The BEST All-Purpose Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (Easy!)
This super easy 5-minute Chinese Stir Fry Sauce Recipe perfectly complements any stir-fried meat and veggies. A delicious, budget-friendly, homemade sauce made with simple ingredients and steps. It’s so good you’ll never buy store-bought or takeout versions again!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Allow me to introduce you to the BEST, easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe! I love this sauce because it tastes as good (or better!) than a Chinese restaurant, but is super simple. Just add the ingredients to a mason jar, shake, or whisk, and serve! Homemade sauces are always a hit around here because they’re so easy to customize!
This sauce pairs perfectly with all stir fries- Any beef, shrimp, tofu, pork, chicken breast, chicken thighs, or vegetable stir-fry dish. Serve with white rice, or use my cauliflower rice hack for a low-carb option.
My favorite thing about making stir-fries is that I use whatever fresh produce and protein I have on hand. I typically make it once a week in order to clean out my produce drawer and use up meat I’ve defrosted. It takes less than 30 minutes to make a complete meal of vegetables and protein and this delicious, addicting sauce!
Recipe Highlights
- Budget-Friendly: This recipe tastes better than takeout and store-bought sauce and is much less expensive!
- Easy Recipe: Making your own Chinese stir fry sauce recipe is easy and healthier than alternatives, but it still tastes like a high-quality meal! Perfect for busy weeknights.
- Flavorful: Savory, sweet, and tangy flavors like soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic are all whisked together, bursting with flavor—all the things you love about Asian-inspired recipes in one lovely sauce.
- Easy Swaps & Variations: Adjust this recipe to be vegan or gluten-free, spicy or mild, soy-free, and more.
Watch The Recipe Video
Note: You can also watch this recipe video on YouTube.
Ingredient Notes
Just 8 simple ingredients (mostly pantry staples!) and 1 step. It’s that easy! It’s a for-everyone kind of sauce, and in my house, that’s the BEST.
- Soy Sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce because regular soy sauce is very salty. If you’re looking for a gluten-free soy sauce alternative, try Tamari (you seriously can’t tell the difference!). If you’re soy-free, use coconut aminos.
- Chicken Stock (or Chicken Broth): I use Kettle + Fire organic chicken bone broth (my favorite! Use code TASTESLOVELY for 20% off!). You can use chicken, beef, or veggie broth/stock. You can also use water if that’s all you have on hand. If you’re vegan, use vegetable broth.
- Cornstarch: In place of corn starch, you can use all-purpose flour, arrowroot starch, or tapioca flour (which is gluten-free!).
- Honey: Instead of brown sugar, I use honey. You can also use pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, or agave nectar if you want a vegan alternative. You can also use brown sugar if you prefer, but I like using natural sweeteners. It’s really up to you!
- Sesame Oil: This adds richness and depth that is so delicious.
- Rice Vinegar: This is where the sweet, tangy flavor comes from, and I personally love it. It’s a very mild vinegar, so it won’t overwhelm the sauce. You can also use white vinegar in a pinch.
- Fresh Ginger & Garlic: I like to use fresh ginger and mince fresh garlic cloves. It adds such a strong, delicious flavor. In a pinch, you can also use powdered ginger and garlic powder.
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and amounts.
How to Make Stir Fry Sauce in 5 Minutes!
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar, and whisk or shake until combined.
Step 2: Store for later use or add to your stir-fried protein and veggies (instructions below!).
Expert Tips & Recipe Variations
- When you add this sauce to your stir-fried veggies and protein, add the sauce last. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes over medium-high heat to allow the thickening agent to thicken.
- If you need a larger yield, click on the printable recipe in the recipe card below and adjust the number of servings. Changing the number of servings will adjust the ingredient amounts.
- Vegan: If you are vegan, use vegetable broth and agave nectar or pure maple syrup.
- Spice it Up: If you prefer a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes (to taste). As written, this sauce is very mild.
- Keto/Low-Carb: If you are low-carb, use tapioca flour or arrowroot instead of cornstarch and monk fruit sweetener. Or click here for my Keto Stir-Fry Sauce recipe!
- Gluten-Free: While it seems like soy sauce is gluten-free, it’s not. If you’re gluten-free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Low-Sodium: I always use low-sodium soy sauce because the saltiness of regular soy sauce is overpowering. If you’re the same or need less salt for dietary reasons, use a low-sodium soy sauce or swap for coconut aminos.
How to Make a Simple Stir Fry Dinner!
Use this to make an easy beef stir fry or chicken stir fry (or vegetable stir fry with no meat) that serves 4, or check out my other homemade stir fry recipes for a fun variety of options. You can use whatever meat and veggies you have on hand. So clean out your produce drawer and enjoy!
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in 2 tablespoons oil, then 1 pound of protein of your choice, cubed.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the protein is cooked through. Transfer the protein to a plate.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and 4 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice in the same skillet. (broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, asparagus, snow peas, bean sprouts, onion, mushrooms, carrots, snap peas, bok choy, zucchini, etc.). Cook for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are crisp-tender.
