Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 14 Comments

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Stir fry sauce is a necessity when putting quick meals on the table! Keep some of this easy, homemade sauce on hand to throw into meat or veggie stir fries on busy weeknights. 44 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (1)

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade}

Stir fry sauce doesn't last long around our house. If it was up to my older son, he would gladly inhale bowl after bowl of toasted rice doused in this savory sauce. Who could blame him? Salty with a tiny bit of sweetness, and all of those elusive umami-type flavors that make you say, "More, please!"

Stir fries make a regular appearance on my healthy meal plans. Since they are often touted as the ultimate meal prep dinner ideas - quick and easy! - it makes sense to make enough stir fry sauce for at least a couple meals and store the extra in the fridge. If sealed well either in an airtight plastic container or a mason jar, the sauce should last for up to 2 weeks. That means less work for you when it's time to cook dinner.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (2)

How to make stir fry sauce:

  • Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl until completely combined. Alternatively, put all of the ingredients in a mason jar, do up the lid and shake until combined.
  • Soy sauce: This is the one ingredient that is found in almost all homemade stir fry sauce recipes. Below I talk about gluten free alternatives.
  • Water or broth: Many recipes call for chicken or vegetable broth. However, in this recipe, I find that water works well to dilute the flavors and extend the sauce without adding additional sodium.
  • Agave nectar or honey: A little sweetness is a necessary balance for all of the salty ingredients. If you're aiming for a vegan stir fry sauce, be sure to use agave nectar rather than honey.
  • Cornstarch: This is used to thicken the sauce, which happens as the sauce simmers. Flour or arrowroot powder are good alternatives. Arrowroot is gluten free and contains folate, which gives it a nutritional edge. It can be purchased here (affiliate link).
  • Sesame oil: Just a little dab will do you! Or something like that. But truly, a little sesame oil goes a long way. The flavor is unmistakable and adds a richness to the sauce. It can be purchased in most grocery stores or here (affiliate link).
  • Rice vinegar: While white wine vinegar would be an okay substitute, rice vinegar is most commonly used in Asian cooking and has a distinctive flavor.It can be purchased in most grocery stores or here (affiliate link).
  • Chili garlic sauce: My favorite ingredient for adding a little bit of garlicky spice! I use this in peanut sauces, stir fries and soups several times per week.It can be purchased in most grocery stores or here (affiliate link).
  • Flavors can be varied by playing around with other common sauce ingredients, such as coconut milk, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, hoisin sauce and peanut butter.

How to make a gluten free stir fry sauce:

  • The main culprits of gluten in stir fry sauces are ingredients that include soy sauce, which has wheat, and thickeners.
  • For example, oyster sauce, black bean sauce and hoisin sauce, which are common stir fry ingredients, commonly contain soy sauce.
  • The solution? Swap any soy sauce with tamari (affiliate link), which is wheat-free and gluten-free soy sauce. Also, gluten free (GF) versions of oyster sauce, black bean sauce and hoisin sauce are available.
  • For thickeners, swap flour with gluten free ingredients, such as cornstarch or arrowroot.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (3)

Easy stir fry recipes:

{Cookin' Canuck}
Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry {Cookin' Canuck}
Healthy Egg Roll Stir Fry {Family Fresh Meals}
20-Minute Vegetable Stir Fry {Table for Two}

Printable Recipe

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (4)

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade}

Stir fry sauce is a necessity when putting quick meals on the table! Keep some of this easy, homemade sauce on hand to throw into meat or veggie stir fries on busy weeknights. 44 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

4.68 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauces/Condiments

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Stir Fry, Stir Fry Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 Cup

Calories: 43.5kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.

  • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar until ready to serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 2 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 1 (Points+)

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 43.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 1.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 727.1mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6.2g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (5)

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment

  1. Rosie

    Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (11)
    This sauce did not disappoint. Definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Reply

    • Irene

      Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (13)
      Love this sauce. I make it and freeze portions of it for later use.
      You don’t need a lot. ❤️

      Reply

      • Dara

        That's great to hear, Irene! I'm so glad it's become a staple for you.

        Reply

  2. Sam

    I just made your stir fry recipe for the 900th time.
    We love it. It is the best!
    Sam ❤️

    Reply

  3. Tracy

    How long will this stay good in the fridge ?

