Tamari is the wheat-free soy sauce — gluten-free when brewed without wheat, and San-J is GFCO-certified.
Yes. Tamari is the Japanese soy sauce traditionally brewed with little or no wheat — the wheat-free counterpart to regular (shoyu) soy sauce. Soybeans and salt are not gluten-containing grains, so a labeled or certified gluten-free tamari is celiac-safe. San-J Tamari is 100% soy and GFCO-certified; Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce uses rice instead of wheat and is GIG-certified. The one caveat: a few tamari products still add a little wheat, so confirm the gluten-free label. Regular soy sauce is not gluten-free; certified tamari is the swap.
Tamari is the single most useful swap in gluten-free cooking — it delivers the deep, savory soy-sauce flavor that regular soy sauce can’t safely give a celiac. The reason is simple: regular soy sauce is brewed with about as much wheat as soybeans, while tamari is the traditional wheat-free style. Get a certified bottle and you have soy sauce flavor with none of the risk.
The only nuance is that “tamari” describes a style, not a guarantee — a small number of bottles still sneak in a little wheat. That’s why the brand and the certification matter, and why this guide names exactly which ones are verified gluten-free.
Why Tamari Is Gluten-Free
Soy sauce is brewed by fermenting soybeans with a grain. In regular shoyu soy sauce, that grain is wheat — roughly half the recipe — which is why standard soy sauce is not gluten-free. Tamari originated as the liquid that pools off miso production and is traditionally made with little or no wheat. Per FDA labeling rules, the gluten-containing grains are wheat, barley, and rye — soybeans and salt are not on that list, so a wheat-free tamari is gluten-free.
Because “tamari” is a style rather than a legal guarantee, the FDA “gluten-free” claim (or a third-party certification) is the confirmation that a specific bottle is under 20 ppm and contains no wheat. The two market leaders make this easy: San-J Tamari is 100% soy with no wheat and is certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), and Kikkoman’s dedicated Gluten-Free Soy Sauce is brewed with rice in place of wheat and certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG).
One thing worth separating out: soy is a top allergen, but it is not gluten. A soy allergy is a different issue from celiac disease — tamari is gluten-free but still soy. If you need to avoid both, coconut aminos is the soy-free, gluten-free alternative.
Brand-by-Brand: Tamari & Soy Sauce
The deciding factor is wheat. Certified gluten-free tamari is celiac-safe; regular soy sauce is wheat-brewed and is not. Here’s where the common bottles land.
| Brand / Product | Made with | Gluten-Free? |
|---|---|---|
| San-J Tamari (Gluten-Free, incl. Organic & Reduced Sodium) | 100% soy, no wheat | ✓ Certified GF (GFCO) |
| Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce | Soybeans, rice, salt | ✓ Certified GF (GIG) |
| Kikkoman Gluten-Free Tamari | Soy, no wheat | ✓ Yes — gluten-free line |
| Eden Foods / Ohsawa tamari | Usually wheat-free | ✓ Check label for GF certification |
| Regular Kikkoman / La Choy / generic soy sauce | Soybeans + wheat | ✗ Not gluten-free (wheat) |
| Tamari that lists wheat in the ingredients | Soy + some wheat | ✗ Not gluten-free |
| Coconut aminos (soy-free alternative) | Coconut sap, salt | ✓ Gluten-free & soy-free |
Cross-Contamination Risk
Manufacturing
Low
- Brewed from soybeans and salt — not a gluten grain.
- San-J is GFCO-certified; Kikkoman GF is GIG-certified.
- Confirm the bottle is wheat-free / labeled GF.
Restaurant
Medium
- Most kitchens stock regular wheat soy sauce.
- “Tamari” on a menu may still be regular soy sauce.
- Bring your own certified tamari to be safe.
Home
Low
- Certified GF tamari has no wheat, barley, or rye.
- Keep it separate from a regular soy sauce bottle.
- Use coconut aminos if you also avoid soy.
Tamari & Soy Sauce — GF Status
- San-J Tamari (GFCO-certified) — gluten-free (celiac-safe)
- Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce / Tamari (GIG-certified) — gluten-free
- Other tamari labeled/certified gluten-free — gluten-free; confirm the label
- Tamari that lists wheat — NOT gluten-free
- Regular (shoyu) soy sauce — NOT gluten-free (wheat-brewed)
- Coconut aminos — gluten-free and soy-free alternative
What to Look For — Or Avoid
- “Gluten-free” label or GFCO/GIG certification on the tamari
- Ingredients: soybeans, salt, water (and rice for Kikkoman GF) — no wheat
- San-J or Kikkoman Gluten-Free as a reliable default
- Tamari that lists wheat in the ingredient panel
- Regular soy sauce (brewed with wheat)
- Assuming a restaurant “tamari” dish is actually wheat-free
Frequently Asked Questions
Tamari is the celiac kitchen’s soy-sauce lifeline, so the questions are mostly about which brands are truly safe and how it differs from regular soy sauce. Here are clear answers.
Is tamari gluten-free?
Yes, when brewed without wheat. Tamari is the wheat-free style of soy sauce, made from soybeans and salt, which are not gluten-containing grains. A tamari labeled or certified gluten-free meets the FDA standard and is celiac-safe.
Is San-J tamari gluten-free?
Yes. San-J Tamari is 100% soy with no wheat and is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). The organic and reduced-sodium gluten-free tamari lines are also GFCO-certified — it is the category’s reliable default.
Is Kikkoman soy sauce gluten-free?
Regular Kikkoman soy sauce is brewed with wheat and is not gluten-free. However, Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce is brewed with rice instead of wheat and is certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG); Kikkoman also makes a Gluten-Free Tamari.
What is the difference between tamari and soy sauce?
Regular (shoyu) soy sauce is brewed with roughly equal parts wheat and soybeans, so it contains the gluten grain wheat. Tamari is traditionally brewed with little or no wheat, which is why a gluten-free tamari is the celiac-safe substitute for soy sauce.
Is all tamari wheat-free?
Not automatically. Most tamari is wheat-free, but a small number of products add a little wheat. Check the ingredient panel and look for a “gluten-free” label or a GFCO/GIG certification — that is the confirmation point.
Can I use tamari at restaurants instead of soy sauce?
Only if the restaurant actually stocks gluten-free tamari — most use regular wheat soy sauce even in dishes described as using tamari. The reliable move is to bring a small bottle of certified gluten-free tamari with you.
Is tamari the same as coconut aminos?
No. Both are gluten-free soy-sauce-style condiments, but tamari is made from soybeans (a soy allergen) and coconut aminos is made from coconut sap (soy-free). For gluten both are safe; coconut aminos is the choice if you also avoid soy.