Is Worcestershire Sauce Vegan? Not Always. How to Check – Corporal Freddie's

By the Freddie's family | Updated November 2026

Not always. Many Worcestershire sauces contain anchovies, so they aren't vegan (or vegetarian). Corporal Freddie's Worcestershire Sauce is vegan, and here's how to check any bottle yourself.

Looking for a vegan Worcestershire sauce? Ours is thick, full of flavour and made from our 1946 family recipe: Freddie's Worcestershire Sauce (250ml).

Ingredients to check on a Worcestershire sauce label to see if it is vegan

Why isn't most Worcestershire sauce vegan?

Worcestershire sauce dates back to the early 1800s, created by two chemists in Worcester, England, who found it had matured into a wonderfully flavoured sauce after leaving it for two years. Many Worcestershire recipes use fermented anchovies, and some use anchovy paste.

Does Worcestershire sauce have anchovies?

Many recipes do. That's the non-vegan ingredient. Check the ingredients list for "anchovies" or "anchovy paste".

Is Worcestershire sauce vegetarian?

If it contains anchovies, no. A vegan Worcestershire is vegetarian too.

How to check a bottle is vegan

Head straight to the ingredients and make sure there's no anchovies or anchovy paste. Even easier, if the bottle clearly says it's vegan, you're set.

New to Freddie's? The Starter Bundle gets you a 250ml bottle for the table and a 750ml refill to keep it topped up.

Is Corporal Freddie's vegan?

Yes. Our family recipe dates back to 1946, and it has never had anchovies and never will. We haven't changed it, and plenty of vegans have enjoyed it over the years.

Is it still Worcestershire without anchovies?

We do get asked this a lot. It is. Anchovies add salty, savoury depth to some Worcestershire. Ours gets its savoury, salty depth from salt, garlic, malt vinegar and spices, with apples, sugar, treacle, chilli and ginger adding a bit of sweet and a bit of kick. Same family recipe, handed down since 1946.

Cooking with it every week? The Twin Refill (2 x 750ml) keeps you stocked. Not sure what to cook? Try 101 Ways to Use Freddie's Worcestershire Sauce (tofu marinade is a good one). Or browse all our Worcestershire.