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5-Minute Stir Fry Sauce (so easy!)

(last updated August 12, 2022)

4.98 from 79 votes
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Making stir fry at home has never been easier with this 5-minute stir fry sauce recipe made from scratch. Whisk together the simple ingredients – or shake them up in a jar – and add it to your favorite stir fry ingredients. Your flavorful dinner will be ready in no time!

Sauce in bowl with spoon.

Friends!! This is so exciting because you are never going to have to wonder what’s for dinner when you are looking for an easy, simple recipe.

No, in fact, you can just shake up a jar of homemade stir fry sauce and toss it with…just about anything to make a deliciously healthy veggie-loaded dinner.

Seriously, there’s no end to the dinner options with this sauce. It marries up well with frozen veggies, shrimp, whatever other proteins you have/enjoy, tofu, and my favorite – the random vegetables you need to use up in your fridge. There are honestly endless possibilities.

You know I love delicious game-changing homemade sauce recipes. They take otherwise meh ingredients and bring the WOW, adding so much flavor and bringing excitement to mealtime. So without any more chatter, let’s see what this next-up, super simple sauce is all about.

Why Should You Make Your Own Sauce?

For starters, I did mention the crazy amount of flavor they add to just about any and every dish, right?

Making sauces at home, especially this stir fry sauce, allows you to control the ingredients and keeps the flavors fresh, which means it can also be healthier, depending on your needs, like if you are looking for a low sodium option or one without added oils.

In most cases, it’s also cheaper, making it super budget-friendly. The simple ingredients are ones that you likely have in your pantry or fridge, and use just a little bit of them at a time, so it’s quite economical.

Not that you need one more reason, after all of that, but just in case you do, I’ll remind you that making stir fry sauce from scratch takes less than five minutes and that my friends, is a no-brainer to me!


Ingredients for Stir Fry Sauce

If you’re wondering what’s in stir fry sauce, let’s take a look at the ingredients you’ll need. The beauty of making the sauce yourself is that you can adjust the flavors just how you like them – make the sauce a little sweeter, or a little more sour, depending on your tastes.

Sauce ingredients in bowls on table.

As written, the sauce recipe has a nice balance of sweet, salty, and sour. You can absolutely adjust to your preferences and taste-test the sauce before you begin cooking. Be sure to see the full recipe card below.

  • Soy Sauce (low sodium recommended): this is the base of the stir fry sauce, adding the dark color to it (replace a tablespoon or so with dark soy sauce that we use in vegetable lo mein for an even deeper flavor!).

    There is quite a bit of soy sauce in the base, so I recommend using low sodium soy sauce.
  • Vegetable Stock: using stock instead of water adds more flavor to the sauce, but if you need to, you can also substitute with water (or chicken stock if you’re not vegetarian). Use no salt stock to make sure the sauce isn’t overly salty.
  • Sesame Oil: it’s nutty, rich, and toasty. A little bit of this oil goes a long way!
  • Rice Vinegar: it’s vinegar, so this is where our sourness can come from if we add too much, but rice vinegar is overall pretty mild and has a slightly sweet flavor to it, too. I start with 1/2 tablespoon but increase to 1 full tablespoon if you like vinegar-type flavors.
  • Garlic and Ginger: just about every stir fry recipe you’ll find on this site is going to also include added garlic and ginger – they are huge flavor add-ins and I do think they need to be in the sauce, too. Definitely recommend using fresh!
  • Sugar or Honey: a little sweetness to balance out the acidity and saltiness; use brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor to the sauce, or honey for a more natural-sugar option.
  • Cornstarch: ah, the sauce thickener. Without cornstarch, the sauce is really thin. Cooking it down with cornstarch thickens it making it luxuriously sticky so it coats all of the other ingredients.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: making this an optional ingredient for you… adding just a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a little more depth to the sauce, without being spicy. You can always add more to make it spicy or use chili garlic paste. Or, you can leave it out.

How to Make Stir Fry Sauce from Scratch

This is truly one of my favorite sauces to make. It’s simply the best – full of flavor from all the ingredients (especially the fresh ginger and garlic – oh my!) and I can pair it with anything. Ok, have I told you yet how dang easy it is, too? Like I said, THE BEST.

You can either whisk together the ingredients in a bowl or add them all to a jar and shake, shake, shake. If you know me, then you know I’ve turned into the kind of adult who likes to reduce the number of dishes I have to do, and one-pan dinners have become my BFF (ok, is this all adulting?) so the jar method is used frequently around here.

6 images whisking together stir fry sauce.

Either way, add the aromatics along with the sugar or honey, pour in the vegetable stock, add the soy sauce, and then the corn starch. Whisk or shake them together until it’s completely combined. Then, you can use it immediately or store it in the fridge for later use (more on that in a minute).

Stir Fry Sauce Ideas

Ok, so there are basically endless dinner options when it comes to stir fry. Make an at-home Asian or Chinese-inspired dinner the whole family will love, mixing and matching your favorite ingredients. Here are a few of my (and my fam’s) favorite ideas. Note that not all are vegetarian ideas for those who do eat meat.

