• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
PantsDownApronsOn
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Shop
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Asian

    Homemade Kecap Manis Recipe (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)

    Published: Oct 1, 2020 by Charlé Visser · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments · 1095 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article.

    jump to recipe

    Kecap manis is extremely easy to make and once you've made this simple and versatile Indonesian sweet soy sauce you will never have to buy another bottle of below-par ABC kecap manis ever again.

    Kacap manis in glass jar on wooden board
    Rich, dark and delicious
    Jump to:
    • What is kecap manis
    • Why make your own
    • How does it taste
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make it
    • How to use it
    • Other recipes you might like
    • Useful equipment for this recipe
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What is kecap manis

    Kecap manis is the most widely used soy based sauce in Indonesian cuisine.

    Proper kecap manis is usually small batch and producers take great pride and care in making this sweet, salty, rich and molasses-like condiment.

    Unlike plain soy sauce kecap manis has a thick syrupy consistency. This is because it's traditionally made by cooking down palm sugar and soy sauce together over low heat until thickened.

    Why make your own

    It's extremely simple and rewarding making your own kecap manis from scratch.

    Not only will it taste much better than mass-produced, store-bought versions but, you will also save a ton of money by not buying something overpriced.

    Kecap manis can be extremely hard to come by in some parts of the world including many European countries and large parts of America.

    By making your own you will be able to use it freely in any recipe that calls for it. Like my chocolate bbq sauce or a classic Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng.

    How does it taste

    Authentic kecap manis should be well balanced between salty and sweet.

    It should have a smooth syrupy yet still pourable consistency and be without sugar lumps.

    The flavour should be complex with a rich molasses flavour coming through.

    All the characteristics are achieved by using the correct ingredients and cooking the sauce properly.

    Ingredients needed

    It only takes a few ingredients to make so make sure the most important ones like soy sauce and sugar are good quality.

    ingredients needed to make kecap manis(water,brown sugar,soy sauce,molasses)
    Sugar, water, soy, molasses. That's it!
    • Soy sauce - I used homemade soy sauce I made by growing koji on grains and pulses and then fermented it for about a year. You don't have to do all that)) Simply use a good naturally brewed store-bought version of soy sauce. It will say it on the bottle. I know Kikkoman(affiliate link) has a good natural one. So, go with that.
    • Molasses - I use molasses in my kecap manis recipe because I have a hard time finding proper palm sugar. Unless you live in South East Asia, you won't find the proper palm sugar at the proper price either. So, do what I did. The added pure molasses is a great substitute.
    • Brown sugar - To boost the molasses notes and make the sauce a bit more nuanced, I use brown sugar. You can easily use regular white sugar instead. The molasses and caramel notes will just be more subtle that way.
    • Water - Clean drinkable water will do. As always.

    How to make it

    I was considering involving the temperature probe in this one but then decided to make it bare basic and not go down the technical route on this one, and just make it nice and easy, short and simple. It's what we all want.

    soy sauce, water, sugar and molasses in a sauce pan
    All in at once. How we like it.
    1. Get all your ingredients in a sauce pan. Give it a little get-to-know-each-other stir.
    2. Place the pan on the stove or induction and very slowly start simmering. Give it a gentle stir every minute until the total weight of the sauce has reduced to 220g. A reduction of 31% from its initial 320g combined tarting weight. While the sauce is reducing keep an eye on it so it does not boil over or cook too fast. Low and slow does the magic here.
    3. Once the correct weight is achieved, let the sauce cool down and then store in airtight containers in the fridge. You now have yourself the perfect substitute for real Indonesian kecap manis.
    holding sweet soy in glass jar
    That's the one you want!

    How to use it

    Use kecap manis in any recipe that specifically calls for it or simply use where you would normally have to add soy sauce and sugar separately. Below are a few more ideas.

    • Stir fry - A finishing touch to any quick stir fry like this quick duck breast stir fry or add last minute when you make fried rice.
    • BBQ - When barbecuing meats like pork belly or alternative steak cuts like bavette, brush it with some kecap manis and give it a few final turns so the sauce can caramelise a bit.
    • Dipping sauce - With fresh vegetable crudités, a simple piece of sushi or sashimi, and great with roasted or steamed broccoli or bok choy.
    • Glazing - Glaze seared salmon fillet and finish under the grill or use this glaze instead of sweet miso in this baked eggplant dish.
    • Curries or stews - Add a final touch of balance and umami to Asian dishes like this Filipino beef adobo, this Thai massaman curry or this Indian coconut chicken curry.

    Other recipes you might like

    If you like making your own version of classic condiments or sauces then you will find the following recipes useful:

    • Sweet miso glaze
    • Salsa verde
    • Lemon mayonnaise
    • Teriyaki
    • Classic Caesar dressing
    • Chimichurri sauce
    • Homemade sriracha

    Useful equipment for this recipe

    kitchen scales

    Electronic Kitchen Scales

    BUY NOW
    whisk

    Whisk

    BUY NOW
    kilner jars

    Small Kilner jars

    BUY NOW
    saucepan

    Small saucepan

    BUY NOW

    This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site.

    If you found this post helpful or have learned something, comment, subscribe, and follow me on social platforms for more tasty recipes.

