How to Make a Basic Stir-Fry Sauce
This basic vegan stir fry sauce is meal prep friendly and weeknight dinner GOLD. It’s plant-based and easy to make in under 5 minutes using basic staple ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, and garlic. Use this simple dairy free flavorful sauce for any and ALL your stir frying and dumpling dipping needs!
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For those of you who have been with us for any length of time, you’re probably aware that I am the one who LOVES vegetables, and B, well, is not.
There are some dishes where we actually need to sneak the vegetables in for her. But I have found there are two words that can ALWAYS get her to come running to eat her veg: Stir Fry.
The conversation usually goes something like this:
“B? Stir-fry?”
“Are you making ‘the sauce’?”
“Yep.”
“Noodles or rice?”
“Noodles.”
“Okay. Don’t forget to add the ‘meats’ this time!”
(I’m such a fan of vegetables, I sometimes forget to add the vegan meats to our stir frys- like tofu or soy curls, etc. Silly me.)
This recipe is based on a simple, Asian-inspired stir-fry sauce with flavors we are all familiar with. I’d been tinkering with it for a while before I finally got it right. What I didn’t realize though was just how much B would love it!
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How to Use Stir-Fry Sauce
The other thing I recently realized about this sauce (thanks in part to B’s picky eater habits) was that it is just SO versatile.
The sauce is so great for stir-fry dishes of all kinds, including (but DEFINITELY not limited to):
Rice or noodles. I do enjoy a good rice-based stir fry, but B is staunchly on the noodle side of this debate.
As far as noodle varieties go, we’re Team Udon all the way (currently obsessed with these). But you can also use rice noodles or overcooked spaghetti (in a pinch).
Fresh OR frozen veg. One bag stir-fry veg mix. This sauce. Noodles. Heaven.
This sauce goes well with ALL types of veg, so you can really customize your meal. We’ve found one batch of this sauce works best with 3 – 4 cups fresh mixed veg or one 16-oz bag of the frozen stir-fry mix blend.
You can also forgo the veg completely and just make a big old batch of sloppy, slurpy, saucy noodles.
ALL the vegan meats. Our favorites are our Sweet Chili Tofu Cutlets or soy curls. Just throw ‘em in a minute or two before the sauce, after the veg has cooked a bit.
Bonus Points: You can even cook this stir fry sauce down to thicken it for a delicious dumpling dipping sauce!
Meal Prep Tips
Sometimes we like to make double (or even triple) the batch. We keep it all in two or three 12-oz. mason jars in the fridge.
Actually, I like to just measure out all the ingredients directly into the mason jars, seal ‘em up, and put them in the fridge.
(Pro tip: for stronger flavor enhancement, let the sauce set in the jar for at least two days while the ingredients really come together. You won’t be disappointed.)
They’re handy and at the ready should we want them throughout the week. Just pull out a jar, give it a good shake before using, and you’re ready to drizzle it on allllll your stir-frys for an incredible pop of flavor.
More Vegan Meal Prep Recipes:
When you try this recipe, let us know what you think and what you did with it!
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Enjoy!
Vegan Stir Fry SauceBasic
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp dehydrated chopped onion
- 1 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 3 large cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger finely minced
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- PREP: Add all the ingredients to a 12-oz mason jar and store it in the fridge until ready to use it. Stored like this, the sauce will stay good for 5-7 days.
- FOR STIR FRY: Remove the stir fry sauce from the fridge and shake it up until everything is combined. Then, drizzle it over your stir fry as it cooks, folding it in slowly to make sure all stir fry elements are beautifully coated. The sauce will continue to thicken as the stir fry cooks.
- FOR DIPPING SAUCE: Shake up the sauce and add it to a small saucepan. Heat on medium low, stopping to stir often, for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick and gooey. Let it chill a bit before serving with all the dumplings, spring rolls, and crispy fried tofu!
Nutrition
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