Stir Fry Sauce

I started making this sauce because I was tired of reading ingredient labels on store-bought bottles and finding sugar listed three different ways. I figured if the base was just soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, I could make it myself in less time than it takes to drive to the store. Three ingredients, two minutes, and it tastes better than anything I’d been buying for years.

The flavor starts with the soy sauce and vinegar working together. The soy sauce brings salt and depth. The vinegar cuts through it and keeps things bright. I rotate between white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar depending on what I’m cooking. Rice vinegar is my pick when I want something softer. White vinegar gives a sharper edge, especially with beef. The garlic ties it all together, and I always use fresh cloves when I have them. Powdered garlic works in a pinch, but the raw stuff mellows beautifully once it hits a hot pan.

One of my readers accidentally grabbed sesame oil instead of vinegar one night, drizzled it in anyway, and told me it was the best batch she’d made. I tried it on purpose after reading her comment, and she was right. That nuttiness rounds out the whole sauce in a way I didn’t expect. Now I add a small drizzle almost every time. It’s one of those happy accidents that became a permanent part of my version.

I usually double the recipe and store it in a mason jar in the fridge for the week. That way I’m not making a fresh batch every night. I just pour out what I need over whatever protein and vegetables are in the pan, put the jar back, and dinner is halfway done before I’ve even turned on the burner. I use it on chicken stir fry, keto beef and broccoli, shrimp, pork chops, or whatever I have thawed. Two minutes of prep replaces every bottled sauce in the pantry.

The ratio scales easily too. If I’m cooking for one, I cut everything in half. If I’m feeding the whole family or prepping for the week, I triple it and divide into smaller containers. It’s just as flexible as my keto teriyaki sauce, but without any sweetener at all. If you’ve never made a sauce from scratch before, this is the one to start with. No cooking, no emulsifying, no special equipment. I mix mine in a jar and shake.

1. Add the three core ingredients (soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic) to a small bowl or mason jar.
2. Mix or seal the jar and shake.
3. Pour out as much as you need over your favorite vegetables and proteins (chicken, beef, or shrimp). I add a thickener like cornstarch or arrowroot powder if I want it thicker.

What is stir fry sauce made of?

This recipe uses only three basic ingredients. They’re pantry staples I always have on hand.

• Soy sauce: Regular or low-sodium both work. I use tamari when I want a gluten-free option. For soy-free, try liquid aminos or coconut aminos (though coconut aminos runs sweeter, so I add a splash more vinegar to balance it out).
• Vinegar: I rotate between white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar. Each one shifts the flavor, so I experiment depending on the protein I’m cooking.
• Garlic: Fresh cloves are my first choice, but I reach for powdered garlic (1 teaspoon) when I’m short on time.

I have additional flavor add-ins listed below, like ginger or sesame oil.