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    Home » Recipes » Sauces

    Published: May 17, 2021 · Modified: Sep 8, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 16 Comments

    Vegan Stir Fry Sauce

    4.75 from 51 votes
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    vegan stir fry sauce

    A quick & easy Vegan Stir Fry Sauce that is packed with flavour. It's rich, thick & versatile. Use in stir-fries, on rice, noodles and vegetables, or for marinating tofu and seitan.

     a jar of vegan stir fry sauce

    Nothing brings a meal together better than a good sauce and this vegan stir fry sauce is so good!

    I like my food to be absolutely jam-packed with flavour and big bold flavour is where it's at here. I could literally drink it from the pan it's that delicious. So savoury and rich with amazing depth.

    Jump to:
    • How to make vegan stir fry sauce
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Storage, Freezing & Reheating Tips
    • Hungry for more?
    • Recipe
    • Reviews & Questions

    How to make vegan stir fry sauce

    (For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

    If you are familiar with my usual sauce-making technique you will know that throwing everything in a blender is about as complicated as it gets. We've been there with my Peanut Sauce, Garlic Pineapple Sauce and my Healthy Sweet & Sour Sauce.

    This one is made in the same way. Everything gets thrown in a blender then poured out and into a pan. Then you just need to warm it gently while stirring, until it thickens up like gravy. Then it's ready to use, simple as that!

    Serving suggestions

    This tasty sauce is really versatile and shouldn't just be reserved for stir-fries. It works brilliantly for dipping things like vegan chick'n tenders or dumplings, marinating tofu, tempeh or seitan, drizzling over vegetables or chickpeas, on rice or noodle bowls, fried rice and even on grilled food.

    For an easy meal, I love to cook some rice or noodles, top with sliced vegan chicken and steamed or roasted vegetables, drizzle over some of this sauce and add a generous sprinkling of cashew nuts or sesame seeds, maybe some sliced green onions too. It makes a really quick, stress-free and super tasty meal.

    Variations

    • Add a big dollop of peanut, cashew or almond butter to the blender while blending up the sauce for a nutty twist.
    • Add a small piece of fresh ginger when blending. If you don't have a high-powered blender grate it first so it blends smoothly more easily.
    • Squeeze in some fresh lime juice.

    Storage, Freezing & Reheating Tips

    Vegan stir fry sauce will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

    To reheat pour the sauce into a small pan and warm over medium-low heat until hot. You can also microwave it but be cautious as it can easily spill over if it gets too hot.

    Hungry for more?

    • a bowl of swiss chard stir fry
      Chard Stir Fry
    • brussels sprout fried rice
      Easy Brussels Sprout Fried Rice
    • a bowl of mushroom fried rice
      Mushroom Fried Rice
    • a large pan of tofu quinoa stir fry
      Tofu Quinoa Stir Fry

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe

    a jar of stir fry sauce

    Vegan Stir Fry Sauce

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.75 from 51 votes
    A quick & easy Vegan Stir Fry Sauce that is packed with flavour. It's rich, thick & versatile. Use in stir-fries, on rice, noodles and vegetables, or for marinating tofu and seitan.
    PRINT PIN SAVE Saved! TEXT
    PREP TIME: 5 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes minutes
    Servings 8 ¼ cup servings (2 cups in total)

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 small onion , cut into quarters
    • 2 large cloves garlic
    • 1 cup (240 mls) soy sauce or tamari
    • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil , it's here for the flavour. You can omit to make this recipe oil-free
    • ¼ cup (60 mls) rice vinegar
    • ⅓ cup (80 mls) maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon chili flakes
    • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder , or cornstarch but arrowroot gives a glossier finish
    • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (210 mls) water

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • Blendtec Blender
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. 
    • Pour into a pan. It will be very foamy. That is normal and the foam will disappear as it warms up.
    • Heat over medium-low heat stirring constantly until it is hot, thick and gravy-like in texture. 
    • Either use immediately or decant into a jar and store in the fridge/freezer.

    NOTES

    For gluten-free be sure to use a gluten-free brand of soy sauce or tamari

    Storage, freezing & reheating
    This stir fry sauce will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
    To reheat pour the sauce into a small pan and warm over medium-low heat until hot. You can also microwave it but be cautious as it can easily spill over if it gets too hot.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1serving ( | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1681mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Rate it & leave feedback in the comments section below. I love seeing your remakes too. Tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram! 🌟

    This recipe was originally published on April 28th, 2017. I've since changed the name of the recipe and rewritten the post and now I am republishing it for you. The recipe itself remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!



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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nathan says

      March 26, 2023 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent sauce. Very easy. Super tasty. Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Judy Goodburn says

      February 21, 2023 at 6:51 am

      5 stars
      Excellent sauce, thank you,.

      Reply
    3. Avie says

      February 05, 2023 at 1:50 pm

      May I use lemon juice instead of rice vinegar? Thanks 😊

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        February 05, 2023 at 2:02 pm

        I personally wouldn't. Rice vinegar adds to the Asian theme. Lemon juice will change the flavour of the sauce and will leave it with a distinct citrus taste. Apple cider vinegar would be a better substitute if you have it.
        If you're ok with the sauce having a lemon flavour though then you could try it. You will definitely need to add more maple syrup to balance out the sourness though.

        Reply
    4. Judy says

      November 21, 2022 at 5:56 am

      5 stars
      I am glad the secret is out, delicious sauce, thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    5. Lisa says

      September 12, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      So quick to put together, and so hecking good. Recipe makes approximately 500ml. We’ve been into stir fry veg a lot so I am guessing this will be enough for a weeks worth of veg sides for lunch/dinner. I am going to try it as a salad dressing and dipping sauce. Thanks for the recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 12, 2022 at 3:23 pm

        I'm so pleased you're enjoying it Lisa and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    6. Rachael says

      September 08, 2022 at 10:21 am

      1 star
      Way too much sauce! I made this and it ruined our dinner as there was just way too much of it. You need to at least half this.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 08, 2022 at 11:36 am

        The recipe is for a sauce not a stir fry. You need to use your judgment about how much you need to add to whatever you're making and not just dump it all in. Different dishes and ingredients need different amounts of sauce. It stores really well in the fridge or the freezer for repeat uses. That's the idea of it.

        Reply
    7. Ms. Bea says

      June 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      Love your recipes. What can I use instead of rice vinegar? I try to avoid white vinegars, interrupts digestion.

      Reply
      • Pyth says

        December 14, 2022 at 11:15 am

        5 stars
        If you avoid white vinegars, you should know what alternative is best for you better than anyone else, lol

        Reply
    8. Clive says

      May 05, 2021 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      Simple and really good

      Reply
    9. Elaine says

      June 08, 2017 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing. We had it on tofu and rice with vegetables.

      Reply
    10. Anne says

      June 08, 2017 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      This was great! Haven't had stir fry sauce in a long time because the store bought sauces were so unhealthy. I had everything for this sauce on hand, it only took minutes to whip up! Thanks so much for a great recipe

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        June 08, 2017 at 4:52 pm

        That's great Anne. I am thrilled you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback!

        Reply
    11. Beth says

      May 16, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      This was easy and really tasty. I've been looking for a good stir fry sauce recipe and I've found it. Thanks!

      Reply

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