The best thing about making your own stir fry sauce is the ability to cater the recipe to your needs and desires. I make this stir fry sauce frequently because I can't find a pre-made sauce that has the acid balance that I prefer, which is more common in Thai style foods. This sauce is easily adjustable to your own taste buds or to be vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.
Do you like to make your own seasonings? Mix up a batch of southwest seasoning.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Soy sauce: If you do not eat soy sauce there are some good substitutes that you can use instead. Tamari, coconut aminos, and liquid aminos are all gluten-free and vegan options. Substitute coconut aminos to make it soy free.
- Sesame oil: Replace sesame oil with olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.
- Chili oil: If you do not want any spice in your sauce you may not wish to use chili oil. Substitute chili oil with more sesame oil or any of the above sesame oil substitutes.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is the only non-vegetarian/vegan ingredient. However, you can easily replace it with more soy sauce or its substitutes.
- Rice vinegar: Other vinegars that that can replace rice are apple cider or white wine vinegars. You can also substitute vinegar with mirin or extra lime juice.
- Sugar: Some possible replacements for white sugar are honey, coconut sugar, or monk fruit sweetener.
- Garlic: Fresh, pre-minced, dehydrated, or granulated garlic. If you do not want to use garlic you can either leave it out entirely or substitute it with onion powder.
- Lime juice: You can use fresh or concentrated lime juice, the same for lemon juice, or simply add more vinegar and leave out the lime entirely.
FAQs
Stir fry sauce can be stored in the fridge for about a week or it can be frozen indefinitely.
Yup, there is no issue with freezing stir fry sauce. Freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container with some head space. It will maintain safety indefinitely and quality for at least 3 months.
Absolutely, I recommend making extra sauce because it does not require more work and you'll have more to use at different time. It stores well in the fridge or freezer.
As written this sauce is not very spicy. If you prefer no spiciness you can substitute the chili oil for more sesame oil. If you want it to be spicier add red pepper flakes to your taste.
Ways to use stir fry sauce
- Stir fry!
- To flavor crispy tofu
- Beef and vegetable kabobs
If you are feeling up to it today mix up a big batch of this stir fry sauce. Your future self will thank you. If you aren't doing so well, no worries my friend, store-bought will do just fine. May your coming days be filled with energy.
Keep your belly full, your mind engaged, and your heart open.
Lillian
All Purpose Homemade Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced or ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- juice from ½ of a lime or 1 tablespoon lime juice
- chili flakes optional, add as much or as little as you like
Instructions
- See recipe notes or post for substitutions for all ingredients should you need any. This recipe can easily be made in bulk and stored for later.
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Use immediately, refrigerate it for up to a week, or freeze the sauce for later. One recipe of this sauce is enough for one large stir fry recipe.
Notes
- Soy sauce: Tamari, coconut aminos, and liquid aminos are all gluten-free and vegan options. Substitute coconut aminos to make it soy free.
- Sesame oil: Replace sesame oil with olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.
- Chili oil: If you do not want any spice in your sauce you may not wish to use chili oil. Substitute chili oil with more sesame oil or any of the above sesame oil substitutes.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is the only non-vegetarian/vegan ingredient. However it can easily be replaced by more soy sauce or its substitutes.
- Rice vinegar: Other vinegars that that can replace rice are apple cider or white wine vinegars. You can also substitute vinegar with mirin or extra lime juice.
- Sugar: Some possible replacements for white sugar are honey, coconut sugar, or monk fruit sweetener.
- Garlic: Fresh, pre-minced, dehydrated, or granulated garlic can all be used. If you do not want to use garlic you can either leave it out entirely or substitute it with onion powder. Ratios for different types of garlic.
- Lime juice: You can use fresh or concentrated lime juice (1 tablespoon=½ a lime), the same for lemon juice, or simply add more vinegar and leave out the lime entirely.
Lydia says
Really did not like this recipe. I followed it to a tee and it had no flavor. I had to add things to it to make it flavorful.
avidlyravenous says
Sorry that it wasn't your cup of tea!