This Stir Fry Sauce recipe can be used for vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp, and pork. It is super easy to make and totally adaptable.
One of the easiest meals to make is stir fry and using a stir fry sauce makes it even easier because it has all of the seasonings you need.
In This Post
Tonia’s Notes
While in Florida with my mom and sisters, one of the meals we shared was a simple stir fry. We used bottled stir-fry sauce, and our meal was delicious!
I decided to make my own stir-fry sauce recipe and found that it was really easy to make and so delicious!
I love that you can use whatever meat you have. Chicken, beef, shrimp, and pork all work really well. Or skip the meat for an all vegetable option.
Grab some veggies, fresh or frozen, depending on what you prefer. Try using cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, peppers, onions, corn, beans, and mushrooms. It’s a great way to use up extra vegetables. You can eat the stir fry with just the meat and vegetables or serve it over rice or noodles.
Stir Fry Sauce Recipe
Step One: Soy Sauce Mixture
Start by mixing together the soy sauce, chicken broth, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, and black pepper so that it is ready to add to the saucepan once the ginger and garlic are ready.
I chose to use barbecue sauce in this stir-fry sauce because I always have it on hand, but an equal amount of hoisin sauce can be used instead.
Step Two: Cornstarch Mixture
The thickener in this stir fry sauce recipe is cornstarch, but you can’t just add the cornstarch to the hot, boiling sauce since it will clump together.
To prevent this from happening, mix the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl so that it is ready to use when you need it.
Step Three: Garlic and Ginger
Now, it’s time to start cooking the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ground ginger and cook it for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly.
Step Four: Liquids
Next, add the soy sauce mixture. Whisk in the mixture and cook over medium heat until it starts to boil.
Step Five: Add Cornstarch Mixture
Finally, add the cornstarch/water mixture to thicken the sauce. Be sure to add the mixture slowly while whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Cook until the sauce has thickened.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: You can use the sauce right away or make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
- Fridge: Allow the stir fry sauce to cool and then transfer it to an airtight container or jar with a lid. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- Freezer: Store the cool sauce in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months.
How To Use Stir Fry Sauce
You can use this stir fry sauce for vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork.
- For one pound of chicken, use about two tablespoons of stir fry sauce. See my chicken stir fry recipe here.
- Use 1/4 cup for five cups of stir fry veggies.
- Try serving your stir fry with white rice, brown rice, fried rice, cauliflower rice, Chinese noodles, angel hair pasta, zucchini noodles, or quinoa.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use your favorite brand of barbecue sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s), make homemade barbecue sauce, or use a tablespoon of hoisin sauce instead.
This recipe calls for sesame oil because it adds so much flavor to the stir fry sauce, but you can make it without it and add an additional tablespoon of olive oil.
For this recipe, I used chicken broth as the liquid. You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth or beef broth. Or change the flavor by using orange juice or pineapple juice instead.
Substitute the three teaspoons of minced garlic with 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Also, if you love garlic, you can increase the amount of minced garlic in this recipe.
I made this stir fry sauce with dried, ground ginger because that is what I typically have on hand. It would be fabulous with freshly grated ginger though. Use 3-4 teaspoons of grated ginger instead. Again, if you love ginger, you can up the amount you use.
Add sriracha sauce, chili sauce, or red pepper flakes.
Yes! Collin commented below and said he added a couple of tablespoons of crunchy unsweetened peanut butter.
More Sauce Recipes
- Our Peanut Sauce recipe is perfect for dipping and drizzling!
- This Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce is delicious on chicken wings and tenders.
- Use our homemade Teriyaki Sauce recipe on chicken, fish, veggies, and rice.
- You can make this Garlic Butter Sauce with only three ingredients!
Stir Fry Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon spicy barbecue sauce or hoisin sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoon minced garlic or use 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or use 3-4 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, broth, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ground ginger and 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the soy sauce mixture and bring it to a boil.
- Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.
Richard C Hennessy says
Can’t believe this won’t last a LOT longer than two weeks in the refrigerator.
Angela Johnson says
Loved your sauce, thank you.
