The Sweet Allure of Soy Sauce Soy sauce has been a staple in many cuisines for centuries, adding depth and umami flavor to dishes from Japan to China to Korea.
At its core, soy sauce is a fermented liquid made from a combination of soybeans, roasted grains, water, and salt.
Its savory, alluring taste is due in part to the fermentation process, which breaks down proteins and carbohydrates into their constituent amino acids and simple sugars.