These SEVEN easy stir fry sauce recipes add so much flavor to your dinner! They are easy to prep with pantry staples, and you can even freeze them for later.
Stir fry does not just mean teriyaki (though I do love teriyaki!). There are so many ways to get creative, and the good news is that all you need are some simple ingredients- you probably already have them in your pantry!
Whether you cook chicken, beef or tofu, these stir fry sauces will add a ton of flavor. Sweet, savory, sour, or spicy, the flavors you can build are amazing. Serve it up with a batch of perfectly fluffy rice to complete your meal!
Reasons you'll ♡ these sauces
- they are unique
- they're ready in 5 minutes and made with 'regular' pantry ingredients (nothing too weird!)
- they can be made ahead and even frozen
- would make a fantastic gift!
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped four of these Stir Fry Sauce Recipes. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
How to use these sauces
The recipes in this post were tested using the following 'stir fry formula':
- 2 large chicken breasts (cubed)
- 4-6 cups veggies
- 1 cup uncooked rice (2 cups cooked).
You are welcome to increase the amount of meat in the recipe, but I wouldn't alter the rice without increasing the sauce. The sauce: rice ratio is pretty important 😉
Following this stir fry formula, you are going to get a serving of healthy protein, 3 servings of veggies, and one serving of grains. And a super delicious dinner!
Ingredient notes
- soy sauce- adds saltiness and umami to the sauce; also adds body. Swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid soy seasoning for gluten-free alternatives.
- sweetener- honey, maple syrup and brown sugar are commonly used; low carb or alternative sweeteners have not been tested in these recipes.
- acid- lemon or lime juice add a touch of sourness, building in flavor complexity that balances the salty and sweetness.
- aromatics- ginger and garlic are commonly used to build aroma and depth of flavor into your stir fry sauce.
- spicy ingredients- red pepper flakes are commonly used to build spice in a controlled way; fresh peppers such as Thai red chiles are also used (though their spice levels can be more difficult to control as it varies between chiles). Sriracha is also used.
- cornstarch- used to thicken some sauces, it helps the sauce stick to the meat and vegetables, enhancing the flavor.
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How to cook a stir fry
1. Prep ingredients & sauce- For the most organized and enjoyable cooking experience, shake up your sauce, chop up all your vegetables and your protein up before you begin cooking.
2. Cook veggies first- Add oil to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until hard veggies like carrots or broccoli are softened. Add tender veggies like bok choy or bean sprouts during the last minute of cooking, to just soften. Remove the veggies from the pan (transfer to a large clean bowl).
3. Cook protein last- Add more oil to the pan, then add your protein (whether chicken, beef, tofu or shrimp). Cook until your protein is cooked through. This will depend on the type of protein you are cooking.
4. Add the sauce and thicken- Once the protein is cooked through, add the sauce to the pan, and heat through. Some sauces which contain cornstarch will bubble and thicken. Add the veggies back, toss everything up, and serve.
FAQ
Each recipe serves 4 and is meant to go with 1 lb of protein, 4-6 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of cooked rice. You can increase the serving size by clicking and dragging the serving size number on the recipe card.
You can make them ahead and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
For proteins- chicken thighs or breast (cubed); ground beef, flank steak, shrimp, tofu. For vegetables- sliced carrots, bell peppers, broccoli or cauliflower, snow or snap peas, onions, bok choy.
7 Stir fry sauces
The ingredient amounts for each sauce is listed in the recipe card below. Here are the best ingredients to use with each stir fry sauce. These are just suggestions! Get creative and use what you have in the fridge.
