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The BEST Stir Fry Sauce

Name: The BEST Stir Fry Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: ½ cup low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth); ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon cornstarch; crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha or sweet chili sauce (optional, for spicy sauce)

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Use this Stir Fry Sauce in your favorite stir fry recipes. This homemade stir fry sauce recipe is quick and easy to make. It’s so much better than store-bought sauce or takeout!

Homemade stir fry sauce in a jar next to a whisk and garlic cloves.

Stir fry is one of my favorite easy meals. Stir fries are healthy and so versatile. You can easily switch up the protein and veggies to keep the flavors new and interesting!

I like to make my own stir fry sauce rather than buying it at the store because I can control the ingredients and flavors. Plus, it’s so simple to make, there really is no reason not to make your own. It’s healthier and takes no more than ten minutes.

This easy recipe is perfect for using in chicken stir fry, beef stir fry, vegetable stir fry or shrimp stir fry. Or, use tofu or chickpeas for your protein to make a vegetarian meal. Serve your stir fry over brown rice, Instant Pot white rice or Instant Pot brown rice for a wholesome and tasty meal.

Ingredients

Chicken Broth: I recommend using a low sodium broth to limit the amount of salt in your sauce. I prefer to use broth rather than water because it is more flavorful.
Soy Sauce: Look for a low sodium soy sauce to limit the sodium in your meal.
Honey: A little honey balances out the salty and savory flavors.
Sesame Oil: Just a little bit of sesame oil brings big flavor to your stir fry sauce.
Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Don’t be tempted to substitute ground ginger or garlic powder. Fresh garlic and ginger are essential to a flavorful stir fry sauce.
Cornstarch: You need cornstarch to thicken the sauce. When you add your sauce to the other stir fry ingredients in the hot pan, the cornstarch will thicken the sauce in just minutes.

How to Make Stir Fry Sauce

This recipe is so easy, it’s as simple as combining all of the ingredients and mixing them together. I like to make stir fry sauce in a jar that has a tight-fitting lid. Then you can just shake the jar up to easily mix the ingredients together. You can also make the sauce in a small bowl and mix it using a whisk.

How to Make Stir Fry

Now that you have your stir fry sauce ready, how do you use it to make a delicious stir fry? The key is to use the right ratio of sauce to protein to vegetables. This recipe makes one cup of sauce, which is the perfect amount to add to one pound of protein plus six cups of vegetables. This will serve four people. If you want to serve your stir fry over rice, you’ll need four cups of cooked rice.

To make a stir fry:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok. Add your protein (such as cubes of chicken, slices of beef or shrimp) and cook it until browned and almost cooked through. Transfer the protein to a clean plate.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, along with your vegetables. Stir fry until the veggies are crisp-tender.
Add the protein back to the pan. Stir in the stir fry sauce. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and your protein is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

How long does stir fry sauce last?

You can keep this sauce in your refrigerator for up to one week, stored in an airtight container. I keep mine in a jar with a lid.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

You can make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. For a vegan stir fry sauce, also replace the honey with pure maple syrup.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

You can make this stir fry sauce recipe gluten-free by replacing the soy sauce with gluten-free tamari, gluten-free coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.