The Best Easy Stir Fry Sauce
This stir fry sauce recipe is delicious and so easy to make. A handful of pantry staples along with some fridge essentials is all that’s needed. Quick and easy dinner, sorted!
Stir Fry Sauce: The Secret To Flavorful Stir-Fries
The best thing about making stir fry sauce at home is that you know exactly what is in it (no nasties like preservatives, excess sugar, etc) and you can tweak the flavors to suit your own taste. I like using pantry staples like soy sauce, rice vinegar and hoisin sauce along with a few aromatics to make a truly delicious sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Soy sauce. Tamari or Coconut Aminos can be substituted. Use low-sodium soy sauce if needed.
- Rice vinegar. White wine vinegar, distilled vinegar and lemon juice can be used instead.
- Hoisin sauce. I like the sweetness of Hoisin but Oyster sauce or Plum sauce can also be used. Alternatively add more honey or sugar.
- Chilli flakes/Red pepper flakes. Optional but adds a nice bit of heat.
- Lemon juice. Lime juice can also be used. Alternatively, just use more vinegar.
- Corn starch. The cornstarch thickens the sauce once cooked but this is completely optional.
- Honey/sugar. Balances the soy sauce. Optional but can be substituted with non-nutritive sweetener, agave or pure maple syrup if you want a vegan stir fry sauce.
- Fresh garlic. Garlic powder/granules can be subsituted.
- Fresh ginger. Ground ginger can be substituted.
- Spring onion/Green onion. Optional
How to make stir fry sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Use a whisk if the cornstarch isn’t dissolving into the sauce.
Tips for using stir fry sauce
Make the stir fry by frying your selection of vegetables and protein in a hot wok or large skillet. Once the stir fry is almost cooked through, pour in the stir fry sauce and allow to cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy and clings to the stir fry ingredients.
Can I make this sauce ahead?
The sauce can be made up to a week in advance (two weeks if you leave out the spring onions) and kept in a sealed mason jar in the fridge.
How to use stir fry sauce
This sauce is so versatile and will work with a variety of dishes. It is great with proteins like beef, shrimp, chicken, pork or tofu/tempeh and veggies like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers and snow peas. I also love it in chicken fried rice, chow mein and in an easy chicken stir fry.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp chilli flakes/red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp corn starch / cornflour
- 2 tsp honey/sugar
- 1 tsp garlic
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ cup spring onion/green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Pour over stir fry and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy, clinging to the stir fry ingredients.
Nutrition
FAQ
Adding a tablespoon or two cornstarch to the stir fry sauce will help to thicken the stir fry as it cooks. This is a great gluten-free option to thickening the sauce without using flour.
When the protein and vegetables are cooked, add the cooked noodles or rice and pour in the sauce. Stir fry over high heat until the sauce coats the vegetables, protein and carbs then serve.
A good stir fry sauce will adds heaps of flavor as well as other aromatics like garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
Easy sauce recipes
Alida,
Love your style of cooking! This is a keeper & lifts the flavor to another level in a variety of stir fry combos. I make a double batch & have it in the fridge ready for last minute meals.
As for that raving maniac…she’s one of these hairbags that comments on recipes they’ve yet to make. Rating a recipe is based on ease of prep, cost/availability of ingredients & how it tastes, AFTER you’ve prepared & eaten it. If you don’t like the way a recipe sounds MOVE ON & shut your pie hole. However, in Amber’s case tofu-sauted-in-water hole. I’m sure she would never eat pie given its cal/carb/fat count. Get anger counseling Amber, you are out of control.
Keep on posting these great recipes, Alida! They’re awesome & you are a wonderful cook!!!
This is so good and so easy. Highly recommend. I will be bookmarking.
Had this for tea tonight, delicious and a big thumbs up from everyone, thank you
the best stir-fry recipe i have made !! the chilli flakes just added something else , Delicious
Love hearing that!
Game changer sauce for stir fry! Love it and followed exactly! Thanks for sharing this on the Internet
Thanks so much Tasha!
This is wonderful stir fry sauce. i will never buy a bottle again We love garlic and ginger, so I did add a LOT more of each, fresh diced small.
That is so good to hear, Janet!
What can I use instead of cornflour and hoisin sauce?
Thanks
The cornstarch helps to thicken the sauce so leaving it out will result in a thinner sauce which is perfectly fine, the texture will just be different. The hoisin sauce adds a lot of flavor but you can substitute with soy sauce or oyster sauce.
Excuse me? FIFTY CARBS for a sauce? What a horrible sight to see! Who in their right mind DOES that? My god, no wonder the world is getting fat. And that’s with OPTIONAL sugar! I hate to think how much it would be if it was required! Discraceful.
Let me break it down for you. Yes, the sugar is optional but I’ve included it in the recipe card so it forms part of the totals in the nutritional information. The hoisin sauce, cornstarch , etc all add to the carbs total. THEN, the total is for the full amount of the recipe which is 1 cup of sauce. That should serve 4-6 people.
Thanks for a great recipe. How long do you think will it last in the fridge? I cook for two.
At least a week.
Settle the f*** down.
I’ve edited your comment so that we don’t offend anyone but had to approve it because you are my people. lol
You never heard of adjusting a web blog recipe to suit your personal tastes/dietary restrictions, and, NOT posting an obnoxious and ill-tempered comment to the host, in response?
That’s what normal, mature and civil people do — as opposed to venting their frustrations and negativity in an infantile and unhinged fit of pique.
You ever heard of actually caring about other people?
Amber: Yawn, 50 carbs and you’re out here screeching like it’s a personal attack? Your outrage is more bloated than your imaginary carb crisis. Go cry into your kale smoothie—this sauce is too good for your sad, flavorless existence!
I love a saucy sauce and I was just wondering if you think you could make double, cook half and pour half over once served? Or does it need to be cooked? I only ask because I want to do a kind of sheet pan “stir fry” and I think the sauce will dry up if I put it all in in the oven, but I still want to have a good amount of sauciness when served! Hope that made sense haha
You could definitely do that! Great idea!
Thanks so much for your reply, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Excellent sauce! Very “restaurant” tasting! Not too salty or sweet, not too spicy hot. I ended up having to use powdered ginger and garlic granules and it was STILL very good. Bookmarked!
I forgot to add i make it a double portion, bc i like saucey sauce, and i leave out the green onions, and i put it all in a pickle jar and shake the heck out of it.
I love this recipe, have made it several times, very ez, and very tastee
EXCELLENT!
How many is this meant to serve. It is delicious
4-6 people 🙂
Amazing sauce…haven’t found a good stir fry sauce recipe until now!
Sounds delicious! Two questions: garlic powder or minced garlic? ground ginger or fresh? Thanks!
Fresh for both!
I followed this but I also added onion powder, and it turned out amazing.
Glad you liked it!