- Add the protein back to the pan, and pour over all 1-1/4 cups of the sauce. Allow coming to a bubble, which will activate the thickener.
- Remove from the heat and serve with warm cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Serving Tips
- This recipe yields 1-1/4 cups of sauce. This is the perfect amount for an easy beef or chicken stir fry that serves 4 for dinner or a great meal prep option.
- Smother your stir-fried meats and veggies with this sauce and serve warm over white or brown rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. You can even serve it with your favorite Asian noodles. Customize it to your liking!
Storage Tips
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, though you will probably eat them sooner!
- Freezing: If you have leftovers, you can freeze them! Freeze in any freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it over the stovetop to use for any Asian-inspired recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can use my swaps above to make this recipe even healthier and lifestyle-friendly. It’s super versatile and tastes amazing in all the different ways you make it. Depending on your needs, if I’ve missed something here, please ask me in the comments, and I’d be happy to help you figure out swaps that work for your diet and lifestyle.
This recipe yields 1-1/4 cups of sauce, which is the perfect serving size for a stir fry recipe that serves 4 people. If you want more sauce, the printable recipe card below easily adjusts by increasing the number of servings you need.
You can use cornstarch, Tapioca Flour, or Arrowroot powder. If your sauce is too thin, add an additional 1 tsp at a time and stir for one minute. Continue to add until desired thickness is reached.
If you use vegetable broth, maple syrup, or agave instead of honey, yes! If you are a vegetarian but not vegan, you can use honey.
If you are soy-free, swap the soy sauce for liquid aminos or coconut aminos. You will achieve the same great flavor, without any soy.
Yes! Use low-sodium soy sauce, and low-sodium or “no salt added” broth or stock.
The BEST All-Purpose Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (Easy!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce*, *Use Low-Sodium soy sauce as the saltiness of regular may be overpowering.
- 1/2 cup Kettle + Fire chicken stock bone broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
Stir Fry Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl or mason jar, and whisk or shake until combined.
- Makes 1-1/4 cups. You can use immediately, or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 week.
How To Make A Stir Fry
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in 2 tablespoons oil, then 1 pound of protein of your choice, cubed.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the protein is cooked through. Transfer the protein to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add another 2 tablespoons of oil and 4 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice. (broccoli, green beans, bell pepper, asparagus, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, etc). Cook for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are crisp-tender.
- Add back in the protein, and pour over all 1-1/4 cups of the sauce. Allow coming to a bubble, which will activate the thickener.
- Remove from the heat and serve with warm cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Notes
Expert Tips/Recipe Variations
-
- USE LOW SODIUM SOY SAUCE! Using regular soy sauce can be too salty for some people.
- When you add this sauce to your stir-fried veggies and protein, add the sauce last. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes over medium-high heat to allow the thickening agent to thicken.
-
- If you need a larger yield, click on the printable recipe in the recipe card below and adjust the number of servings. Changing the number of servings will adjust the ingredient amounts.
-
- Vegan: If you are vegan, use vegetable broth and agave nectar or pure maple syrup.
-
- Spice it Up: If you prefer a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes (to taste). As written, this sauce is very mild.
-
- Keto/Low-Carb: If you are low-carb, use tapioca flour or arrowroot instead of cornstarch and monk fruit sweetener. Or click here for my Keto Stir-Fry Sauce recipe!
-
- Gluten-Free: While it seems like soy sauce is gluten-free, it’s not. If you’re gluten-free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Low-Sodium: I always use low-sodium soy sauce because the saltiness of regular soy sauce is overpowering. If you’re the same or need less salt for dietary reasons, use a low-sodium soy sauce or swap for coconut aminos.
Substitutions
- Soy Sauce: If you are soy-free, you can substitute liquid aminos or coconut aminos in the same quantities. If you are looking for a gluten-free option, try Tamari.
- Chicken Stock: You can use chicken, beef, or veggie broth/stock. You can also use water if that’s all you have on hand.
- Fresh Ginger: In place of fresh ginger, use 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger.
- Cornstarch: In place of cornstarch, you can use all-purpose flour or tapioca flour (which is gluten-free!). Same quantity for all substitutions.
- Honey: In place of honey you can use maple syrup, agave nectar, white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar. Same quantity for all substitutions.
- Rice Vinegar: In place of rice vinegar you can use white vinegar.
Serving Tips
-
- This recipe yields 1-1/4 cups of sauce. This is the perfect amount for an easy beef or chicken stir fry that serves 4 for dinner or a great meal prep option.
-
- Smother your stir-fried meats and veggies with this sauce and serve warm over white or brown rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. You can even serve it with your favorite Asian noodles. Customize it to your liking!
Storage Tips
-
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, though you will probably eat them sooner!
-
- Freezing: If you have leftovers, you can freeze them! Freeze in any freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it over the stovetop to use for any Asian-inspired recipe.
615 Comments on “The BEST All-Purpose Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (Easy!)”
Used this tonight with beef, veggies, and cauliflower rice… amazing! So simple and my toddler gobbled everything up! Thanks!
Isn’t it a great feeling when your little one likes dinner and gobbles it up Sarah? I think it’s such a mom win!
