Honey Garlic Sauce

I adore Asian-inspired sauces, and this honey garlic sauce is one of my favorites. The soy sauce brings in the umami while obviously the honey brings the sweetness to the otherwise savory sauce. 

What is Honey Garlic Sauce?

Honey garlic sauce is a delicious dipping sauce that can play multiple roles as a marinade salad dressing, or dipping sauce. It marries the umami of soy sauce and garlic and the acidity of vinegar with the sweetness of honey and brown sugar. It’s a perfectly balanced sauce.

The flavors of Asian cuisine often combine together saltiness and sweetness to create a combination that works well. The corn starch in this sauce adds some thickness that will help to coat your meat or veg, as well. 

If you’re a lover of sweet and savory combinations, this is going to be your new favorite sauce.

Ingredients

These simple ingredients combine to make pure saucy perfection!

• Soy sauce – Using low sodium soy sauce can help keep the salt content down while still packing an umami-filled flavor punch. If you want more salty flavor, add some sea salt.
• Honey – I prefer to use local honey but you can use whichever brand you prefer. You can also find honeys infused with other flavors if you want to experiment or add your own unique twist.
• Brown sugar – You can choose to use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. The darker variety will add a bit more molasses-style flavor.
• Garlic cloves – Using fresh garlic gives this sauce the best flavor — make sure it is finely minced. If you don’t have any on hand, though, you can use garlic powder though it won’t have quite as much garlic flavor.
• Rice vinegar – It’s better to have this on hand for a more authentic recipe, but you can use other varieties as well.
• Water – This helps to make it a little viscous so that the cornstarch can do its job to thicken appropriately.
• Cornstarch – Using cornstarch thickens the sauce to make it the perfect consistency.

Variations

There are plenty of ways to make this honey garlic sauce recipe your own. Here are a few ideas.

• Alternative starch – If you can’t use cornstarch, or don’t have it handy you can use arrowroot, rice flour, or tapioca flour.
• Nuttiness – Mix in a small amount of peanut sauce for some added umami flavor. 
• Brighten it – A little lemon goes a long way. Citric acid or any citrus will help to freshen the flavor.
• Get your onion on – Try adding finely sliced green onions, or your onion of choice, for an added flair of flavor.
• Spice it up – Heat up this sauce with wasabi or crushed red pepper flakes.
• Vary the vinegar – Try using apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
• Get oily – Add some oil, like sesame oil, to give a bit of bold flavor.

How to Use Honey Garlic Sauce

Of course one of the most common uses for a sauce like this one is to use it for the likes of dipping a spring roll, potstickers or dumplings. However this versatile sauce can be used in so many other ways. 

• Marinate – Chicken breasts or chicken thighs, pork, beef, and seafood (as well as alternatives for those proteins) are all made better with this garlicky sweet sauce.
• Sauce your snacks – Switch up your game day wings or meatballs by tossing them in honey garlic sauce. You can also use it on fried veggies like cauliflower, zucchini, or fries.
• Dress it up – Up your salad game by drizzling this over your salad greens or mixing up an Asian-inspired pasta or rice-based salad.
• Baste better – Salmon, shrimp, scallops or tuna can all be basted with this garlicky sauce.
• Improve your dip – Mix this with mayo or plain Greek yogurt for a dip or spread. For a thicker version, mix it with cream cheese. 
• Try a new twist – Change up your cheese and charcuterie boards by offering this sweet and savory option for drizzling or dipping.
• Mix it up – Drizzle some of this into your burgers before you make the patties whether they’re beef, turkey, chicken, salmon, or veggie. It is amazing on grilled broccoli!
• Give veggies variety – Toss roasted or steamed vegetables in this sauce or marinate raw veggies before grilling or roasting.

How to Make Honey Garlic Sauce

Making this Asian inspired sauce is as easy as one, two, three!

1. Add ingredients to pan. Add the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic and rice vinegar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well.
2. Reduce heat to low. When the sauce starts to boil and sugar dissolves, reduce to low heat.
3. Whisk in cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the water and cornstarch and then pour into the honey garlic sauce. Heat and stir until the sauce starts to thicken and become glossy.
4. Remove from heat. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

Storage & Freezing

How to Store Honey Garlic Sauce

Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container. It will last for up to seven days in the refrigerator.

Can I Freeze Honey Garlic Sauce?

Yes you can. If you choose to freeze, it’s easiest to do so in ice cube trays for later use in small portions.

Other Dipping Sauces

If you know me, you know how much I love a good dipping sauce. Here are some of my favorites.

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If you're looking to recreate Chilis honey mustard sauce then this is the recipe for you. This honey mustard sauce will be your new favorite!

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Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce Recipe

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Honey Garlic Sauce

If you want a sweet and savory sauce for your proteins and vegetables, this EASY Honey Garlic Sauce recipe is the sauce for you!

4.88 from 16 votes

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Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: honey garlic sauce

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 cup

Calories: 566kcal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 5-6 large garlic cloves finely minced
• 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

• Add the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic and rice vinegar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well.
• When the sauce starts to bubble and sugar dissolves, reduce to low heat.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the water and cornstarch and then stir into the honey garlic sauce. Heat and stir until the sauce starts to thicken and become glossy.
• Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal, Carbohydrates: 136g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 0.5g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 4608mg, Potassium: 601mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 117g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 96mg, Iron: 3mg