The best all-purpose stir fry recipe! Take the guess out of what sauce you should buy for stir fry and make your own in easy steps using some great store-bought sauces and a few pantry ingredients.
This homemade sauce is easy, quick and flavourful and better than store-bought stir fry sauces. it is perfect with chicken, beef, pork, tofu or vegetables.
The best homemade Asian stir fry sauce
While it is super convenient to buy the sauce from the shop, it is better if made at home as you have control over the ingredients used and it can be made to taste. This is the best Chinese stir fry you can make at home yourself and you only need 5 minutes to make it too.
Related post: Homemade Teriyaki sauce with honey
This homemade sauce is
- Simple
- Flavourful
- Delicious
- Versatile
- Stores well
FAQs
Can you make stir fry sauce ahead of time?
Yes, stir fry sauce can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. If stored under the right fridge temperature, the sauce can be made up to 2 weeks in advance.
How long does homemade stir fry sauce last in the fridge
Up to 2 weeks or longer. Check the dates on the list of ingredients used and let that guide you on how long to store it for. Preferably, place the sauce at the back of the fridge since you would not be using it at all times to preserve it for longer.
Can I freeze it and for how long?
Yes, you can freeze homemade stir fry sauce, store it in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container instead of a glass jar and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply bring it out of the freezer and defrost in the fridge overnight. If time is of the essence, then simply defrost whilst still in the Ziploc bag or container until thawed.
Can I use it as a dipping sauce?
Yes, you can use this homemade stir fry sauce as a dipping sauce. you can cook it on the stovetop until reduced to liking or use as it is without adding cornstarch, replace the broth with water.
Tools needed
A glass jar (mason jar) with an airtight lid
Measuring cups and spoons
Microplane grater or a small hole grater
Whisk
Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients needed to make your own Asian stir fry sauce at home from scratch.
Dark soy sauce: I love the richness of the colour and the bold umami flavour it adds to dishes. It is darker than light sauce and better in flavour.
Light soy sauce: substitute with all-purpose soy sauce or omit completely
Sesame oil: you only need a little to flavour the sauce. Too much sesame oil can ruin the flavour of the dish, so only use the amount specified in this recipe and adjust to taste if need be.
Oyster sauce: this is optional but recommended if you are not vegan or vegetarian, it adds a little bit of sweetness to the dish and no it does not taste fishy. Substitute with hoisin sauce or vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger: I used homemade ginger paste, you can use store-bought ginger paste or make your own by grating fresh or frozen ginger.
Rice vinegar
Brown sugar: this will help balance the saltness from the other ingredients used. Substitute with honey or granulated sugar.
Low sodium chicken stock: this can be substituted with water or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian
Corn starch: it is known as cornflour in the UK, it is added to thicken the sauce. However, I did not use it in this recipe as I prefer to add it just before cooking. Also, I believe slurry is used according to individual preferences in dishes and this can be added when making the stir fry.
I will specify the amount to add to the recipe card if you would rather add it in the sauce.
Substitutes and variations
- Here are a few substitutes for soy sauce: you can use any of the following in place of soy sauce if you are allergic or worried about the salt level in the sauce. coconut amino, tamari, liquid aminos or Worcestershire sauce (this is a British condiment and might not necessarily work in this instance)
- Add heat to the sauce if desired, you can add sriracha, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Add spices like Chinese 5 spice if desired to the sauce or add it when making the stir fry.
How to make stir fry sauce
To a glass jar, add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic paste, ginger paste, rice vinegar, chicken stock. Cover tightly with its lid and shake vigorously to combine.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 month or longer. Chinese stir fry sauce can be used in marinades and stir fry dishes.
How much stir fry sauce to use in dishes
To make the stir fry sauce, add 2 tablespoons of the homemade sauce to a ⅓ cup of water (about 4 tablespoons), add one tablespoon of cornflour and mix to combine. Use in dishes as desired. That said, you can add more of the stir fry sauce to the dish as desired.
It is best to start with 2 tablespoons then adjust to your preference. I personally like 3 tablespoons of stir fry sauce to ⅓ cup of water.
Related posts: you’ll love these simple stir fry recipes: shrimp stir fry, vegetable chow mein and cashew chicken recipe
Watch how to make it
Tips
- Shake the sauce to combine every time you want to use it
- There is no need to salt the protein or veggies before cooking. Let it be the last thing to add to the stir-fries since the sauce already contained salt from the ingredients used.
- Don’t fret if the sauce is too dark, simply thin it out with water or low sodium broth/stock
More DIY condiments recipe
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Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- glass jar
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 large garlic cloves chopped or minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon corn starch optional
Instructions
- To a glass jar, add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic paste, ginger paste, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock. Cover tightly with its lid and shake rigorously to combine.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 month or longer. Chinese stir fry sauce can be used in marinades and stir fry dishes.PS: this recipe would yield about 1½ cups.
Notes
- Add heat to the sauce if desired, you can add sriracha, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Shake the sauce to combine every time you want to use it
- There is no need to salt the protein or veggies before cooking. Let it be the last thing to add to the stir-fries since the sauce already contained salt from the ingredients used.
- Don’t fret if the sauce is too dark, simply thin it out with water or low sodium broth/stock
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
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