How to Make a Simple Stir Fry

Here’s a very high-level overview of how to make a stir fry using the ingredients you have. If you are a comfortable at-home chef, I am sure you’ll be able to work with what you’ve got to make it happen. Otherwise, I highly recommend you take a look at one of my stir fry recipes for more specific instructions.

  1. If you are making a protein like shrimp or chicken, first saute them in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat in a little bit of oil. At this point, I like to cook the proteins halfway through (for shrimp) or just before it’s completely cooked (for chicken) so once it’s added back into the vegetables at the end, it doesn’t overcook. This is the same method I use for shrimp scampi.
  2. Remove the protein, then add in the hearty vegetables first. This would be things like onion, mushrooms, broccoli, etc. The veggies that will take longer to cook should go first.
  3. Add in some aromatics if you’d like more; I am always a fan of more garlic and ginger.
  4. Add in tender vegetables, like bok choy or bell peppers. Cook the veggies until they are tender-crisp. Add the protein (if using) back into the mixture.
  5. Add in the sauce and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
  6. Serve over rice as desired, garnish, and enjoy!
Vegetable stir fry in bowl with spoon.

Serving Size

This sauce recipe as written makes just over 1 cup of sauce (about 1 1/4 cups). If making enough stir fry for 4-6 people, I find it to be the perfect amount; it’s a little saucy but not swimmingly so.

If you prefer less sauce in your stir fry, I would recommend starting with about 3/4 cup of the sauce, and adding more as you see fit. And if you have leftover sauce, never fear…

Storage and Freezing

This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to one week, which means it is absolutely perfect for meal prep. I mean…if you must prep it. It’s also easy enough to make in the rush of weeknight dinner flurry.

Anyway, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

You can also freeze the sauce, just place it in a freezer-safe airtight container like Souper Cubes or Stasher Bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge, at room temperature, or on the stove over low heat until warmed through.

Jar of stir fry sauce with whisk inside.

Commonly Asked Questions

How can I make a low-sodium version of stir-fry sauce?

Use low-sodium soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce to make this sauce with less sodium. Also, use vegetable stock, not broth, as stock is made without added salt. Or, be sure your broth is ‘low sodium’ too. Or just use water instead of stock.

Can I make stir fry sauce gluten-free?

Yes, as long as you use gluten-free soy sauce like Tamari. While the remaining ingredients should be naturally gluten-free, be sure to check all the ingredient labels to be sure.

Is this sauce vegan or vegetarian?

Yes! It is vegetarian, and vegan if you use sugar, not honey.

Can I make stir fry sauce without soy?

You can use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce to make this sauce soy-free.

How do I thicken stir-fry sauce?

To make the sauce even thicker, add another 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of corn starch. If you are adding it after the sauce has already been mixed with other ingredients, quickly whisk it together with a little stock or soy sauce, then add it into the stir fry. This will ensure it is incorporated seamlessly.

Sauce in bowl with spoon.

5-Minute Stir Fry Sauce (so easy!)

Making stir fry at home has never been easier with this 5-minute stir fry sauce recipe made from scratch. Whisk together the simple ingredients – or shake them up in a jar – and add it to your favorite stir fry ingredients. Your flavorful dinner will be ready in no time!
4.98 from 79 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Becca Mills

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup soy sauce, low sodium recommended
  • ½ cup low-sodium vegetable stock, or water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 – 2 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar or honey*, up to 2 tablespoons for a more sweet than sour sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl or mason jar with a lid, combine all of the ingredients and whisk or shake well until combined.
  • Use immediately in a stir fry recipe, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Recipe yields approximately 1 1/4 cup of sauce.

Notes

  • Sour: to make it more sour, increase the rice vinegar to 1 tablespoon.
  • Sweet: to make it sweeter, add up to one additional tablespoon of sugar or honey.
  • Sugar: speaking of, brown sugar or granulated sugar work!
  • Thicker: to make the sauce extra thick, add up to 1 tablespoon additional corn starch. 
  • Play around with the ratios if you have a preference for a certain taste – it’s super customizable!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

By the Way…

This recipe is part of our collection of savory homemade sauce recipes. Check it out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Molly

    5 stars
    I whipped this yummy sauce up last night, threw some veggies in a pan, rice in my insta-pot and had a delicious and super fast dinner made just in time to eat while watching Survivor!

    Reply

  2. Dick Sturm

    Way, way too much soy sauce per amount of water. Diluted it a lot but still too salty. Used a lot of honey & brown sugar. Didn’t help enough. I would cut it to 1:2 water to soy sauce.

    Reply

  8. Matthew DeWitt

    5 stars
    This sauce is yummy. I used Better than Bouillon for the chicken broth. I also added sambal for heat and added flavor.

    Reply

  9. Nicole

    4 stars
    Overall a good sauce. I found it a touch too salty and adjusted, I also like a thicker sauce so I’ll probably add a bit extra cornstarch next time. But yummy overall!

    Reply

  11. Rick

    5 stars
    I found it very easy to fix. Next time I will use low sodium soy sauce. We love garlic so I minced up about 6 gloves. It is something I would make again.
    Thanks

    Reply

  13. Terry

    5 stars
    This an easy recipe and I always use low sodium Soy sauce and fresh Ginger and Garlic. I have used this numerous times with all kinds of Stir fry and it tastes great every time. There is also low sodium bouillon as well.

