If you’ve ever cringed at the thought of chopping garlic, simmering sauces, or dragging out the wok only to mess up your timing, this stir fry sauce recipe is about to change your life. The beauty of this version: zero cook time. No simmering, no sautéing, no fuss! You simply whisk (or shake) together the ingredients and pour it right into your stir fry while cooking.
Because it’s fast, flavorful, and flexible, this no-cook stir fry sauce is ideal for busy weeknights, weeknight dinners, meal prep, or whenever you want big flavor with minimal effort. And, if you’re looking for more quick and easy recipe ideas, make sure to check out my spicy Thai peanut sauce, homemade buttermilk ranch, and my simple miso soup recipe too!
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Table of contents
Key Ingredients and Why They Matter
Here are the core components of my stir fry sauce — and the purpose behind each. (You’ll often see similar building blocks in “best stir fry sauce” or “easy Asian stir-fry sauce” recipes, so I’ll draw parallels.)
Vegetarian oyster sauce – For depth and extra umami, especially helpful in vegetarian or vegan dishes.
Soy sauce – This is your umami and salty backbone. Use a good quality low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (if you want gluten-free).
Honey – Adds sweetness and helps balance acidity and salt. Also gives slight viscosity so the sauce clings to vegetables and proteins.
Rice vinegar – Provides brightness and tang to cut the richness.
Garlic powder & onion powder – Because this is a zero-cook sauce, we use powdered forms instead of fresh to avoid needing to sauté aromatics. They provide flavor without cooking steps.
Sesame oil – Just a little (toasted variety, ideally) gives a nutty, aromatic finish. That “restaurant stir fry” flavor often leans on sesame oil.
Sesame seeds – For texture and visual appeal (and extra sesame flavor).
Sriracha – For heat. You can adjust or omit based on your spice tolerance.
How to Make My Stir Fry Sauce Recipe
- Combine soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, sesame oil, vegetarian oyster sauce, water, and sriracha in a bowl or jar.
- Whisk or shake until everything is fully blended and the honey is dissolved.
- Sprinkle in sesame seeds and stir to incorporate (or shake gently if using a jar).
- Use immediately by pouring it over your stir fry ingredients during the final moments of cooking, stirring to coat everything.
Serving Suggestions for my Stir fry sauce recipe
Because this sauce is quick and flavorful, it works beautifully in many contexts. Here are ideas and inspiration (and places to naturally include an internal link).
- Use it as the finishing sauce in a veggie + crispy tofu stir fry, or over chicken, beef, or shrimp.
- Pour it over noodles (like lo mein)— toss with cooked noodles and vegetables at the end.
- Drizzle on rice bowls (rice + sautéed veggies + protein) for fast “easy stir fry bowl” meals.
- Use as a marinade before stir frying (15–30 minutes) to deepen flavor — then treat it as finishing sauce too.
- Serve with steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles for different textures.
FAQ
Because there are no raw ingredients, your sauce can last up to one week in an airtight jar in the fridge. Always smell and taste before using. (If any sour or off note, discard.)
Absolutely. Use 1:1 ratio if substituting sugar or pure maple syrup. Keep in mind that the flavor nuance shifts slightly (maple gives a deeper sweetness).
Yes — because it’s zero cook, it’s ideal for meal prep. Just store it sealed in the fridge, and shake or stir before use. Use within the week for best flavor.
Yes, you can swap honey for brown sugar (optional but makes it a more syrupy consistency when heated), then add about a 1/4 cup water total instead of 2 tbsp and add 2-3 tsp of cornstarch. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until it thickens into a maple syrup consistency. (Remember, it will thicken further when cooled). This will give you a thicker more restaurant-style consistency!
Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe (Zero Cook Time!)
Ingredients
- 1/4 c soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 14 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Combine the liquids: In a mixing bowl or mason jar, pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetarian oyster sauce, and water.
- Sweeten & balance: Add the honey sriracha, adjusting slightly if you like more or less sweetness or spice (taste as you go).
- Add aromatics & heat: Stir in the garlic powder and onion powder.
- Incorporate sesame flavor: Pour in the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds and stir to integrate. Or, If you're using a mason jar, shake it until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Check & adjust: Taste — if it’s too sharp, a drop more honey helps. Too mild? A splash more soy or sriracha.
- Use immediately or store: Pour over your the meat, veggies, or eggs you wanna stir fry or keep in a sealed jar in the fridge (see notes below). Remember, the sauce is gonna be on the saltier side so use sparingly – add a few teaspoons first and increase as needed.
Notes
- You can simmer if you want to: This sauce is a thinner texture since we aren’t simmering it. Usually a lot of stir fry sauces would include water, brown sugar, and sometimes a cornstarch slurry to thicken the texture while simmering. You can do this here too! Switch the honey for brown sugar, add about a 1/4 cup water total instead of 2 tbsp and add 2-3 tsp of cornstarch. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens into a maple syrup consistency. (It will thicken further when cooled). This will give you a thicker more restaurant-style or bottled sauce consistency. Otherwise, the texture of this sauce is meant to be lightly splashed over your veggies the same way you would with soy sauce, or soaked in as a marinade for tofu or meats!
- Toast your sesame seeds lightly in a dry pan (30 seconds) before mixing if they’re raw — it improves aroma. Or, buy pre-toasted sesame seeds.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge 5–7 days in a sealed container.
- Substitutions: Swap honey for sugar or maple syrup (1:1), soy sauce for tamari (for gluten-free), adjust or omit sriracha.
- Reheating tip: If sauce thickens in the fridge, warm slightly or stir in a teaspoon of water before using.
- Batching tip: I often double or triple the batch and keep on hand — makes weeknight stir fries truly five minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Surely you don’t mean 14tsp white pepper powder! I’m trying just 1/4 TSP and it tastes just fine!