Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

By: Author Joy Shull

Posted on Last updated:

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This homemade Stir Fry Sauce is so easy to make! All you need is just 3 ingredients and the flavor is so much better than anything you can buy in the store!

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This is the best easy stir fry sauce!

  • Only three ingredients: so easy to make!
  • Highly Concentrated: a little bit of this sauce goes a long way.
  • Pairs well with any kind of stir fry: Stir fry veggies, ramen noodles, chicken, tofu, pork, you name it. This sauce pairs beautifully with any kind of stir fry recipe

The key to the best ever stir fry is in the sauce recipe. I have tried endless store bought sauces, and none of them ever tasted good enough to get that takeout taste that I was craving.

You can find the full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you will need.

What is stir fry sauce made of?

  • sesame oil: toasted sesame oil is more flavorful, so use this if you can find it
  • soy sauce: or tamari
  • corn starch
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How do you make stir fry sauce from scratch?

  1. Add the corn starch, sesame oil, and soy sauce to a mason jar.
  2. Close the lid, and shake to combine
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This sauce does not mess around. It is bold, so flavorful, and a little bit goes a long way. If you make the whole batch, it will be enough to flavor 6 – 8 generous servings of food.

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What is stir fry sauce used for?

You can use stir fry sauce for just about anything, but commonly used best vegetables for stir fry include

  • Mushrooms
  • Carrots
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Broccoli
  • White or yellow onion
  • Bell peppers, any color
  • Green onion
  • Water chestnuts
  • Baby corn
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What should I put in my stir fry?

  • Vegetables: our go to vegetables include onion, garlic, ginger, brococli, mushrooms and bell pepper
  • Protein: beef, chicken, tofu, chickpeas, tempeh
  • Noodles or rice: white rice, brown rice, ramen noodles, brown rice noodles, pad thai noodles
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Stir Fry Sauce Tips

  • Make the sauce first: Prepping this ahead makes it easier to add as you need it when making your stir fry. You can either cook your ingredients in this sauce, or add it at the end of cook time.
  • Add a little bit at a time: If you are unsure of how much sauce to use, I recommend cooking your ingredients first in sesame oil, then adding this sauce to taste in the last 3-5 minutes of cook time to taste.
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What can I add to stir fry for flavor?

I have one recommendation, and that is to always use this together with fresh garlic and fresh ginger. Do not skip this step.

These are not a part of the sauce, but they are part of the full recipe that you will make. I have found this to be the best way to bring out all of those flavors and I highly recommend doing this.

If you skip this step and tell me that the recipe is bland, it is because you did not add the garlic and ginger!

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How to thicken stir fry sauce

Cornstarch acts as an easy thickener in this stir fry sauce recipe. It is is a great way to thicken sauces when you want a quick recipe.

There is no need to cook out a raw flour flavor like you would when cooking with a roux. Most sauce recipes use a corn starch slurry to thicken them.

Instead of that, we are simply mixing it with the other ingredients and once well shaken it will thicken the same way.

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I have tested this easy recipe time and time again and it is always incredibly delicious.

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“OMG Joy! I have been searching for the true stir fry sauce” for everything “ and this is it! Made shrimp broccoli and mushroom stir fry tonight and and I’m still licking up the sauce from the pan!”

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This recipe seemed to be too easy, but it works better than more complicated recipes. This will be my go to.

More Stir Fry Recipes You’ll Love

  • Homemade Orange Sauce
  • Broccoli with Garlic Sauce
  • Teriyaki Noodles
  • Asian Mushroom Ramen Noodles
  • Stir Fry Vegetables
  • Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
  • Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry

Are you making this recipe? I want to see! Don’t forget to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe creations!

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Be sure to pin this recipe for later and followBuild Your Bite on Pinterestfor all the latest delicious recipes!

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Yield: 6- 8 servings concentrated

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Easy homemade stir fry sauce recipe made with just 3 ingredients!

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch to a mason jar. Screw on the lid and shake to combine
  2. Be sure to use this stir fry sauce with fresh minced garlic and fresh minced ginger in your stir fry (cooked with your vegetables/protein), as stated in the post. This is what will give it the "wow" factor.
  3. Once your stir fry is mostly cooked, add the stir fry sauce and heat an additional 3 - 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. This is important, as the corn starch needs a few minutes to thicken up.
  4. READ THIS RECIPE NOTE - this is intended to cover around 8 servings of stir fry, served over UNSALTED rice or noodles. Otherwise it will be too salty. It is a highly concentrated sauce. A little goes a long way! If you are making a small stir fry, start by adding a few tablespoons of sauce at a time until desired saltiness.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free soy sauce or tamari.

To see examples of how much food this sauce will cover, check out several of my recipes using this sauce. Cabbage Stir Fry, Stir Fry Vegetables, Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 66Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 131mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe creations!

Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe - Build Your Bite (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 I thicken my stir fry sauce? ›

Whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until smooth, in a small bowl. This slurry can then be gradually introduced to your stir-fry sauce over medium heat, leading to a thicker, glossier consistency.

What are the 3 rules of stir-frying? ›

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.

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 gives stir fry flavor? ›

Garlic and ginger powders: Add the signature flavors found in most stir-fries. Sesame oil: Lends toasty goodness. Hot sauce (optional): Adds spicy heat. Cornstarch (optional): Use it if you'd like to thicken the sauce.

Should I add cornstarch to stir-fry sauce? ›

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 do Chinese restaurants use to thicken sauce? ›

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 is the secret ingredient in stir-fry? ›

Ketchup Is The Secret Ingredient For A Top-Notch Stir Fry.

What ingredients go first in stir-fry? ›

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

Should you stir-fry with butter or oil? ›

Stir-frying: Butter has a lower smoke point than our favorite oils for stir frying. Use ghee or clarified butter here for best results. Pan-frying: Yes, you can use butter for simple pan-fried recipes! Like sautéing, you'll want to slowly melt the butter and let the moisture cook off before adding your food.

Is soy sauce and stir fry sauce the same thing? ›

The main ingredients in stir fry sauce typically include soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, and a sweetener such as sugar or honey. Additional ingredients may include sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cornstarch for thickening.

What is the difference between stir fry sauce and teriyaki sauce? ›

What is the difference between stir fry sauce and teriyaki sauce? Stir-fry sauce is savory and versatile with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, ideal for various stir-fried dishes. Teriyaki sauce is sweet and savory, commonly used as a marinade for grilled meats, developing a glossy finish through caramelization.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

There is no specific 'brown sauce' in Chinese cooking. There are many sauces used… some have a brown color. Oyster sauce is brown, as Sha Cha sauce (Chinese style Satay Sauce), and Hoisin Sauce, to name a couple of famous types.

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.

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