My stir fry sauce makes homemade stir fries more flavorful and easy! I use pantry staple ingredients already in the house, so I can make it at any time!
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My Best Stir Fry Sauce
My favorite weeknight dinner is definitely a stir fry. I make it way too often and I’m not ashamed to say that. I used to always buy store bought sauce until I forgot to buy some and tried making this recipe for stir fry sauce.
I never realized how easy it was to make homemade stir fry sauce until I created this recipe. I’ve even made it with 3 ingredients when I was super low on ingredients and was still super impressed with the taste.
The first time I made the recipe, I put it on a chicken stir fry and set it on the table. My husband Ben took two bites and told me to start buying this brand of stir fry sauce from now on. I told him it was a new brand I found called “I made it myself.”
I’ve since tweaked this recipe a ton of times before posting it to make sure it was easy and changeable. I love to use the 3 ingredient version for a basic stir fry and then add the optional ingredients occasionally when I feel like it.
And if you love a good homemade sauce, try my recipes for buffalo sauce, big mac sauce, honey sriracha sauce, tzatziki sauce, honey garlic sauce, and 3 ingredient bbq sauce.
What is a Stir Fry?
Stir fry originated in China and refers to a method of cooking. The ingredients are fried in a small amount of oil in a large frying pan or wok. It’s called “stir fry” because the ingredients are all stirred together in order to cook it. A typical stir fry includes protein, vegetables, and a sauce, like my easy stir fry sauce!
3 Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Soy sauce – I prefer to use a low sodium soy sauce as the regular version can be a tad too salty for me. I’ve also used tamari sauce in place of the soy sauce
- Sesame oil – this adds a ton of flavor, so I only recommend using this kind of oil
- Cornstarch
- Water — I’ve also used chicken and vegetable broth in place of this
How to Make Stir Fry Sauce
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Place the cornstarch in a bowl or mason jar and add the cold water. Whisk or shake it until the mixture is smooth.
STEP TWO: Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and whisk or shake until combined. If I’m using any extra ingredients, I add those in now.
STEP THREE: Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container (I love using a mason jar) until ready to use. Make sure to shake thoroughly before adding to any stir fry recipe!
Tips for the Best Stir Fry Sauce
- Double or triple the recipe as needed. I do this all the time when I’m making the stir fry sauce to coat my chicken and also to pour on top the rice and veggies.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce to have more control over how salty the dish is. I’d rather add salt later than have the dish be too salty.
- Whisk the cornstarch with the water until completely smooth to ensure there are no clumps.
- Shake well or stir before each use. The ingredients can separate when the sauce is stored, but this is totally normal! I love to store it in a mason jar so I can just shake up the whole jar.
Variations and Substitutions for Chicken Stir Fry Sauce
- Kick up the heat with crushed pepper flakes. I usually add these at the end so my kids can enjoy the more milder version.
- A drizzle of honey or a dash of brown sugar adds a delicious sweetness to the sauce.
- For even deeper flavor, whisk in fresh garlic, rice vinegar, and ground ginger. I’ve even used fresh ginger for some extra flavor.
- For some serious spice, I recommend adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Substitute chili oil for some of the sesame oil to give the stir fry sauce another layer of flavor. I wouldn’t recommend totally replacing the sesame oil though because it adds so much depth to the sauce.
- Use chicken broth instead of water for a little extra flavor to complement the chicken. To keep it a vegan stir fry sauce, use vegetable broth. I’ve used both before when I have some left over to use up.
What to Serve with Homemade Stir Fry Sauce
I love serving this stir fry sauce over a chicken stir fry with rice and vegetables, like sweet peppers, onions, and snow peas. I will even stir the sauce to coat the chicken and then spoon it over the rice.
I also love using air fryer steak bites, air fryer vegetables and noodles in my stir fries!
Stir Fry Sauce FAQs
How Can I Thicken My Stir Fry Sauce Recipe?
My recipe is created to be the perfect amount of thickness, but when I want a super thick sauce, I just add in a little cornstarch slurry over medium-high heat to thicken it even more.
I start with 2 tablespoons cold water and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, which is usually plenty. Just remember the sauce must be over heat in order for the slurry to thicken the sauce.
3 Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce Storage
I store any leftover stir fry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I recommend shaking or stirring it before using as some of the ingredients can separate when it’s sitting for too long.
What Liquid Do You Use For Stir Fry Sauce?
Soy sauce is a main component in any stir fry, including my recipe. I use soy sauce and sesame oil, both sauces that are often seen in Asian-inspired cooking. It’s also important to add water into my recipe as soy sauce can be very salty and overpowering when on its own.
What Can I Add to Stir Fry For Flavor?
I created this easy stir fry sauce to already have flavor in it! My sauce is flavorful on its own with just the 3 ingredients, but when I want to really pack on the flavor, I add in a little brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and some red pepper flakes.
When Making Stir Fry When Do You Add the Sauce?
I always wait until the very end of the cooking time to add in the stir fry sauce. I turn the heat to low and toss it in with the protein or veggies and let it cook for just a minute to thicken up.
I also love to add a little more to my plate after I’ve already served dinner. In that case, I just spoon it on top of the rice.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- Smothered pork chops
- Chicken cordon bleu
- London broil recipe
- Chicken spaghetti
- Air fryer pork loin
- Chicken legs
- Steak fajitas
Easy 3 Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Optional
- 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add the water and cornstarch to a bowl or mason jar; whisk until smooth, then add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and any optional ingredients. Whisk well or seal the jar and shake until combined.
- Refrigerate in a sealed jar until ready to use. Shake the jar well to recombine the ingredients before using.
Notes
- To make the sauce even thicker, add any 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to a small bowl and mix into the sauce on medium-high heat until thickened.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness in the recipe.
- This recipe can be made with just the 3 ingredients listed, but I love adding the optional ingredients for some extra flavor when I have them on hand. It’s delicious either way.
- Serve this stir fry sauce with chicken, steak, tofu, or any other protein along with rice or noodles, and veggies.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Shake or stir it up before using again. I love to store it in a mason jar so I can shake the jar up and it’s ready to use.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
I love how easy to make this sauce is, and it tastes delish. It’s great not having to get it from the store anymore.