- Honey Sriracha- protein: chicken, tofu; veggies: bok choy, carrots; garnish: sesame seeds, cashews, green onions
- 5 Spice Mango- protein: chicken, ground pork; veggies: bell peppers, cabbage, bean sprouts; garnish: cashews, cilantro, basil
- Lemon Sesame- veggies: asparagus, broccoli; protein: chicken, tofu; garnishes: sesame seeds, green onions
- Thai Lime & Basil- veggies: protein: beef (steak, ground beef), chicken; peas (snow or sugar snap), broccoli; garnish: BASIL, crushed peanuts
- Maple Ginger- vegetables: protein: chicken, ground pork, tofu; squash (butternut, delicata), kale; garnish: cashews
- Coconut Sweet Chili- protein: chicken, shrimp; vegetables: cauliflower, green beans; garnish: cashews, cilantro
- Hoisin Peanut- protein: chicken, shrimp; veggies: bell peppers, carrots; garnish: peanuts, cilantro
More stir fry recipes
- Easy Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry
- Vegan Teriyaki Stir Fry
- Mongolian Beef Meal Prep
- Firecracker Chicken Meal Prep
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
7 Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipes
Ingredients
Coconut Sweet Chili
- 200 mL coconut milk full fat, ½ can or mini can
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
Maple Ginger
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 tablespoons ginger grated finely
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Thai Lime & Basil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- juice of 2 limes 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- optional: 1 Thai chili chopped (remove seeds for a less spicy version)
- 1 bunch basil leaves (add fresh)
Lemon Sesame
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 lemon juiced; 2.5 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Hoisin Peanut
- ¼ cup peanut butter creamy
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tsp lime juice
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
5 Spice Mango
- 1 cup mango cubes
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice
Honey Sriracha
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-3 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Shake together all ingredients. 5 Spice Mango sauce- puree with an immersion blender.
- Use immediately or freeze for up to 3 months.
To cook the stir fry/use the sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan or a wok. Add 4-6 cups of veggies such as bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, snap peas. Cook for 5 or so minutes, until tender but crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook 1 lb of chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces) for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.
- Add the entire batch of stir fry sauce (thawed completely if you froze it). Cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Anything with cornstarch should be thickened at this point.
- Return the veggies to the pan and toss everything to coat in the sauce.
- Serve over rice.
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Tips:
- store in the fridge for up to 1 week
- freeze for up to 3 months
Video
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Cam says
Thanks for these quick, easy, and tasty sauces. What an easy way to feed my family a nutritious meal!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Cam! You are very welcome. I hope you enjoy the sauces!
Wendy says
We made the Hoisin Peanut sauce this evening, and it was stellar! I have to say, I also appreciate your inclusion of the amount of meat and veggies to use, because we always end up with too much leftover stir-fry. We will be trying the remaining six sauces soon. Thank you!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Wendy! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the sauce, and the meat/veggie quantities. I always found it confusing when other recipes don't include that info. Thanks for reporting back and I hope you enjoy the other recipes as well 🙂
Caroline says
Awesome 😎 love this convenience plan ahead easy and tried the Thai chili tonight delicious big hit with partner and I bit spicy for kids so may tone it down for them next time also threw in some fresh coriander from my herb garden at the end cheers to you
Denise Bustard says
Hi Caroline! So happy to hear you enjoyed the Thai chili. Thanks for reporting back! I hope you enjoy the others (the maple ginger is my fave!)
Theresa says
I just tried the coconut and sweet chili recipe tonight and it was delicious! I doubled it up since I like extra sauce in a large stir fry. Cant wait to try all the others!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Theresa! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it. That's one of our faves! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
Donda says
Made it and my wife and I loved it. I will definitely do it again!!!
Denise says
Hi Donda! So happy to hear you and your wife enjoyed. Which one did you make? Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review 🙂
Donda says
I made the lemon sesame
Kevin says
Hello can you please tell me which soy sauce is used in these recipes ?
I wanna try them but I don’t know if I should buy light or dark soy sauce or just Kikkoman all purpose, which one is used in these recipes ?
Thanks
Denise says
Hi Kevin! I use either Kikkoman reduced sodium soy sauce (in the green bottle) or no name reduced sodium soy sauce. Hope this helps!
sam says
HI
Love the look of these. Can I ask about the cornstarch when freezing these sauces. Do I add the cornstarch to the sauce and then freeze? or do i add the cornstarch after thawing the sauce and adding to the pan? if it needs to be added separately whilst heating, can corn starch be made up and froze then thawed and added? hope that makes sense! Thanks
Denise says
Hi Sam! I add my cornstarch to the sauce before freezing. It seems to really need that simmering step to thicken, and it was totally fine to freeze with the cornstarch. Hope you enjoy!
