Why I love this easy stir fry sauce
Stir fry has been a go-to meal for us since long before we went dairy free, and for the longest time, I would make up the sauce as I went – little soy sauce, a little garlic. Eventually, I nailed down a specific recipe that I keep coming back to, and this is it. It makes for a quick and healthy dinner, and you can customize with whatever proteins and veggies you want.
If you like this recipe, I know you’ll love my honey teriyaki sauce and pepper steak stir fry that uses a variation of this sauce, but with added ginger and sesame. And, don’t forget to try my baked pineapple chicken, which is basically a sheet pan stir fry. Any of these can be served with our favorite garlic rice or coconut rice.
Ingredient notes:
- Soy sauce – For this recipe, you will want to use reduced sodium soy sauce. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a bit of a salty mess (see the comments section for examples).
- Chicken broth – I normally use reduced-sodium soy sauce for this recipe. If have regular or chicken stock, it should be fine, but make sure you aren’t using regular soy sauce if that’s the case.
- Cornstarch – This thickens the sauce, and if definitely need it. I haven’t tried substitutes like arrowroot or other alternatives, so I’m not sure how they would turn out.
- Olive oil – Any oil can be used here. We normally have olive oil or canola oil, but any neutral oil should work.
- Brown sugar – If you don’t want to use brown sugar, you could substitute another sweetener like honey or agave nectar. Since it’s small amount, equal parts shouldn’t make a difference. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
- Sesame oil – This is option, but I highly recommend it.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make this stir fry sauce recipe
Mix the ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients until they’re smooth. Get rid of all the lumps now or there will be no saving it later.
Simmer the sauce. You can either do this in a saucepan (make ahead) or in the pan with your partially cooked stir fry. Over medium-high heat, the sauce will begin to thicken within 5 minutes. Make sure the stir frequently to prevent it from clumping or burning.
If you’re making the sauce ahead of time, transfer it to an air-tight container (I usually use a mason jar) and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze for up to a month.
Frequently asked questions
This versatile sauce can be used to add flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Its delicious flavor pairs wonderfully with veggies and meats such as pork and chicken. The possibilities when making stir fry are endless.
Mix a small amount of cornstarch and water in a bowl until it’s completely incorporated and then add it to your sauce. Cook over medium heat until its thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and the mixture will thicken even more as it cools.
This sauce brings a burst of flavor to your dish, but you can elevate it further by incorporating an extra pinch of sugar, a splash of lemon juice, or a dash of coconut oil for cooking the meats and vegetables. These additions enhance the natural flavors and add an extra layer of depth to your meal.
Easy Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 – 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
To make ahead:
- Whisk stir fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
- Heat a saucepan to medium-high.
- Add sauce and heat until thickened, whisking as needed, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To use immediately:
- Whisk sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add to your favorite stir fry recipe as needed. Allow sauce to cook with your stir fry until thickened.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I made this tonight and both my husband and I loved it! So easy too. I have sauce left over for another stir fry! It was delish even without rice vinegar.
This was easy and delicious! So nice to see a recipe containing ingredients I have on hand. I did it completely vegan with celery, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onion and carrots. Served it with brown jasmine rice cooked in vegetable stock.
This was excellent! I subbed coconut aminos for soy sauce and added Sriracha for some punch…but it was a GREAT base to add to and thickened up beautifully. This will be my new go to!
Way too salty, how about 1/4 cup soy.
I didnt have rice vinegar or sherry vinegar but had red wine and only usedcacteaspoon. This is very good! Had jasmine rice with all those chicken and veggies. Fantastic!
Did you use reduced sodium soy sauce and chicken broth?
Adore this recipe! Made it a few weeks ago for my family and it was loved by all. I added about ~1.5 tbs more of brown sugar than the recipe called for as it was too salty, and I didn’t add ginger, and it turned out amazing! Thickened up amazingly well – almost immediately when added to the already hot saucepan. Thank you!!
Great but I highly recommend doing a cornstarch slurry instead of straight cornstarch. I also added fish sauce
I am vegetarian, cannot use chicken both. What else can I use instead.
Thanks
You should be able to use vegetarian broth or sometimes you can find mushroom broth. Both would be found by the chicken and beef broths in your local grocery store!
The sauce made my dish. Thank you