Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (2024)

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This stir fry sauce recipe can be used for vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp,and pork. It is super easy to make and totally adaptable. Store in the fridge or freezer for later!

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (1)

One of the easiest meals to make is stir fryand using a stir fry sauce makes it even easier because it has all of the seasonings you need.

You can use whatever meat you have. Chicken, beef, shrimp,and pork all work really well. Or skip the meat for an all vegetable option.

Grab some veggies, fresh or frozen, depending on what you prefer.Try using cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, peppers, onions, corn, beans, and mushrooms. It’s a great way to use up extra vegetables.

You can eat the stir fry with just the meat and vegetables or serve it over rice or noodles.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to products for making this recipe. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. Learn morehere.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (2)

While in Florida with my mom and sisters, one of the meals weshared was a simple stir fry. We used bottled stir fry sauce and our meal was delicious!

I decided to try to make my own stir fry sauce recipe and found that it was really easy to make.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (3)

Step One: Soy Sauce Mixture

Start by mixing together the soy sauce, chicken broth, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, and black pepper so that it is ready to add to the saucepan once the ginger and garlic are ready.

I chose to use barbecue sauce in this stir fry sauce because I always have it on hand but an equal amount of hoisin sauce could be used instead.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (4)

Step Two: Cornstarch Mixture

The thickener in this stir fry sauce recipe is cornstarch but you can’t just add the cornstarch to the hot, boiling sauce since it will clump together.

To prevent this from happening, mix the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl so that it is ready to use when you need it.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (5)

Step Three: Garlic and Ginger

Now, it time to start cooking the sauce. Start by heating the olive oil, minced garlic, and ground ginger.

For this step, you can use powdered garlic or minced ginger if you prefer. See the FAQs below for the amounts.

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Step Four: Liquids

Once the olive oil is hot, it’s time to add the soy sauce mixture that was previously made. Whisk in the mixture and cook over medium heat until it starts to boil.

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Step Five: Add Cornstarch Mixture

Finally, add the cornstarch/water mixture to thicken the sauce. You’ll want to add the mixture slowly while whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Cook until the sauce has thickened.

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Step Six: Sauce Storage

Once the stir fry sauce has cooled, move it to an airtight container or jar with a lid and store it in the fridge.

Use this stir fry sauce for vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp or pork.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe Tips and FAQs

1. What kind of vinegar should I use? I used rice vinegar when making this recipe. You can also try substituting white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

2. What kind of barbecue sauce should I use?

Barbecue Sauce: Some of you have very strong opinions regarding barbecue sauce. You can use your favorite brand of barbecue sauce, make homemade barbecue sauce, or use a tablespoon of hoisin sauce instead.

3. Do I have to use sesame oil? This recipe calls for sesame oil because it adds so much flavor to the stir fry sauce but it can be made without it or substitute the sesame oil with olive oil.

4. Can I substitute another kind of liquid? For this recipe, I used chicken broth for the liquid. You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. Or change the flavor by using orange juice or pineapple juice instead.

5. I don’t have any minced garlic. Can I use garlic powder instead? To substitute the 3 teaspoons of minced garlic with 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.If you love garlic, you can increase the amount of minced garlic in this recipe.

6. How can I use freshly grated ginger instead?

I made this stir fry sauce with dried, ground ginger because that is what I typically have on hand. It would be fabulous with freshly grated ginger though. Use 3-4 teaspoons of grated ginger instead. Again, if you love ginger, you can up the amount you use.

7. Do you have any suggestions for making this stir fry sauce spicier? To make this stir fry sauce spicier, add sriracha sauce, chili sauce, or red pepper flakes.

8. How can I freeze this stir fry sauce? Put it into one largeairtight container or in a couple of smaller containers if you only plan to use a little at a time. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw completely before using.

9. Does this stir fry sauce only last two weeks? From the research I did, that is what I found but feel free to use your best judgment and freeze what you can’t use. (see #8 above)

10. How much sauce do you use when making stir fry? I used 2 tablespoons of stir fry sauce for one pound of chicken. Plus, an additional 1/4 cup when I added 5 cups of veggies. See my chicken stir fry recipe here.

11. Can I add peanut butter to make a peanut butter sauce? Yes! Collin commented below and said he added a couple tablespoons of crunchy unsweetened peanut butter.

12. What can stir fry be served over? Try it with white rice, brown rice, fried rice, cauliflower rice, Chinese noodles, angel hair pasta, zucchini noodles, or quinoa.

13. Can I make this into agluten free stir fry sauce? Yes. Be sure to use all gluten freeingredients. Here are a few I found on Amazon:gluten free soy sauce,gluten free barbecue sauce, gluten free rice vinegar, gluten free sesame oil, and gluten free cornstarch.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (11)

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe

Yield: 14

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This stir fry sauce recipe can be used for vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp,and pork. It is super easy to make and totally adaptable. Store in the fridge or freezer for later!

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, broth, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper. Set aside.
  2. In another small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together. Set aside.
  3. Mix together oil, minced garlic, and ground ginger in a saucepan.Cook over medium heat until oil starts to simmer.
  4. Whisk in the soy sauce mixture and bring it to a boil.
  5. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.
  6. Allow the sauce to cool. Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a lid for up to two weeks.

Notes

This recipe makes 1 3/4 cups of sauce. Serving size is about 2 tablespoon per person.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 14Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 56Total Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 372mgCarbohydrates: 6gSugar: 4g

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is stir fry sauce made of? ›

Whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sugar and red pepper flakes if using in a medium bowl until combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What is the secret ingredient in stir fry? ›

According to Food & Wine, ketchup is the ultimate way to take the flavor of homemade stir fry up a level, thanks to its sweet and sour flavor profile. It just might be the easiest cooking hack to elevate your home cooking to that of your favorite take-out.

What makes stir fry taste better? ›

Sauce is essential to a good stir-fry because it adds sweet, tangy and salty flavors to the dish. You can use a store-bought sauce or make your own from oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and broth. Aim for about 2 to 3 tablespoons per person. (Start with these Asian sauces you need to know.)

What makes stir fry sauce thicker? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

What are the three rules of stir-frying? ›

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

What are the four main components of a stir-fry? ›

How to Make Stir Fry. A great stir-fry typically consists of four important components: protein, vegetables, aromatics, and sauce.

How to make stir-fry more flavourful? ›

5. Add flavour.
  1. Herbs: basil, oregano, cilantro.
  2. Spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom.
  3. Reduced sodium or no sodium added broth.
  4. Fresh lemongrass, garlic or ginger.
  5. 100% fruit juice.
  6. Citrus zest.
  7. Lower sodium soy sauces (<600 mg sodium per tablespoon)
Sep 16, 2019

What sauce do Chinese restaurants use? ›

Soy sauce (jiàng yóu, 酱油), the most common of Chinese sauces, sounds simple, and for the most part, it is.

What oil is best for stir fry sauce? ›

So many different oils, the good news is you can stick with what you know – canola is great! The best oils for stir frys are the oils with the higher smoke points. These tend to be the “thinner” oils such as peanut, grapeseed or canola.

What are the top 5 basic sauces? ›

The five mother sauces are hollandaise, tomato (sauce tomat), bechamel, Espagnole, and veloute. French chef Auguste Escoffier identified the five mother sauces, forever associating them with French cuisine. However, mother sauces are relevant in all modern cooking practices.

What goes first in a stir-fry? ›

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

What is the secret to Chinese stir-fry? ›

Buy the Right Pan and Keep It Sizzling Hot

“Because you should always stir fry at a very, very high heat, you actually need a carbon or stainless steel pan with a flat, wide bottom that can stay in contact with your heat source.” “I much prefer carbon steel because that's the same material that a wok is made out of.

What is the difference between stir fry sauce and teriyaki sauce? ›

What is the difference between stir fry sauce and teriyaki sauce? Stir-fry sauce is savory and versatile with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, ideal for various stir-fried dishes. Teriyaki sauce is sweet and savory, commonly used as a marinade for grilled meats, developing a glossy finish through caramelization.

Is soy sauce the same as stir fry sauce? ›

Soy sauce is an ingredient or table condiment. Stir fry sauce is a convenience product with several ingredients so the home cook doesn't have to season the food themselves. For example, you can season ground beef with several ingredients, OR add an envelope of taco seasoning or chile seasoning.

Is hoisin the same as stir fry sauce? ›

Hoisin sauce – hoisin is a thick sauce made with a combination of sugar, miso, soy sauce, garlic and spices. This is my secret ingredient for making a quick and easy stir fry sauce with just 5 ingredients! It adds sweetness to this sauce and thickens it up.

What is fry sauce made of? ›

Fry sauce is a condiment often served with French fries or tostones (twice-fried plantain slices) in many places in the world. It is usually a combination of one part tomato ketchup and two parts mayonnaise.

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