    Reply

    • Dara

      If sealed well either in an airtight plastic container or a mason jar, the sauce should last for up to 2 weeks.

      Reply

  4. Caroline

    Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (14)
    Legit best Asian sauce

    Reply

  5. Shannon Dueck

    What could I substitute for the chili garlic sauce? I am not familiar with it.

    Reply

    • Dara

      You could use sriracha sauce, those taste as you go because sometimes it's spicier. The chili garlic sauce can be found in the international section of most supermarkets. I use it all the time in sauces - great ingredient!

      Reply

    • Jazmine

      sriracha sauce works great!!

      Reply

  6. Caroline

    Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (15)
    The description does not lie - this stuff is the best!!! My boyfriend loved it just as much as I did!

    Reply

  7. Robin M

    Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (16)
    This was super tasty . I would rate it more then 5 stars if it was an option .

    Reply

  8. Jessica Troughton

    Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (17)
    We used this last night for a chicken and vegetable stir fry. It thickened in just a couple of minutes and there was a good balance of salty with a tiny bit of sweetness. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply

Stir Fry Sauce Recipe {Homemade} - Cookin Canuck (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.

How do you make stir fry taste like a restaurant? ›

Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices. These ingredients are typically added to the oil first to infuse it with flavor. You won't need much; a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of total aromatic ingredients per person adds a serious amount of flavor.

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 is the secret to a successful stir fry? ›

The key to stir-frying is to constantly stir. Your veggies must have enough room to move around in the wok. A -crowded wok will lead to veggies that are soggy instead of crunchy. If your wok is getting too full, cook your meat and then veggies in batches.

What are the three rules of stir-frying? ›

Food & Dining

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 seven common ingredients in a stir-fry? ›

The main ingredients to a stir-fry are: Proteins – chicken, beef, pork, seafood, tofu, tempeh, seitan. Aromatics – garlic, green onions, shallots, ginger.

What is the best oil for stir-frying? ›

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.

When should you add soy sauce in stir-fry? ›

Add soy sauce midway for that perfect cook.

How to thicken stir-fry sauce without cornstarch? ›

All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering. Cooking the flour in the sauce will remove the flour taste.

What do Chinese restaurants use to thicken sauces? ›

Much like French food, which relies on a roux for a perfect bechamel sauce or beef bourguignon and involves butter cooked with flour, Chinese and Cantonese cuisines use cornstarch to thicken sauces. However, it's predominantly added at the end of the cooking process rather than at the start.

What should you not do when stir-frying? ›

How to stir-fry: 10 common mistakes to avoid at all costs
  1. But first… what IS stir frying? ...
  2. #1: Using the wrong pan. ...
  3. #2: Slicing ingredients too large or thick. ...
  4. #3: Being unorganised. ...
  5. #4: Not getting the wok hot enough. ...
  6. #5: Adding the oil before the wok is hot. ...
  7. #6: Throwing every ingredient in at once. ...
  8. #7: Crowding the protein.

What is the best spice for stir-fry? ›

Best Herbs And Spices For Stir Fry
  • Ginger. Ginger root is one of the most popular spices used in stir frys. ...
  • Cumin. Cumin has an intense aroma with warm, earthy flavours and tart undertones. ...
  • Galangal. ...
  • Chilli. ...
  • Turmeric. ...
  • Coriander. ...
  • Mint. ...
  • Basil.

What type of onions go in stir-fry? ›

GREEN ONION: Best Stir Fry Onion

Green onions, sometimes called scallons, are onions that have not yet matured, so they have a very small bulb. They are great for stir fry. You can use the green tops in a salad as well. And they make a wonderful garnish for soups or tacos.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

Oyster Sauce: Oyster sauce is said to have originated when an oyster seller left his oysters over the heat for too long, and they became a rich, caramelized sauce, which is used in many Chinese food dishes, including Chinese brown sauce.

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.

What is in Kikkoman stir-fry sauce? ›

ingredients. Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Sugar, Water, Vinegar, Modified Corn Starch, Wine, Garlic Powder, Dehydrated Oyster Extract (Molluscan Shellfish), Spices, Sodium Benzoate: Less than 1/10 of 1% as a Preservative, Salt, Succinic Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate.

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