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.
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 (cooked and thickened first!). 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 (like are favorite Wonton Stir Fry) are often touted as the ultimate meal prep dinner ideas – quick and easy! To make dinner prep easy, I 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.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Soy sauce: This is the one ingredient that is found in almost all homemade stir fry sauce recipes. In the section 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. It can be purchased here.
- 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.
- 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. Opt for unseasoned rice vinegar. The seasoned version includes added sugar and salt.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Add it to the stir-fry ingredients at the end and cook, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Make it gluten-free
- 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 soy sauce with tamari. Not all tamari sauces are wheat-free, so make sure the one you’re purchasing is marked as wheat-free or gluten-free. Also, gluten-free 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.
Make-ahead and storage
Prep Ahead: You can make a batch of stir fry sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This makes meal prep a breeze on busy days.
Freezing Option: If you want to extend the shelf life even further, consider freezing the sauce in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag and label with the date. Thaw individual portions as needed.
Thawing and Reheating: When ready to use, thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator or gently heat it in a saucepan on the stovetop until it turns liquid. Stir well to recombine any separated ingredients before adding to the stir-fry ingredients.
Easy stir fry recipes
Printable Recipe
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.
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Servings: 1 Cup
Calories: 43.5kcal
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Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.
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Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar until ready to serve.
Notes
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the LoseIt! calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.
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
This post was first published on January 14, 2019 and updated on May 7, 2024.
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.
