When I need to make a fast and healthy dinner, stir-fry is my go-to. I think it’s the best way to get a meal that is full of veggies and protein, tastes delicious, and requires less than 30 minutes to get on the table. This is my never-fail, go-to classic stir-fry sauce recipe that I’ve used for years and years to make a variety of stir-fry dinners at home.
Recipe Highlights
5 minutes to make: This sauce comes together so fast and requires just a handful of pantry ingredients that I tend to always keep on hand. The sauce gets stirred in a small bowl and is ready to use in less than 5 minutes.
Works for a variety of stir-fry recipes: This base recipe is a great one to use in a variety of stir-fry recipes, from chicken stir fry to beef stir fry to veggie stir fry to shrimp stir fry. Just swap the type of broth used (chicken, beef, or veggie) to match the protein. For seafood stir-fry, I usually use water instead of broth.
Thickens easily: This sauce thickens nicely to coat the veggies and protein in any stir-fry recipe thanks to a simple cornstarch slurry. Once it’s added to a hot skillet and brought to a simmer, the sauce thickens quickly.
Makes a healthy dinner: Stir-fry tends to be a healthful recipe since it incorporates many vegetables (commonly bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas, onions, and green beans) making it a good source of key nutrients, including fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C, and low in saturated fat. Stir fry also can be a good source of protein and energy-supply carbohydrates, especially when served with brown rice.
Key Ingredients To Have On Hand
My basic stir-fry sauce recipe comes together with just a few pantry ingredients. Here’s what’s needed:
- Soy sauce – this creates the base of the sauce. I always use dark soy sauce, but tamari or coconut aminos can be used in place. To lower the sodium, I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce (which is what I always use) or coconut aminos.
- Water or broth – use water or any type of broth available (homemade bone broth works too). I use the type of broth to match the main protein in the stir fry I’m making. For example, if I’m making beef stir-fry, I’ll use beef broth.
- Honey – just a few tablespoons of honey is enough to help balance the saltiness of the broth and soy sauce and to tame the tanginess of the vinegar. It also provides a perfect light sweetness that is a pleasant match for every stir-fry recipe I’ve used this sauce for. In a pinch, maple syrup, orange juice, or brown sugar can be used instead.
- Rice vinegar – a tablespoon of vinegar helps balance the sauce and gives it that iconic tangy flavor that is common in stir-fries. Apple cider vinegar or a tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice can be used instead.
- Chile garlic sauce – I love to add a small dash of chile garlic sauce or Sriracha to give it a pleasant (not-too-spicy, not too-dull) flavor. Feel free to omit it, but I think it adds something special.
- Optional mix-ins – It’s easy to customize this basic condiment with other ingredients to try new recipes. Sometimes I add 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil or oyster sauce to change up the flavor a bit.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Make It Gluten Free
To make stir-fry sauce that’s gluten free, use a soy sauce that is certified gluten free, such as this San-J brand. Or, use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. In addition to being lower in sodium and gluten free, coconut aminos also are a soy-free option.
Make It Ahead Of Time
To make a stir-fry dinner even faster, this easy stir-fry sauce recipe can be prepared ahead of time. In fact, the ingredients can be stirred together and stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Mix all the ingredients together except for the cornstarch, then stir in the cornstarch just before using the sauce in a recipe.
My Favorite Recipes To Incorporate This Sauce Into
This basic stir-fry sauce will work for any type of stir-fry. It makes 1 cup of sauce and I use it to make all kinds of weeknight stir-fry recipes, including steak stir fry, chicken stir fry, ground beef stir fry, pork stir fry, vegetable stir-fry, seafood stir-fry, and these Thai-style stir-fry noodles.
This best stir-fry sauce recipe also can be used as a marinade for veggies before roasting. Or use it as a dipping sauce (without the cornstarch) for egg rolls or lettuce wraps.
Store In The Refrigerator
Store the sauce in the refrigerator (without the cornstarch mixed in) in a mason jar for up to 4 days before making a recipe. Then, add the cornstarch just before using. If the sauce is already used in a recipe, refrigerate leftover portions of the cooked stir-fry in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, adding a dash more broth or water to loosen up the sauce again. Or reheat the stir-fry in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to adjust the spice level of stir-fry. To make it spicier, add more chile garlic paste, red pepper flakes, or Sriracha (or another type of hot sauce). I’d start by adding 1 teaspoon, then taste and increase from there until the desired level of spice is reached.
Stir-fry sauce typically gets thickened in one of two ways. The first is by cooking the sauce over high heat until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens. The second way is by adding a thickening agent, such as cornstarch, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or flour. I prefer cornstarch, as it only takes a little bit to help thicken the sauce. The cornstarch gets activated and starts to thicken as soon as it simmers.
More Simple Sauce Recipes To Make
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Stir Fry Sauce
This basic recipe makes a really good stir-fry sauce that can be used in a variety of stir-fry recipes. It’s an easy homemade stir-fry sauce that thickens perfectly to coat the ingredients in any stir-fry.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce*
- ½ cup water or low-sodium broth (beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons pure honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce or Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water or broth, honey, vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, chile sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk well until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add the sauce to a wok or large skillet to a stir-fry recipe and bring it to a simmer while stirring. The sauce will thicken quickly as it begins to simmer.
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Notes
* For gluten free, use certified gluten-free soy sauce or swap in tamari or coconut aminos.
If not planning to use the sauce right away, omit the cornstarch and refrigerate the mixture in a covered airtight container for up to 4 days. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce ingredients just before using.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the sauce
- Calories: 55
- Fat: 0 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 865 mg
- Carbohydrate: 12 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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