Hidden Non-Vegetarian Ingredients

Even when a dish appears vegetarian, hidden animal products can lurk within. Here’s what to watch for and how to avoid them.

Common Culprits

Oyster Sauce（蠔油）

This thick, dark, umami-rich sauce is made from oyster extracts. It’s ubiquitous in Chinese cooking, particularly in stir-fries and as a seasoning. Many restaurants use it automatically because it adds depth of flavour. Vegetarian oyster sauce (usually made from mushrooms) exists and is increasingly common, but you can’t assume it’s being used.

Fish Sauce（魚露）

Common in Thai and Vietnamese dishes served in Taiwan. It’s made from fermented anchovies and adds a distinctive salty, savoury flavour. Less common in traditional Taiwanese cooking but increasingly used as Taiwan’s food scene becomes more pan-Asian.

Lard（豬油）

Traditionally, many Taiwanese dishes were cooked in lard because it was cheaper than vegetable oil and added flavour. Whilst less common now, some vendors still use it, particularly for:

• Green onion pancakes（蔥油餅）
• Fried rice
• Some noodle soups (as a flavour base)
• Steamed buns (in the dough)

Shacha Sauce（沙茶醬）

A popular barbecue and hotpot sauce made with garlic, shallots, chillies, and crucially, dried shrimp. It has a complex, slightly seafood-y flavour. Vegetarian versions exist (made with mushrooms) and are increasingly common, particularly in vegetarian hotpot restaurants, but mixed restaurants usually use the traditional version.

Chicken or Pork Broth（高湯）

Many noodle soups, rice dishes, and stir-fries start with a meat-based stock for depth of flavour. Even vegetables might be blanched in meat broth. This is so fundamental to Taiwanese cooking that chefs might not even think to mention it.

Shared Cooking Equipment

Not an ingredient per se, but worth noting: unless you’re in a fully vegetarian restaurant, your food is likely cooked in the same woks, fryers, and pots as meat dishes. For strict vegans or those with severe ethical concerns about cross-contamination, this might matter. However, if you’re comfortable with “鍋邊素” (side-of-the-pot vegetarian), this is par for the course in Taiwan.

Ingredients That Might Surprise You

Honey

Whilst not hidden, some products labelled 純素 may still contain honey, as veganism in Taiwan is less concerned with insect products than Western veganism. If honey matters to you, check specifically: the character 蜂蜜 is easy to spot on ingredient lists.

Dairy in Unexpected Places

Milk powder or whey appears in:

• Many mock meats
• Some “Oatly” products in convenience stores have had milk powder added: rely on the Chinese ingredients list, not the English brand name
• Bakery items almost universally contain milk or eggs, even when they look plant-based
• Some instant noodles, even those that appear vegetarian

E Numbers and Additives

Some colourings and additives are animal-derived (like carmine/E120 from insects), but these are less common in Taiwan than in Western processed foods. If you’re concerned about highly processed ingredients, stick to restaurants rather than packaged convenience foods.

How to Protect Yourself

Learn Key Phrases

• “這個是純素的嗎？”: “Is this completely vegan?”
• “有含任何動物的東西嗎?”: “Does this contain anything from animals?”
• “請不要放蠔油、魚露、豬油”: “Please don’t add oyster sauce, fish sauce, or lard”

Write It Down

Have these phrases on your phone to show staff. Better yet, create a card in Chinese explaining your dietary requirements: “我是素食者。我不吃肉、魚、蛋、奶、蠔油、魚露” (I’m vegetarian. I don’t eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy, oyster sauce, or fish sauce).

Use Translation Technology

Google Translate’s camera function is invaluable for scanning ingredients lists on packaged foods. It’s not perfect, but it catches the major red flags.

When in Doubt, Eat at Vegetarian Restaurants

The safest option is always restaurants marked with 素. They’re not using hidden animal products because their entire customer base would object.

Accept Some Uncertainty

Unless you speak fluent Mandarin and personally interrogate the chef about every ingredient, there will always be some uncertainty when eating out. Decide your personal threshold: are you comfortable with “probably vegetarian” or do you need “definitely vegan”? And adjust your eating strategy accordingly.