Favorite relatively easy vegan stir-fry sauce

January 19, 2023 6:39 AM

I don't have a basic stir-fry sauce I really like. Do you?

I'm just looking for something I can throw together and add to vegetables and tofu. It needs to be vegan. I'd prefer something without a ton of sugar. That's it.

posted by FencingGal to Food & Drink (15 answers total)

It's more of a seasoning than a sauce, but I typically whisk together soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil, ginger paste and minced garlic(we keep a jar of each in the fridge). If I'm feeling on the sweeter/more saucy side I'll add in some duck sauce, mirin, or pineapple juice, depending on what we have on hand - but it's equally good without the added sweet.
posted by okayokayigive at 6:49 AM on January 19, 2023 [7 favorites]

This might be too peanut-centric, but I like to whisk 2-4tbsp of crunchy peanut butter with 2-3tbsp of soy sauce, 1tbsp vegan fish sauce, 1tbsp rice vinegar, 1tbsp sesame oil and 1tsp chile crisp, thinned out with a bit of hot water. I do usually splash maple syrup in there too but you could definitely leave it out without an issue.
posted by terretu at 6:55 AM on January 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I should have said this in the question: Please only answer if you can give actual recipes with exact amounts.
posted by FencingGal at 6:56 AM on January 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Here's a simple one that's really good from Nora Cooks, who has lots of simple delicious vegan recipes. I recommend using fresh ginger and garlic when you can, really bumps up the flavor.
posted by j810c at 7:06 AM on January 19, 2023

1tb black soy sauce
1tb light soy sauce
1tb honey
1-2tsp sesame oil
1-2tsp chili crisp (or skip if you don't want hot spice)
1/4tsp white pepper powder.
1/2tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp onion powder
1/5tsp ginger powder

It's totally worth it to make a special trip for dark/black soy sauce. It's similar but differ than the regular/light kind, and ands important color! I also add 1/4 tsp five spice or sichuan pepper sometimes.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:53 AM on January 19, 2023 [3 favorites]

If you are cool with some spice, you can do 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of mirin, and a nice big scoop of sambal oelek or chili garlic paste.
posted by cakelite at 7:54 AM on January 19, 2023

1 cup broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Whisk ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.

To make a thick glaze (like for Sweet and Sour Chicken), whisk in 1 teaspoon corn starch and let sit for ten minutes before adding to the stir-fry.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 8:20 AM on January 19, 2023

This is the sauce of a “beef and broccoli” type dish, but I use it on any type of stir fry that I feel like:

Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp garlic, grated
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame oil
Sriracha suce to taste
posted by raccoon409 at 8:27 AM on January 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

I do this:
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium is better)
1.5 tsp cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (you can use hoisin as a vegan sub)
2 tsp chili-garlic sauce

I put this all together in a jelly jar and shake.

This is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe from a long time ago but I have adjusted the ratios to make it thinner. I don’t measure, really, just eyeball it.
posted by vunder at 8:28 AM on January 19, 2023

For a sweet, umami, slightly spicy sauce, this is the BOMB:

1/4 cup ssamjiang
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar

(these are approximate measurements. I always taste and adjust)
posted by kitcat at 8:40 AM on January 19, 2023

For a stir fry with 5-6 small yellow summer squash, 1/4 of a cabbage, 1 onion, 2 Tb olive oil, I'd whisk together:
3 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb vinegar
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger, frozen grated ginger is handy
1/2 tsp mashed garlic, jarred or frozen is fine
1 Tb corn starch
and add it at the end of cooking, allowing it to cook for 2 minutes so the corn starch thickens.
Then add 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and 1/2 c sliced scallions.

I like a little spice, so I add 1 tsp Gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes.

Here are some stir-fry recipes, the sauce ingredients are pretty consistent, the amounts vary a bit. Some recipes add vegetable stock, but the veg will release their own juice. Add the sauce judiciously, though if there's too much, it great on rice.
posted by theora55 at 9:14 AM on January 19, 2023

LKK Vegetarian Mushroom Flavoured Stir-Fry Sauce
posted by porpoise at 11:08 AM on January 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

This recipe is for Kung Pao mushrooms, but you could make it with tofu instead of mushrooms for more protein. Or use both. I make it all the time. Generally, look at their vegan recipes for inspiration, The Woks of Life is a great, consistently reliable source of recipes, and not only Chinese.
posted by mumimor at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2023

My default go-to is basically Pad See Ew sauce, but used on vegetables and tofu. 1 part dark soy, 1 part light soy, 1/3 part fish sauce (not vegan, obviously, but you can skip or substitute with something umami, MSG isn't bad, but there are mushroom options), add more spools full of sugar than seems reasonable for guests. Heat the sauce in the microwave, stir it, and add it to the sitr fry when it's cooling. Top it with furikake and sesame oil. It's not the best I've ever eaten, but it's better than most restaurants.
posted by eotvos at 2:55 PM on January 19, 2023

This is my favorite current stir fry sauce. It was improvised one night then refined, and now in regular rotation. Be sure to include the ginger in the stir fry.

For the sauce:
2 Tablespoons almond butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar
Squeeze of lime (lemon also works)
2 Tablespoon water

For the Stir Fry:
1/2” piece of fresh ginger, minced
posted by inkytea at 7:41 PM on January 20, 2023