Stir Fry Sauce

It is always a good idea to have a few ready-to-go options in the fridge for those busy weeknights. With this Stir Fry Sauce recipe, you’re all set to whip up a healthy stir fry in just minutes.

Just add chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu. Throw in your favorite vegetables. Dinner is done in less than 20 minutes.

We like to use this sauce to make this Chicken Stir Fry, this Beef Stir Fry, or this Shrimp Stir Fry. Since the sauce is all ready to go you can have your meal on the table in no time at all. We also love this homemade teriyaki sauce.

Why You’ll Love Homemade Stir Fry Sauce

• Fast: This stir-fry sauce comes together in just a few minutes with pantry ingredients.
• Easy: Anyone can make this sauce, no special chef’s training is required.
• Versatile: You can change up the sauce to your liking. Make it sweet. Make it spicy. Make it more savory. The options are endless.
• Healthy: No hard-to-pronounce ingredients or preservatives in this sauce.
• Multi-purpose: Not in the mood for stir fry? Use this sauce on meat, chicken, or fish, or drizzle it over some roasted vegetables.

Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here is everything you need to make this homemade stir-fry sauce.

• Soy sauce: We prefer low-sodium soy sauce or tamari. Looking to avoid soy? Use coconut aminos instead.
• Broth: We use chicken broth but vegetable or beef will also work. Choose a low-sodium option so you can adjust the saltiness to your liking.
• Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil really adds a nice Asian flavor to the sauce. Swap in coconut oil, avocado oil, or another high heat oil as needed.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds some acidity to the sauce to balance the sweet and salty flavors. You can also use apple cider vinegar as a substitute.
• Honey: For sweetness, we like using honey but maple syrup or agave will also work. If you don’t have any liquid sweetener on hand, brown sugar is a good option.
• Aromatic ingredients: We used fresh garlic and ginger but you can use powdered if you don’t have any fresh.
• Cornstarch: We like cornstarch to thicken up the sauce but whisking in some flour or arrowroot will work too.

How To Make This Sauce For Stir Fry

This stir-fry sauce comes together in minutes in just one bowl. Keep it in a mason jar in the fridge since it lasts for a couple of weeks.

• In a small bowl combine soy sauce, broth, sesame oil, and rice vinegar along with fresh garlic and ginger.
• Stir in cornstarch and whisk to combine with the other ingredients.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Use right away or refrigerate to use another day.

How To Make An Easy Stir Fry With This Sauce

Here are the easy steps to making a quick stir-fry meal using this homemade sauce.

1. Make the sauce: Combine all the ingredients for the sauce as per the above instructions.
2. Choose your protein: Favorite protein options for stir fry include salmon, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, or tofu. If you want to make a stir fry with just vegetables that’s fine too.
3. Pick your vegetables: Choose quick-cooking vegetables for your stir fry. Good options include small broccoli florets, mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cabbage, snow peas, spinach, and bean sprouts.
4. Make the stir fry: Start by heating up a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add Lightly season the protein with salt and pepper. Add in a single layer and cook browned on one side. Flip and cook on the other side until just cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add another swirl of oil and add the vegetables. Cook for 5-8 minutes until tender-crisp. Then add the protein back to the pan and add the stir-fry sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Add toppings. Add extra flavor and texture with toppings like green onions, sesame seeds, cashews, or peanuts, and fresh herbs.
6. Side dishes: Serve with steamed white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or noodles.

How Much Stir-Fry Sauce To Use

Normally you will want 1 cup of stir-fry sauce for every 4-6 servings depending on how saucy you like things. One cup of sir fry sauce is enough for 1 pound of protein and 4-6 cups of vegetables. This will also give you a little extra for any rice or grains.

Stir Fry Sauce Variations

Looking to change things up a bit? Try one of these alternatives. This is the best part of this sauce. It is so easy to customize to fit any stir fry.

• Make it spicy: For a spicier sauce, consider adding 1-3 teaspoons of sambal olek, Sriracha, or red pepper flakes.
• Sweet: For a sweeter stir fry sauce, double or even triple the honey. This also makes for a thicker sauce.
• Sweet and spicy: Double the honey and add sambal olek, Sriracha, or red pepper flakes.
• Make it nice and thick: For a thicker sauce that really coats everything, double the amount of cornstarch.
• More savory: For a really savory sauce, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of oyster sauce or a few splashes of fish sauce.
• Gingery and garlicky: Double the amount of fresh ginger and garlic for a more pungent sauce.
• Add fresh herbs: Mix in freshly chopped basil, oregano, cilantro, or finely chopped lemongrass.
• Use fruit juice: Substitute pineapple or apple juice for the broth.
• Mix in coconut milk: Add canned coconut milk to the stir-fry sauce for a rich, Thai-influenced flavor. Add some curry paste as well if you like.
• Stir in Asian sauces: To up the Asian flavor you can add some hoisin, oyster, or black bean sauces.
• Blend in a nut butter: For a thick and rich sauce add peanut or almond butter. This creates a sauce similar to peanut sauce.

Ways To Serve This Sauce For Stir Fry

This sweet and savory stir-fry sauce can be used in a few different ways. Here are our favorites.

• Stir fry: You can use this stir fry sauce to make this Vegetable Stir Fry or this Asian Quinoa Stir Fry.
• Roasted Vegetables: Drizzle this stir-fry sauce over these Lower Carb Roasted Vegetables,
• Rice Bowl: Stir this stir fry sauce into this Asian Rice Bowl or this Teriyaki Brown Rice Veggie Bowl.
• Wraps: Mix this stir-fry sauce into these Quinoa Lettuce Wraps.
• Fried Rice: Use this sauce over this Egg Fried Rice.

Storage and Freezing

This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator and can even be frozen.

• Fridge: Stir fry sauce will keep for one week in the fridge in an airtight container or jar.
• Freezer: You can store stir fry sauce in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: Thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat: To reheat pour into a skillet or pan and warm through at medium heat.

Stir Fry Ideas

Stir Fries are one of the best options for a quick, healthy, easy meal. Here are some more stir fries to try.

• Salmon Stir Fry
• Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
• Moo Shu Pork
• Stir-Fried Vegetables
• Basil Chicken Stir Fry
• Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
• Asian Quinoa and Turkey Stir Fry
• Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry’
• Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
• Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry