People are just realising Worcestershire sauce has ‘hidden’ ingredient

The internet is only now discovering that popular condiment Worcestershire sauce contains a rather polarising ingredient.

Worcestershire sauce is a condiment often used to add flavour to dishes such as pasta, casseroles, pies, and even Bloody Mary cocktails.

But it’s only recently that people have discovered its key ingredient, and it’s completely blowing their minds.

The tangy sauce is typically made with water, vinegar, brown sugar, golden syrup, salt, tamarind, spices, onion powder, and garlic powder.

However, people have been left stunned to find out that the sauce also contains a rather polarising ingredient – anchovies.

The revelation came to light after a mum and home cook shared her take on a Caesar salad, which she declared was “picky child approved” as it contained no anchovy fillets, unlike a typical Caesar salad.

Diana Konfederat instead added a dash of the brown condiment to the salad’s dressing, saying, “this has anchovies in it”.

“Please don't come for me for not using fresh anchovies,” she added. “I don’t like them, my kids don’t like them.”

Although thousands were keen to recreate her version of Caesar salad dressing, many were shocked to discover that anchovies were hiding in the sauce.

“Wait a second. I had no idea Worcestershire sauce had anchovies in it,” said one user.

“I just ran to check my sauce – and yes. I haven’t eaten Caesar dressing since I’ve learned it’s in there and all along I’ve been eating this. I’m dead,” admitted a second.

“My mind is blown, Worcestershire sauce has anchovies?!” yet another commenter exclaimed.

“Never knew that Worcestershire sauce contained anchovies,” a fourth added.

People are just realising that anchovies are a common ingredient in Worcestershire sauce. Picture: DianaKonfederat

However, several admitted they’d always steered clear of Caesar salad because of the fish, but were pleased to discover that Worcestershire sauce could be used to recreate that delicate, salty, fishy taste.

“YAY I’ve always wanted a non-fishy Caesar recipe,” one user wrote.

“This looks bomb – I hate anchovies, so this I could do,” someone else said.

Lea & Perrins contains anchovies, but many supermarket homebrand Worcestershire sauces don’t. Picture: Supplied

Anchovies are included in Worcestershire sauce to impart a deep, savoury, and umami flavour.

This umami, frequently characterised as a “meaty” or “brothy” taste, arises from the fermentation process and the natural compounds present in the anchovies.

The anchovies are matured in vinegar, which helps in breaking them down and releasing these flavour compounds and contributing to the sauce’s distinctive character.

As a result, many Worcestershire sauces aren’t vegan.

However, if you are vegan or simply don’t like anchovies, plenty of fish-free Worcestershire sauce brands exist.

Vegan Worcestershire sauces include ingredients like molasses, tamarind, and vinegar to give the same complex, delicious flavour without the fish.

For example, the home brand Woolworths Worcestershire sauce contains no anchovies, nor does the Coles home brand version.

Popular brand Lea & Perrins does, however, contain anchovies.

Originally published as People are just realising Worcestershire sauce has ‘hidden’ ingredient