Stir Fry Sauce

Only 5 minutes to whisk together, this easy and healthy Stir Fry Sauce is just 3 ingredients in its simplest form! It’s beyond easy to make and I have lots of variations to this basic sauce. So you’ll never be bored with your stir fries again. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and can be Whole30 as well. You will also find all my tips below for how to meal prep this ahead multiple different ways to make your dinnertime easier. This simple stir-fry sauce is the perfect healthy option, and so much better than takeout.

Imagine having a simple stir fry sauce that works for any stir fry you’d ever make? Well, this is it, and it’s so simple with just 3 ingredients. From there you can customize it for several different flavor variations you’ll find below.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Soy sauce – I use gluten-free tamari sauce or coconut aminos in my stir-fry sauces depending on my mood. Use whichever one is the right option for your diet. If you use coconut aminos, you may need to season your stir fry to taste with salt at the end because it’s not as salty as soy sauce. If you use soy sauce, I recommend looking for low sodium.
• Broth – use chicken broth for a chicken stir fry, beef broth for beef stir fry, and so on. You can also just use chicken broth for any kind of stir fry because it has plenty of flavor. I like to buy the low sodium so I can season my stir fry to taste.
• Starch – either cornstarch or tapioca starch works really well in this stir-fry sauce. It adds just a touch of thickness to the finished stir fry.
• Optional add-ons – rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, maple syrup, and toasted sesame oil are all really nice flavor options as well as the variations listed below.
• Garlic & Ginger – no stir fry is complete without this dynamic duo, but I don’t put it into the stir fry sauce itself. Instead, I like to prep and freeze the garlic and ginger separately. You’ll find more about this in the tips below.

Step 1: Start by whisking together the starch and a tablespoon or so of soy sauce – tamari – coconut aminos just until the starch is smooth and no lumps remain.

Step 2: From there simply mix in the rest of the soy sauce/coconut aminos of choice along with the broth, and any additions you’d like.

Step 3: Store this stir-fry sauce in the fridge for up to 1 week before using and stir it back together when you’re ready to use it.

5 Stir Fry Sauce Variations

• Lemon Ginger – 1 additional tablespoon ginger + Zest from 1 lemon + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (Add the extra ginger for this variation in the recipe step that adds the garlic and ginger to the pan.)
• Curry – add 1-2 teaspoons curry powder of choice or curry paste of choice
• Ethiopian Berbere – add 1-2 teaspoons Ethiopian Berbere spice mix to taste, (some mixes are spicy).
• Orange Chinese 5-spice – 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder + orange zest & juice of 1 orange.
• Sweet Chili – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes along with 2-4 tablespoons of honey to taste.

Storing leftovers

• To store – place the finished sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Freeze – place your finished sauce into a freezer-safe container, (don’t overfill, allow space for it to expand as it freezes). Freeze for up to 3 months, and defrost in the refrigerator before using.

Dietary Options

1. Gluten-free – be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce option like Tamari or coconut aminos. If you try any of the variations, be sure the spices are also gluten-free.
2. Whole30 – use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce or Tamari. And be sure to omit any sweetener if you try the variations.
3. Vegan & vegetarian – be sure to use vegetable broth that is vegan/vegetarian, and maple syrup in place of honey in the variations.

More Stir Fry Recipe Inspiration

• Chicken Stir Fry
• Ground Beef Stir Fry (coming soon)
• Pot Sticker Stir Fry
• Whole30 Sweet and Sour Stir Fry
• Cashew Chicken Stir Fry