Chinese Garlic Sauce (Brown Stir Fry Sauce)

Stir fry sauce is what I keep in my back pocket for the nights when dinner needs structure more than inspiration. It is glossy, garlicky, a little sweet, deeply savory and exactly the sort of thing that makes a pan of chicken and vegetables feel like it had a much better plan all along.

Why You’ll Love This Chinese Garlic Sauce

• Tastes like an actual dinner shortcut, not a compromise. This is the kind of sauce that can turn plain chicken, broccoli, noodles, or leftover vegetables into something that feels intentional instead of improvised.
• Balances bold flavor with real flexibility. The garlic, ginger, soy sauce, broth, sesame oil, and brown sugar give it that takeout-style sweet-savory depth, but it still works with whatever protein or vegetables happen to be in the fridge.
• It has body and gloss without much effort. The cornstarch slurry gives the sauce that silky, clingy texture people expect from a good stir fry sauce, which means it actually coats the food instead of pooling sadly at the bottom of the pan.

Ingredients for Stir Fry Sauce

All of these ingredients work together to build the defining flavors of this chinese garlic sauce. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Vegetable oil or canola oil – These are the standard oils used for this recipe but you can use any neutral oil like avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil.
• Fresh garlic – Make sure to finely mince or press the garlic so it mixes well into the sauce. Garlic powder can be used in a pinch
• Fresh ginger – Grating works best for ginger in this recipe but you can chop it finely, too.
• Low sodium soy sauce – This ingredient adds so much umami flavor.
• Low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth – Chicken stock or vegetable stock add depth to the sauce. Use vegetable if you want this to be a vegan stir fry sauce.
• Chinese rice wine or rice vinegar – Rice wine or rice wine vinegar add acidity to balance the sauce. You can also use shaoxing wine.
• Light brown sugar – Instead of using honey to make it a bit sweet, use brown sugar. If you want deeper sweet flavor use dark brown sugar. Some people swap this for pure maple syrup.
• Sesame oil – This oil helps develop the tamari flavor profile.
• Water – Water helps to build the right consistency.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch thickens the sauce. You can also use arrowroot powder instead of corn starch.

How to Make Chinese Garlic Sauce (Step-by-Step)

This stir fry sauce is really quite simple to make. Check the section below for instructions on how to make a stir fry!

1. Sauté garlic, ginger and crushed red peppers. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic, ginger and crushed red peppers. Cook until fragrant, but before browning.
2. Add wet ingredients. Stir in the soy sauce, broth, wine, sugar and sesame oil until sugar dissolves. Reduce to low heat.
3. Cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch, add to the garlic sauce, whisking over low heat until it starts to bubble and turns glossy.
4. Remove from heat. Remove from the heat and use in a stir fry or as a dipping sauce.

How to Make Stir Fry

If you are using this brown sauce to make stir fry, here are basic instructions. You’ll need a few cups of chopped or shredded veggies and a couple cups of protein (shrimp, scallops, chicken, pork, cubed beef or tofu) — any type you like!

1. Cook protein. In a large skillet or wok, add a tablespoon of neutral oil over medium heat. Cook the protein until it is fully cooked. Remove and set aside. 
2. Add veggies. Add another tablespoon of neutral oil to the skillet and add the vegetables, cooking for a few minutes, depending on cut, size and nature. Cook until still snappy. 
3. Return protein to pan. Add the protein back to the skillet along with stir fry sauce, tossing to coat. 
4. Serve over stir fry noodles, white rice, or fried rice. Make this a lower carb dish by using fried cauliflower rice.

Chef Tips

I’ve made this stir fry sauce in my test kitchen to be able to bring you the best tips and tricks.

• Cook the garlic and ginger gently. You want them fragrant, not browned or bitter.
• Use low sodium soy sauce and broth. This gives you more control over the final flavor.
• Whisk the slurry right before adding it. Cornstarch settles quickly, so it needs a quick stir before it goes into the pan.
• Do not boil too aggressively after thickening. Once the sauce turns glossy, it is basically ready. Overcooking can make it thicker than you want.
• Taste before using it on a full stir fry. Depending on what you are pairing it with, you may want a little more sugar, sesame oil, or heat.
• Use it while warm. That is when it coats best and blends most easily into a stir fry.

How to Serve Stir Fry Sauce

You can serve chinese garlic sauce as a sauce on a main dish or as a dipping sauce. 

• Stir fry – Finish any stir fry with this classic sauce. You can use on a beef stir fry, vegetable stir fry or chicken stir fry.
• Veggies – This sauce taste great on most vegetables, but we especially love using it on mushrooms, snap peas, snow peas, a broccoli stir fry or any other stir fry vegetables.
• Dipping sauce – Serve this sauce in a small bowl alongside crab rangoon, egg rolls, dumplings, or other appetizers. 
• Spread – Spread this sauce on buns before adding grilled burgers or chicken for Asian-style sandwiches.
• Marinade – Marinate beef, pork, or chicken before roasting or grilling.
• Drizzle– Drizzle on all sorts of Asian dishes from ramen eggs to Asian spicy green beans.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: We like storing this in a glass jar like a mason jar, but any airtight container will work. Store this easy stir fry sauce for 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container with a lid or ziploc bag. 

Freezing: Freeze this stir fry sauce recipe for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, freezer bag, or ice cube tray.

Common Questions About Chinese Garlic Sauce

Other Asian-inspired Sauces

If you’d like to try some other sauces with Asian flair, these are some of our favorites.

Bang Bang Sauce

5 from 5 votes

Boiling Crab Sauce (Whole Sha-Bang Sauce Recipe)

5 from 5 votes

Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce

4.80 from 5 votes

Pot Sticker Sauce

4.89 from 9 votes

Chinese Garlic Sauce Recipe

This stir fry sauce is a Chinese garlic sauce made with soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Perfect for chicken, beef and veggies.

4.63 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Asian garlic sauce, brown stir fry sauce, Chinese brown sauce, chinese garlic sauce, easy stir fry sauce, garlic stir fry sauce, homemade stir fry sauce, stir fry sauce

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 cups

Calories: 221kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh garlic minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup rice wine
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

• Heat the 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the minced 2-3 tablespoons fresh garlic, grated 1 tablespoon fresh ginger and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, but before browning.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, 1/3 cup rice wine, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon sesame oil until sugar dissolves. Reduce to low heat.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup water and 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch, add to the garlic sauce, whisking over low heat until it starts to bubble and turns glossy.
• Remove from the heat and use in a stir fry or as a dipping sauce.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

Storage: Store this easy stir fry sauce for 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container with a lid or ziploc bag. 

Freezing: Freeze this stir fry sauce recipe for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, freezer bag, or ice cube tray.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Sodium: 2340mg, Potassium: 366mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 297IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 1mg