Ellie L says
I am particularly excited for the mango sauce! I think I will add some fish sauce to it for some salty umami flavor. Thanks!
Denise says
Yay! Hope you love it!
Vicky says
Wow! Just made your lemon sesame stir fry sauce. Was delicious. In fact upon tasting the sauce before adding to my stir fry, it was so yummy I had to top myself from drinking it! Thank you for sharing your recipes, can’t wait to make the other sauces
Denise says
LOL! I'm so happy you enjoyed, Vicky! Thanks for taking time to come back and leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Leo says
The sriracha honey sauce really isnt it ;-; i had to throw out my plate bc it felt like i was eating crunchy cinnamon roll icing, and i didnt even put half the sweeteners in it. Adding soy sauce doesnt help
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Leo, thanks for your feedback! Sorry to hear you did not enjoy.
Hai says
I made the coconut sweet chili sauce today. The recipe is awesome and tastes great!!!!
I cook with Italian sausage, mushroom, and green pepper ( what I have on hand) 🙂
Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Hai! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your review!
Jenn says
Maple ginger is da bomb!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to leave a review 🙂
Julie says
These sauces are amazing. I taught a stir fry cooking class at my chuech and we made all of them to try. Yum. My favorite is the maple ginger. Thank you so much for these great recipes.
Denise says
Wow! I am so happy to hear they were a hit! The maple ginger is a personal favorite of mine, too. Thanks for your review, Julie!
fiona says
hi, how long does these stir fry sauces last in the fridge? because im too lazy to thaw it completely before using it so i think its more practical to just store it in fridge 🙂 also is it better to cook it first in saucepan then store it or just directly store it uncooked? thankyou!
Denise says
Hi Fiona! I'd say they are good for 4-5 days. I store uncooked! They actually thaw in about 15 minutes if you immerse the jar in warm water!
Michelle says
This is the third time I've made the Maple Ginger Sauce... it's delicious!
Liz says
Tried the coconut sauce last night and it was delicious! Easy to make too.
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed it, Liz! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Fern says
Thank you so much for this post. I'm going to print out the recipes so in always have them on hand. We love stir fry and it's so easy to make.
Denise says
You are so very welcome, Fern! Let me know if you try any of them!
Stephanie says
These are SUPER useful! I'm excited to try these out, I'm sure it will save me a ton of time on weekdays.
I'm a little confused in the instructions though, are these meant for 1 meal of 4 servings? Am I understanding that correctly?
Denise says
Hi Stephanie! Sorry for the confusion. Each recipe used to have its own card but I recently had to consolidate everything onto the one card. I just re-wrote it so hopefully it makes more sense 🙂 Each stir fry sauce batch makes 4 servings and is used on 2 large chicken breasts (1 lb chicken), 4-6 cups of veggies, and 2 cups of cooked rice. Hope that makes sense!
Janelle Morris says
I am so excited to try thee!! I keep my freezer well stocked with premartinated meats. I've never thought to add anything to my stir fry outside of soy sauce and sesame oil! Are all these recipes freezable?
Also, I use xylitol as a white sugar substitute. Do you think I could sub in the xylitol for any recipe requiring brown sugar? Better yet could I use maple syrup or honey? Or is the BROWN sugar crucial to the flavor?
Denise says
Hi Janelle! These are all freezable but I've never frozen with meat. I have no experience with zylitol unfortunately but you could definitely swap out the brown sugar for honey/maple syrup. I find that they swap with a 1:1 ratio. You *may* need a touch of extra corn starch to make up for the extra liquid?
Maria says
Am I blind or is there no basil in the Thai Lime & Basil Stir Fry Sauce? Really looking forward to making these!! Xo
Denise says
Hi Maria, thank you so much for pointing this out! I've just had to switch recipe card plugins and it seems that detail did not transfer over properly!
Mike says
So, where and how much Thai Basil do you use?
Erica says
Where is the recipe for the honey sriracha?? I know I have used it before but can't find it now! 🙁
Denise says
Ack! Thank you for letting me know, Erica! I just switched recipe card plugins and that recipe seems to not have copied over. Just added it back in!