    Reply

  14. Allyson Pisciotta

    5 stars
    Excellent. You can truly use this recipe as is and it’s wonderful or make some alterations like was suggested, to suit your taste. I make a lot for leftovers as well, so I doubled the recipe,
    but only used 1 tbsp of ginger. For me that was the perfect amount. Just a tiny hint. 👍 I will def be making this from now on.

    Reply

  15. Sandy

    5 stars
    Sauce was delicious. Quick and easy to make. I liked that it was a customizable. . I added extra garlic and ginger. It was salty before combining with stir fry which I did not add any season to. So the saltiness of the sauce was balanced by my stir fry veggies and protein. Overall, I would definitely make this sauce again.

    Reply

    • Becca Mills

      Thanks, Sandy! Spot on note about the salt and not needing to season the veggies and protein much because of it, and I always love extra garlic and ginger too. 🙂 So glad to hear you enjoyed!

      Reply

  17. Jessica

    5 stars
    This is absolutely perfect. I put extra honey like the instructions says and it was to die for. My whole family devoured it and said it was the best stir fry I’ve ever made.

    Reply

  19. Annalisa

    5 stars
    This was so good! I tweaked it a little, I used 1/4 tsp xanthan gum instead of corn starch, used 1 packet of Splenda instead of sugar and didn’t put in the garlic, since I put it in the stir fry with onion, carrot, celery, sugar snap peas and thinly sliced chicken. My family loved it! definitely wrote it in my Go-To recipe book! Thank you!

    Reply

  20. Elsie S. Stewart

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe and it’s really good. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try the recipe.

    Reply

  21. Mylene

    5 stars
    Its so easy and so delish on my stirfry .. no more buying ready to mix stirfry on bottles and jars.. this is absolutely way better❤️Thank you

    Reply

  22. Cj popovic

    5 stars
    I have thrown in a tablespoon of Pineapple Juice which kind of takes it into a teriyaki territory but is a good option to sugar ro add sweetness and it pairs well with the ingredients. Just a thought. I have been making various stir fries for years.

    Reply

  23. Ginnie

    5 stars
    I usually use just the package mix, but after I had all the vegs and meat prepped, I discovered that I didn’t have any. Panicking a little, I googled Stir-fry sauce and found yours. Simple to make and very good. Thanks!

    Reply

  24. Anthony

    5 stars
    This is a great sauce, so simple yet so tasty! I used it tonight and will definitely use it again. The veggie broth made such a huge difference and I’m glad I tried it. Using a mason jar was a great idea. Thank you🙂

    Reply

  25. Julie

    5 stars
    We so enjoyed this recipe template! As we are cooking for two, we made the amounts you list but a little less reduced sodium soy and a dash of fish sauce, sriracha and oyster sauce. Also, we didn’t utilize all of the sauce per our portion size but will save the rest for another meal. Thank you – easy and delicious!

    Reply

  26. Rebekah

    5 stars
    Omg, this was SO amazing!!! Added green onions and used sugar free brown sugar splenda instead of sugar and it was GREAT. This will be my go to sauce now! Very restaurant quality!!

    Make sure to coat your meat in cornstarch before frying to give it that velvety, restaurant flavor!

    Reply

  28. Michael

    5 stars
    Did a noodle stir-fry with this (modifications below) and came out really well. My wife says it tasted like Chinese-take-out Lo Mein, but better and healthier!
    Surprised I didn’t try this as stir-fry sauce sooner given it’s nearly identical to my noodle soup tare (seriously – try it as a tare).

    My individual servings were portioned as:
    1 TB tamari (black soy tamari for mine)
    1 TB fish sauce
    2 TB (1/8 cup) water
    1 tsp corn starch (mixed into water ala roux for ease of adding to other liquids)
    1/2 tb rice vinegar
    1 clove garlic
    1/2 tb finely chopped ginger
    1 tsp coconut sugar

    Reply

  31. Anita

    5 stars
    I really love all your sauces Becca and have now added this one to the list. Super quick and easy. I use a low-sodium tamari which removes the gluten, and I always add a bit more fresh ginger and garlic. Yum

    Reply

  32. Louanne

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner with organic frozen veggie’s. Cauliflower. broccoli and carrots. Served it with chicken and a side salad it was amazing. My husband loved it. We’ll definitely make it again and again
    So easy and delicious.

    Reply

  34. Natasha Crow

    5 stars
    Very tasty and super easy to make! First time making stir fry and I appreciate this is simple and uses ingredients that are already in my pantry. This will be a regular on my menu plan. Thank you!

    Reply

  35. Brandye

    5 stars
    This is rally good, I’ve made it a few times now. You’re right it’s so customizable, I used apple cider for the liquid and a tbd if peanut butter in it with pork and veggies. Insanely good

    Reply

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Did you make this recipe? It would mean so much if you take a moment to leave a star rating and comment. It helps others when searching for recipes, and I love hearing how the recipe came to life in your kitchen!

Thank you so much for your support! Becca

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