Elevate any kind of stir-fries with this 5-minute vegan stir-fry sauce! Umami, bold, and flavorful; it is highly versatile and can be used in various dishes.
I love making my own condiments at home; it is not only healthier, but oftentimes much more affordable! Some of my go-tos include tofu sour cream, vegan teriyaki sauce, and vegan Italian dressing.
This vegan stir-fry sauce is a must-have in my fridge! It is a convenient condiment to have on hand and can be added to almost any recipes. Other than a simple veggie stir-fry, you can also use it to coat vegan chicken or tofu, or as a dip for vegan egg rolls and tofu dumplings.
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- A quick 5-minute condiment that only calls for simple ingredients
- Highly forgiving with endless variations - check out some of my favorite variations below!
- Versatile and can be used for noodles, protein, or veggies
- Great for meal prep - stores well and can be frozen!
🧂What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Vegetable broth - I recommend choosing a low-sodium broth to keep this sauce lower in sodium.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. To lower the salt content, you can replace it with a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Brown sugar - You can substitute it with other sweeteners like maple syrup, cane sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Red pepper flakes - An optional ingredient. Omit to keep this sauce spice-free.
🔪How to make
Mix vegetable broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a mason jar or bowl.
Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan, and saute garlic and ginger until fragrant.
Add in the wet mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Use it in your stir-fries, or refrigerate it for later use.
✔️Helpful tips
- Customize the recipe - The stir-fry sauce is very forgiving, so you don't have to follow the recipe exactly. Make sure to use soy sauce or tamari, some type of vinegar for tanginess, a sweetener of choice, and aromatics like ginger and garlic.
- Make a larger batch - It is a convenient condiment to have on hand that goes well with almost anything! A jar in the fridge will save you tons of time in the kitchen.
- Season to taste - Once the sauce is done simmering, give it a taste and adjust the flavors from there.
- Sauce variation ideas - If you want more heat, throw in some cayenne pepper or fresh chopped chilies. For a creamier sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons of tahini or peanut butter.
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🥕Ways to use stir-fry sauce
Making a quick stir-fry - Start by pan-frying or searing protein of choice, such as tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Remove from pan once they are nicely browned.
Next, gather sturdier vegetables and add them to the pan. This includes carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini.
Stir in tender vegetables such as greens, snap peas, and baby corn. Fry until veggies are tender.
Add cooked protein back to the pan along with this stir-fry sauce. Fry until everything is hot. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Noodles - Serve it over cooked noodles of choice, such as soba, udon, or ramen. You can also use this sauce in stir-fry noodles like my tofu noodles stir-fry and rice vermicelli stir-fry.
As a dipping sauce - This stir-fry sauce can be used to dip side dishes like my air fryer oyster mushrooms, vegetable lumpia, and cucumber maki.
❄️Storage suggestions
Fridge - Vegan stir-fry sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a week.
Freezer - You can also freeze this sauce for up to 3 months. I like portioning it using ice cube trays, but you can also use small containers. Allow it to thaw completely before using.
❔Commonly asked questions
This vegan stir-fry sauce can be made gluten-free using a certified gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
This sauce is already thickened with cornstarch, but you can add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker sauce. Combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of water and gradually add it to the sauce to reach the desired thickness.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Stir-fry Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sugar (any granulated sweetener will work)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes optional
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
Instructions
- Mix vegetable broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a mason jar or bowl.¾ cup vegetable broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet, and saute garlic and ginger until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- Add in the wet mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil, and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thick and glossy.
- Let it cool to room temperature. Use vegan stir-fry sauce immediately, or transfer it to a mason jar for storage.
Notes
- Customize the recipe - The stir-fry sauce is very forgiving, so you don't have to follow the recipe exactly. Make sure to use soy sauce or tamari, some type of vinegar for tanginess, a sweetener of choice, and aromatics like ginger and garlic.
- Make a larger batch - It is a convenient condiment to have on hand that goes well with almost anything! A jar in the fridge will save you tons of time in the kitchen.
- Season to taste - Once the sauce is done simmering, give it a taste and adjust the flavors from there.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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