Collin says
Great recipe. Have used this twice now and really enjoyed it. I like to add a couple table spoons of crunchy unsweetened peanut butter to make it like a peanut stir fry sauce. Vegetable Broth is also works instead of chicken broth for any vegetarians.
Tonia says
Now that is a great idea! I can’t wait to try it!
Contrary2Ordinary says
This was very good and will plan to make some tweeks next time for our personal tastes: red pepper flakes added to the devil spit BBQ sauce from Famous Daves.
I will note, if you are used to eating low sodium….we found this sauce still quite salty even with the call for low sodium items. Didn’t know if cutting the soy sauce to 1/4 cup and adding a 1/4 cup of low sodium chicken broth may help? Water even? We also added 1/3 cup of fresh pineapple juice to help cut the salt. We used the sauce scantily over our dish and it was tasty with chicken, water chestnuts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots etc. alongside a medley of brown rice, wild rice, red rice and quinoa. Thank you!!!
Sharon says
I use Bragg ( in Health store) Liquid Aminos – natural soy sauce alternative…sodium is only 160 mg
Crin Coull says
Made this for dinner and we loved it. Easy to make. I used left over pork from the other nights dinner. This will be a definite every couple of weeks! Thanks!
Michelle B. says
This sounds a lot like sweet and sour sauce? Is that the taste? I am planning to make a stir fry tomorrow night, but I will not be using corn starch because I am out of it lol, but I know it’s just a thickening agent so no biggie!! I will probably make a double batch as we love more sauce than the actual
Ingredients for the most part!! Can’t wait to try!! Also, if you don’t have or cannot find ginger, whether fresh or otherwise, is there a good alternative? I’ve NEVER bought/used ginger before! Thanks in advance!!
Tonia says
I’m not sure about the sweet and sour sauce, I’ve never made it. I don’t know of an alternative for ginger but you can leave it out if you can’t find it. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Katie Ganoe says
I think I’ll try it with some White Balsamic Vinegar, I have.
Are the Sesame Seeds toasted, and when did you add them?
Jess says
How much sauce per stir fry mix do you add? Just trying to figure out how much chicken and veggies I need.
Tonia says
Hi Jess!
Here is my chicken stir fry recipe: http://www.thegunnysack.com/chicken-stir-fry-recipe/
Enjoy!
Tonia
Katie says
What kind of BBQ sauce did you use?
Tonia says
I use Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Edd Morton says
Asian style cooking is a hobby and a passion of mine. I am always trying different sauces, and I gotta tell ya that this is a very good one. I will definitely be making it again.
Katie says
Tried this tonight and my boyfriend (who hates stir fry sauces) was like can you make it again cause it’s so good! Thank you for bringing this to me.
NaomiK says
This was really yummy! Made it for supper last night and I loved it. I’m going to freeze the leftovers and see how that works. Thanks!
Peggy Brennan says
I made this totally wrong because I was too impatient to open the pin and just threw all the ingredients together. It was amazing!! I can’t wait to taste the deliciousness when I do it right! I doubled it because I have a big family , and they were all crazy about it. EXCELLENT recipe!!!
Tonia says
Yay!! I’m so happy it turned out! ~Tonia
Cathy says
How much sodium is in this sauce?
Tonia says
Hi Cathy,
Sorry, I’m not sure. Enjoy!
~Tonia
Ally says
Making it now, but should obviously read ahead first. I added vinegar, then read to instructions where it says RICE vinegar. Oh well, here goes an experiment!
Edd Morton says
I actually used ACV and it was delicious.
Lisa @ Wine & Glue says
This is absolute genius Tonia! I LOVE a good stir fry! And this sauce looks just perfect!
Liz says
Love this sauce. Thank you Tonia and have a great week!
Nancy says
This sounds really good, but a question..do you use refined, unrefined or toasted sesame seed oil?
Tonia says
I used the sesame seed oil that is sold in the Asian cooking section of the grocery store. It says “100% pure sesame seed oil, an oriental seasoning oil” on the bottle.
Malia@Small Town Girl Blog says
This sounds awesome! Great idea! Pinned 🙂
Jackie says
This looks delish!