it’s not safe for consumption if you’re following a gluten-free diet.

French’s Worcestershire Sauce

French’s Worcestershire Sauce is the main purpose of this article and it is absolutely gluten-free. In fact, it’s certified gluten-free (and certified kosher). It’s main ingredients are white vinegar, water, molasses, sugar, salt, spices, anchovy, and tamarind extract. It also contains no artificial flavors or colors.

This brand is extremely popular and easily accessible.

Wizards Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

What’s great about this brand is that it’s vegan. Due to the anchovies that are in most other Worcestershire sauces, it isn’t suitable for a vegan diet. However, Wizard’s have got your back vegans! It’s organic, vegan, and gluten-free – which makes it perfect. However, it does contain soy which is important to remember if you have any other allergies/intolerances.

It’s main ingredients are apple cider vinegar, molasses, tamari, cane sugar, and tamarind. You can purchase in your local grocery store or online.

WanJaShan Organic Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce

Another organic option is WanJaShan. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, kosher, and contains very few ingredients. It contains organic vinegar, organic tamari, organic cane juice, salt, and organic spices.

Learn more about: Do Salad Dressings Have Gluten?

Make Your Own

Making your own Worcestershire sauce couldn’t be easier. This Homemade Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce recipe from Every Day Gluten-Free Gourmet is relatively easy and some people will prefer making their own condiments.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• apple cider vinegar
• GF soy sauce
• water
• sugar
• ginger
• mustard
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• cinnamon
• pepper

You’ll likely have most of those ingredients in your pantry already – so why not give it a try? It doesn’t take long at all! There’s a wide variety of gluten-free recipes online, so you’ll be spoilt for choice if you go looking.

Feeling Saucy

To conclude, I hope this post has helped you realize that there are plenty of gluten-free options available for us, and the world’s much-loved favorite, French’s Worcestershire sauce, is 100% gluten-free!

And please remember to always check the label when purchasing Worcestershire sauce, you never know when malt vinegar will be used instead of white vinegar!

Read more about: Does Italian Dressing Have Gluten?