I’m fussy when it comes to Asian cuisine. Tried a different sauce that claimed to be “The Best” . . . but this one is super tasty ! Thanks for the recipe :)
I was so excited when I perfected it that I just had to share it Sandy. I always think the sauce makes the dish.
This is my new go-to stir fry sauce! So good! Served with chicken beef and shrimp…yummy! Will make it again! It is my favorite Thanks, Natalie.
I love that it is your new favorite and you will be making it again Joyce!
I’ve made this so many times, it is soooo good! I recently started cutting the honey in half, and then eventually just omitted it, and it is still amazing. Thank you!
I am glad you were able to adjust the sweetness to your liking by eliminating the honey Noelle. Good for you!
I’m making this AGAIN tonight and I’m so excited. The texture of this sauce is beautiful. Great recipe, thank you for this!
I am so happy the texture was good and you will be making it again Sarah!
I’ve been looking for a good stir fry sauce and THIS IS IT! I’ve made it twice so far and loved it each time.
So glad you search for a stir fry sauce is over Kyla! I am so happy you are enjoying the sauce. Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
This sauce was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing. I used 1 tbsp of ground ginger and it worked great.
So glad to know it turned out well with dried ginger Kristen. Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Delicious!! Way better than any stir fry sauce from a bottle. This one is a keeper for sure
I agree, it is so much better than the bottled stuff you buy Angela. Plus it’s so nice to know it isn’t full of preservatives. I am so glad you will be making it again.
So how do you know how much veggies to use for this amount of sauce? I cut this recipe in half because I’m just cooking for myself but is there some way to estimate the amount of veggies, noodles, etc. To use?
The stir fry amounts do vary Joanne. I would say on the average a stir fry is about 6 cups of either veggies, protein or noodles. The average serving would be about 1.5 cups per person. I sure hope this helps!
This won the “best ever” award from my wife today. ‘Better than any delivery Chinese food” was the exact quote. Served this with shrimp, celery, carrots, green and red peppers, onions, mushrooms, and snow peas. The key is to stir fry everything separately, adding a tbs of water to the crunchier veggies like celery and peppers for the last 30 second of frying. Once all are done, cook the sauce down for 3 minutes as per the recipe. It was fantastic!
I love that your wife thought it was better than delivery Jonathan! Thanks so much for sharing your tips on how to achieve the perfect stir fry. I really appreciate the feedback.
I made the sauce last night, SO GOOD!!!! I will never used bottled again.
I love that you will never buy store bought again Kelly. So glad you enjoyed it.
So incredibly salty. I would not make this again without some serious tweaks. I followed the recipe to a T and used Kikoman soy sauce.
Sorry it turned out too salty for you Dana. Adjusting a recipe to everyone’s salt preference can be tricky. Hope it works better next time.
Hi Natalie. This is my ‘go to’ stir fry sauce. It is the best and so easy. Sometimes for a little zing I may add a tablespoon of sweet chili sauce or tamarind, but its perfect as written. Tonight was veggie and tofu stir fry and this sauce just pulls it all together for a perfect meal. Thanks for posting this.
I love the variations you do to it to add some extra zing. Sounds so delicious. I agree the sauce just ties all the veggies and whatever protein you use together.
This sauce is great! I like to cook mine up a little ahead of time to thicken it some. You can do this while stir frying but I always end up over cooking some veggies. It’s yummy
Cooking a little ahead of time is a brilliant idea Jennifer. That way the veggies stay super crisp. Thank so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
This was really good I forgot to put the bullion in so we ended up just using 1/2 water and 1/2 soy plus the rest of the ingredients as written although I did use powdered ginger and this turned out great as is! I’ll be keep this in my favorite recipes for the week for the family thank you!
I am so happy it turned out well with your substitutions Alicia. I love that it is a versatile sauce that works well with different ingredients. I am so glad your family enjoyed it and you will be making it again.
This is amazing and delicious recipe of cocktail to make it at home. I really like it. SO easy and quick way to cook, thank you for sharing this wonderful article.
Great recipe!
They look delicious and easy to make.
My favorite one is the stir frys. I think I will give it a try and make it now.
Thank You!
I sure hope you like it Elliot!
I’m still loving this stir fry sauce recipe, Natalia. I must’ve made it over a dozen times now. Family really enjoys the flavor, too.
I am so happy you are enjoying my stir fry sauce Kevin. I just love that you have made it many times. Even better that your family enjoys it too!
Easy, delicious stir fry sauce recipe. I keep a mason jar on hand just for quick sauces like this. Thanks!
I love to hear that it was easy to make and delicious Lorna. So glad you keep a jar of it on hand for quick meals. Genius idea!
Love this simple, tasty stir fry sauce! I used 1 Tablespoon ginger/garlic paste from my local India Bazaar store (super easy, and a staple in my kitchen!) instead of the fresh garlic and ginger. It thickened up just enough and was very tasty, definitely a keeper!
I am so glad you liked my stir fry sauce Jennie. I love to hear that it was tasty and simple to make. The ginger/garlic paste sounds like a fantastic addition!