This Chinese Garlic Sauce is a flavorful, hearty, and satisfying brown stir-fry sauce. It’s a delicious and healthy homemade alternative to takeout and has the perfect combination of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors! The recipe is vegan, low in fat and calories, and can be made gluten-free!
I simply can’t get enough of homemade stir-fries. They are so quick and easy to make, and also pretty healthy since we don’t use artificial flavors (like MSG powder) or too much oil. What makes a stir-fry exceptionally delicious and flavorful? It’s the brown sauce! And here I am presenting you my best version of a homemade Chinese garlic sauce.
What Is Chinese Brown Sauce?
A Chinese brown sauce is a popular flavorful sauce in every Chinese takeout. The main ingredients are soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sometimes oyster sauce, and a meat-based broth. You’ll find variations with beef broth or chicken broth. My vegan brown sauce is meatless, of course, and therefore contains vegetable broth.
Other ingredients often found in a Chinese brown sauce are cornstarch (to thicken the sauce), fresh garlic & ginger, and some spices like pepper, chili, and sesame oil.
How To Make Chinese Garlic Sauce?
This recipe has only 4 simple steps and it actually takes less than 10 minutes to make this spicy garlic sauce! Check the following step-by-step photos:
STEP 1: For the sauce, simply add all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and stir with a whisk. Set aside.
STEP 2: Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Stir frequently.
STEP 3: Whisk the sauce again as the cornstarch will sink to the bottom, then pour it into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
STEP 4: Use the garlic sauce immediately, for example, in your favorite stir-fry. Or let it cool completely and pour the sauce into a clean glass jar.
How To Serve?
This brown sauce is basically an all-purpose stir-fry sauce, which means you can use it in any stir-fry meal. My favorite way to serve this Szechuan sauce is over stir-fried broccoli. Have you ever tried broccoli with garlic sauce? If not, you are missing out! I also love to add slices of peppers, carrots, and onion.
The sauce also makes a great dip for summer rolls or even vegan dumplings! The possibilities are endless!
Tips & Substitutes
How to store? Store sauce leftovers in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days.
Make it spicier or less spicy: If you love spicy Chinese (or Asian) food, simply increase the amount of red pepper flakes. You can also use fresh chilis or add a little hot sauce or Sriracha to taste! If you are sensitive to spicy food or have a toddler/kid, then leave out the red pepper flakes and use less fresh ginger.
Vegetable oil: You can use canola oil or any vegetable cooking oil of choice.
Sweetener: I used maple syrup, however, any other sweetener is fine. Some examples are agave syrup, brown rice syrup, or date syrup. You can also use regular sugar to taste.
Cornstarch: If you have a corn allergy, simply use arrowroot flour, tapioca flour/starch, or potato starch. Any starch is fine and will thicken the sauce.
Soy sauce: I used gluten-free dark soy sauce. You can also use a combination of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Make sure to use tamari (or a gluten-free soy sauce) if you are a celiac. If you want a soy-free alternative then I would recommend using coconut aminos.
This Szechuan Sauce Is:
- Vegan
- Can be made gluten-free
- A little spicy
- Sweet, sour & salty
- Satisfying
- Hearty
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Ready in less than 10 minutes
- Can be made oil-free
Should you give this Chinese garlic sauce recipe a try, please leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan #elavegan because I love to see your remakes!
If you love Asian food, definitely also check out the following delicious vegan recipes:
Chinese Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
For The Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (see notes)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or less/more to taste
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
- 2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (optional)
For The Pan:
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (see notes)
- 4 tsp fresh garlic minced (4 garlic cloves)
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the sauce into a medium-sized bowl and stir with a whisk. Set aside.
- Next, heat vegetable oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add fresh garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Use the sauce immediately, for example, in a stir-fry or as a dip for vegan dumplings or summer rolls. Or let it cool completely and pour the sauce into a clean jar.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegetable oil: You can use canola oil or any vegetable cooking oil of choice. You can also leave it out and use more vegetable broth.
- Sweetener: I used maple syrup, however, any other sweetener is fine.
- Cornstarch: You can use arrowroot flour, tapioca flour/starch, or potato starch.
- Soy sauce: You can use a combination of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Make sure to use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce if you are a celiac. If you want a soy-free alternative then I would recommend using coconut aminos.
- Check the step-by-step photos above in the blog post.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving (1/4 of the recipe).
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
mavee125
OMG! This Chinese garlic sauce is definitely a 5-star rate. It’s not just tasty but also absolutely rich and flavorful! Even the kids loved it. So glad Karman Foods has got all my needed ingredients. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Ela
You are very welcome! I am so glad you like it. 🙂
Shannon
Fantastic! Added some black vinegar in lieu of cooking sherry and amped up the crushed red pepper for more spice and couldn’t have been happier with the result. Made a stir fry with tofu, bell peppers, onion, and cabbage. Topped with green onions, sesame seeds, and coriander. 10/10 will be making again!
Ela
Sounds great, Shannon! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Laurie Rasor
Have A Good Day
Gail Birch
I have tried several sauce recipe with not much luck. I thought I would try again since my husband and I both love home made stir fry.. This is by far the best sauce I have made, even better than what we get when we pick up at a Chinese restaurant. Definitely will be using this recipe from now on.
Ela
That’s awesome, Gail! I am so glad you both love it. 🙂
Thanks for your feedback.
Linda Marie
Thank you for a very tasty sauce! My husband and I steamed all kinds of veggies and made cellophane sweet potato noodles and poured the sauce over both of them in a big bowl. It was just like eating Chinese takeout, minus all the bad stuff. We both felt good, too, after eating it, not bloated and sickly full, like can happen after takeout. Thank you so much!!
Ela
That’s wonderful, Linda! I am so glad you liked it. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Dorothy
Hi can you can this recipe?
Ela
Hi Dorothy, I haven’t tried that yet, so I am not sure. 🙂
Kerry
This is delicious. I made it as per the recipe but added a small piece of fennel at the simmering stage and removed it before serving. I think it worked really well and just gave it a hint of fennel flavour.
Ela
That’s a lovely idea, Kerry! I will need to give it a try. 🙂
Amanda Lichtenstein
This was delicious! I’d definitely return to this one. I used chicken broth instead of veggie broth, and fish sauce instead of rice wine vinegar. It was super delicious, had a nice flavor depth, and I mixed it into a simple steamed broccoli / crispy baked tofu mix with some jasmine rice. Yum! Thank you.
Ela
Thanks for your feedback, Amanda.
Cynthia Swienton
This is the bomb!! I try not to use oil so I just skipped the sesame oil, which I’m sure makes it even better, and sautéed the garlic and ginger in a little water. Delicious!!! Thank you!!
Ela
Hey Cynthia, I am so glad you still liked it. 🙂
Sandy
I can’t wait to try this. And I absolutely adore that you give possible substitutions due to corn allergy!
Ela
So glad it’s helpful! Enjoy. 🙂
Hilda
We just made this with our stir fry. Absolutely delicious. I have found my go-to sauce with stir-fry from now on. Thank you so much!!
Ela
Hi Hilda, I am so glad you like it. 🙂
Michael Ward
Not much flavor. zero umami. flat tasting, no depth like in a restaurant. Disappointed.
Ela
Hi Michael, sorry you didn’t like it. So many people love it, but every taste differs. 🙂
Blue
Dude, I hope you don’t have CO-VID-19! Mine was full of flavor!
Ela
I am glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Diane
Are you sure you made it right? I have made this many times and it is full of flavor. Remember to add spices per your flavor.
Carol
I am trying to make a good and tasty lo mien recipe.. do you think this would be good with just noodles?
Ela
Hi Carol, I recommend checking out my “Lo Mein” recipe here: https://elavegan.com/asian-vegetable-stir-fry-noodles/
Rene
Since I’ve had to give up gluten there’s few things I’ve missed more than take-put Chinese food. I’d order at least every couple weeks & no matter what I ordered I’d get a side of garlic sauce that I’d slather over the white rice, and sometimes over the main dish. I’ve been looking a few years now to meet that gold standard. I’m rating this 5-stars because I think what made it 4-stars for me was that I added the optional sherry. It wasn’t bad with the sherry, in fact it gave it a taste like a more up-scale, sit-down restaurant taste. I think without it the recipe would be spot on to whatI’m used to ordering. I used surger instead of maple syrup. I can’t thank you enough for posting this!
Rene
*sugar
Ela
Thanks for your great feedback, Rene. 🙂
Maryann
Love it. Just like restaurant.
Maria Horsfield
This has to be THE BEST sauce I’ve ever made!! So glad to have stumbled upon it! The sauce is a huge hut with my family inc my dad who’s 82!! I now make up 3x the amount so there’s enough sauce for all 5 of us.
Ela
That’s wonderful, Maria! I am so glad you all love it. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Nora
This sauce was easy and awesome with eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms and crispy tofu. Low sodium and preservative free, thanks!
Ela
I am glad you liked it, Nora!! Eggplant, broccoli, mushroom, and crispy tofu sounds amazing. 🙂
Marianne
Made this sauce and added it to some slightly boiled broccoli and snow peas. Also fried up some tofu that had been marinated in a little soy sauce and vinegar and tossed in corn starch. Tossed the sauce, broccoli, snap peas and tofu all together and it made for an amazing dinner. Big hit with the family and will definitely make again.
Ela
So happy you liked it, Marianne! 🙂
Hannah
Can I use chicken bone broth instead of vegetable?
Ela
Any broth is fine, Hannah.
Hannah
Thanks so much! Saved me a trip to the store
Jacqui Slater
Hi Hannah, Shane and Simple have a really good recipe for making your own stock powder and it’s so much tastier than shop bought x
Christine
Making this for lunch today, everything is mixed, chopped and ready to rock and roll. One question, are the nutrition facts just for the sauce? Or the entire recipe including for the pan?
Ela
Just for the sauce. 🙂
Shelly L
Made this last night for a veggie, tofu, noodle stir fry. Excellent! I have found my go to homemade Asian brown sauce. Thank you!
Ela
Wonderful! So glad you liked it, Shelly. 🙂
DAVID
I have made brown/garlic sauces before, but, your recipe was the best of all. I will always use it. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Ela
You are very welcome, David. 🙂