    Recipe

    holding sweet soy in glass jar
    5 from 13 votes
    Pin Recipe Print

    Homemade Kecap Manis Recipe (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)

    This recipe for kecap manis is the perfect substitute for the real deal Indonesian sweet soy sauce
    Author Charlé Visser
    Prep Time 1 minute
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 11 minutes
    Servings 5 portions
    Course Condiments
    Cuisine Asian, Indonesian
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 150 g (⅔ cups) brown sugar
    • 100 g (3/7 cups) water
    • 50 g (⅕ cups) soy sauce
    • 20 g (1 tablespoon) molasses

    Instructions

    • Get all your ingredients in a sauce pan. Give it a little get-to-know-each-other stir.
    • Place the pan on the stove or induction and very slowly start simmering. Give it a gentle stir every minute until the total weight of the sauce has reduced to 220g. A reduction of 31% from its initial 320g combined starting weight.
    • While the sauce is reducing keep an eye on it so it does not boil over or cook too fast. Low and slow does the magic here.
    • Once the correct weight is achieved, let the sauce cool down and then store in airtight containers in the fridge. You now have yourself the perfect substitute for real Indonesian kecap manis.

    Notes

    • You can use regular sugar if you don't have brown sugar but molasses is essential. 
    • Molasses and barley malt are not the same thing.
    • Do not stir the sauce vigorously while reducing.
    • Add a teaspoon of liquid glucose if you are worried about the sugar crystalising.
    • Store in the fridge sealed airtight. Will keep it for an indefinite amount of time because of the salt and sugar content.
    • No need to freeze.
    • Use as a glaze when grilling meat, vegetables or fish.
    • Add to stews, stir fry, curry and many more dishes as a flavour enhancer.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 40g Calories: 130.9kcal Carbohydrates: 32.91g Protein: 0.85g Fat: 0.06g Saturated Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 559.98mg Fiber: 0.08g Sugar: 32.13g Calcium: 3.7mg Iron: 3.04mg
    Keywords:indonesian soy sauce, kecap manis, sweet soy sauce
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Did you make this?Tag @pantsdownapronson or hashtag #pantsdownapronson so I can see your hot skills!

    More The Best Asian Recipes

    • Thai Beef And Pork Jerky (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Jungle Curry | Kaeng Pa | แกงป่า (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste (Video)
    • Garlic And Ginger Paste

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gavin

      at

      Where I live this stuff is impossible to find. I love cooking with it as I lived in Indonesia for several years and really like the cuisine. Thanks for sharing this recipe! It tastes exactly the same as the real thing. Never knew it was this easy to make)))))

      Reply
      • Charlé

        at

        Glad to help Gavin! I live in Russia and had the same problem) Needed a kecap manis replacement fast and this ended up being exactly like the original Indonesian version.

        Reply
        • Peter

          at

          Live in Russia as well!
          Have not come across Melasses though! What's the Russian for it?

          Reply
          • Charlé Visser

            at

            Сусла/susla. Used to make kvass and Borodinsky bread

            Reply
    2. Gordon Barnett

      at

      For the liquids, why not show the measurements in fluid ounces as well as grams? For the volume measurement in grams, why not show it in ounces?

      Reply
      • Charlé Visser

        at

        Grams is the future, been the past for many decades in the kitchen. All the other stuff.... not so much. Maybe a casual teaspoon here and there but that's it. All about accuracy and being easy to deal with.

        Reply
    3. Katie

      at

      How long would it keep and do I need to store it in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Charlé Visser

        at

        It lasts for months and you can simply store in a cool dry place sealed airtight.

        Reply

    Have your say Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    black and white picture of chef standing against wall

    Hi, I'm Charlé!

    I'm a Professional Chef.

    I believe eating and cooking well attributes majorly to a happy life.

    I am here to teach you how to.

    The best thing is.

    It's free.

    Forever.

    More about me →

    Latest recipes

    • Traditional Homemade Bread Kvass (Video)
    • Homemade Orange Marmalade With Pectin (Video)
    • Homemade English Muffins (Video)
    • Traditional Russian Pirozhki (Hand pies) - Complete Guide And Video
    • Traditional Cape Malay Bobotie (Video)
    • Homemade Apricot Chilli Chutney

    Most popular recipes

    • Bavette Steak - What Is It And How To Cook It
    • Flaxseed Meal Sourdough Bread
    • Caesar Salad Recipe
    • Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Authentic Indian Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)
    • Pork Belly Braai | Slow-Roasted Over The Fire
    • How To Make Koji (Video)
    • Burst Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella And Parsley Pasta
    • Red Lentil Soup
    • Adjika Paste | Authentic Georgian Spice Paste
    Subscribe

    Useful tools

    shop now page

    My favourite recipes

    • Ultimate Biltong Recipe - South African Beef Jerky (Video)
    • How To Cook A Ribeye Steak Perfectly In A Skillet
    • Luxuriously Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Video)
    • Perfect Fried Rice
    • Italian Salsa Verde - The Ultimate Green Sauce
    • Easy Thai Spiced Beef Koftas
    • Authentic Greek Salad Recipe
    • Semi Dried Cherry Tomatoes
    • Beef Adobo | Famous Filipino Streetfood
    • The Best Carrot Cake Recipe In The World Ever(Video)
    youtube subscribe link

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Legal stuff

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.