This is my secret weapon for seriously fast midweek meals: an Authentic Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce that takes minutes to make and can be stored in the fridge for weeks. Plenty of flavour just used plain but also fantastic with extra flavourings added, this Stir Fry Sauce is sensational used for both stir fries and stir fried noodles.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
My Swiss Army knife of Stir Fry Sauces!
Restaurant Secret: you know when you go to a packed Asian restaurant or take out during lunch hour and you’re handed a plate of fresh-out-of-the-wok stir fry 5 minutes after ordering? I hate to disappoint you, but the cooks standing over the flames aren’t throwing together 10 ingredient sauce mixes for every single dish…….What they actually use are ready made sauces as a base, then add additional flavours for different dishes.
These all purpose stir fry sauces are closely guarded secrets of restaurants – you won’t uncover them simply by googling, that’s for sure! Today I’m sharing mine. I call him Charlie (as in Charlie Brown….as in “Brown Sauce”, which stir fry sauces are commonly referred to as). Perfected and tweaked over years, I’ve been loyal to Charlie for a decade (and counting).
The brilliant thing about Charlie is that you make him just by combining the ingredients in a jar, them just store him in the fridge where he’ll happily reside for weeks – months even. Then you simply heat some oil in a wok, throw in whatever proteins, vegetables and noodles you want, then throw Charlie in with some water and he’ll magically transform into a thick, glossy sauce that lusciously coats your stir fry. He’s great plain, but so versatile too – add heat, herbs, fruity sweetness or some tang. I’ve provided some of my favourite variations in the recipe below.
In the recipe below, I’ve provided the basic “formula” for using Charlie and I’ve also written a separate post on how to Build Your Own Chinese Stir Fried Noodles.
Update: At the request of a number of readers, I’ve put together a post with 10 Classic Chinese Takeout Meals using this sauce – meals in a flash!
And it’s as easy as that!
I’d love to know what you think if you give “Charlie” a go! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce (Charlie!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinese wine (or dry sherry) (Note 5)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch / cornflour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil , toasted
- 1 tsp ground white pepper (I sometimes use 1 tbsp, I like the spiciness!)
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Store in fridge and shake before use.
Amount to Use (Note 6):
- Stir Fry: I use 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce + 6 tbsp water to make a stir frying for 2 people using around 5 cups of uncooked ingredients (proteins + vegetables).
- Noodles: I use 3 tbsp of the Stir Fry sauce + 5 – 6 tbsp water to make a noodle stir fry for 2 people using around 7 cups of the combined stir fry uncooked (vegetables – packed, proteins + noodles – if using).
- By weight (Noodles & Stir Fry): Around 3 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce per 1 lb / 500g of combined ingredients (proteins + vegetables + noodles if using) plus 1/3 cup water.
To Use:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok over high heat.
- Add your choice of Base Flavourings – fry for 10 seconds or so to infuse oil.
- Add stir fry ingredients in order of time to cook (starting with ingredients that take longest to cook), leaving leafy greens, like the leaves of bok choy, until when you add the sauce (otherwise they will wilt and overcook).
- Add noodles (if using), sauce and water, your choice of Additional Flavourings and any leafy greens.
- Gently toss to combine and to let the sauce cook for around 1 minute. The sauce will become a thick, glossy sauce that coats your stir fry.
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Base Flavourings
- Garlic, minced or finely sliced
- Ginger, minced or finely sliced
- Fresh chillies, minced or finely sliced
Additional Flavouring Suggestions
- Sriracha, Chilli Bean Paste or other Spicy addition
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Substitute the water with pineapple or orange juice
- Rice vinegar – for a touch of tartness
- Fresh cilantro / coriander leaves, or thai basil – for freshness
- Garlic or ordinary chives, chopped
- Pinch of Chinese five spice powder
Susan says
Thank you for the recipe! I want to try it but can’t have alcohol. I have an alcohol free mirin flavored seasoning I use for Japanese sauces in place of mirin…can I use this instead of the Chinese wine? If not, do you have any other suggestions? Thank you!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Susan! Yes, I think mirin is the best alcohol free substitution but omit the sugar because otherwise it will be too sweet 🙂 Love to hear what you think!
Natasha says
This is delicious. I used vegetarian “oyster” sauce. I completely forgot to add the base flavourings, but it still turned out delicious. My boyfriend already planned the variations we want to try next time.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
That’s wonderful Natasha! I’m so glad you liked it. And I’m interested to know there is a vegetarian oyster sauce! I must hunt some down, I have a friend who is allergic to seafood so it will be useful to have! Thank you for sharing your feedback! 🙂
Steve Turner says
I have just mixed the sauce and licked the spoon it tastes really good cannot wait to use it tonight in a chicken stir fry, do you have a receipe for a good chilli stir fry sauce for chilli chicken?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Steve! I had another reader asking for a chili stir fry sauce too so I’m going to share one!! 🙂 Coming soon!
Erin says
This looks great! I have young ones though, and I was wondering if the white pepper flavor would be too much for them? A tablespoon sounds like a lot.
Kelly says
I made it with less than the amount of white pepper called for and it was quite spicy. Absolutely delicious but spicy. My 5 year old says she will try it again as long as I use less white pepper next time so it didn’t “scar” her. It really was delicious (I can’t say that enough.) And it’s a great way to get her to eat vegetables. 😉
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and the 10 classic stir fry recipes. I am so excited to finally find a recipe for Asian food worth making that isn’t entirely based on ginger and garlic.
This is going in my weekly meal plan because it is so versatile. Thank you!!!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
That’s wonderful Kelly! I am sorry you thought it was spicy, I honestly can barely taste the pepper in it at all because it is diluted down so much when used. Did you add water when you put it in your stir fry? I am glad you enjoyed it though! And I am SO glad you 5 year old isn’t too scarred from the spiciness!! I find kids really love this sauce through noodle stir fries. There is something about noodles that kids love! I cut the noodles up into dessert spoon lengths to make it easy for them to eat with a spoon or fork 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Erin! You can’t taste the heat at all from the pepper. 1 tbsp does sound like alot but a bit of sauce gets dispersed through alot of stir fry so the amount of pepper in each dish is very little! This sauce isn’t spicy at all so young ones will be absolutely fine with it! 🙂
Colleen says
Also, this sauce is a concentrate so it gets diluted with water. The white pepper adds to the complexity of the total flavor of the sauce, but it doesn’t stand out on its own.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Colleen, yes you are absolutely right! 🙂
Denise says
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Denise, up to a month definitely, I am sure it will keep for longer as long as the expiry date of your ingredients is ok. There is nothing in this sauce that is “perishable” or will grow bacteria. Just be sure not to add any fresh ingredients in it, like garlic or chilli, because that is what causes the sauce to go off within a week 🙂
Immaculate says
Nagi, am making this today, with vegetables – cleaning out the fridge. I will post on my blog hopefully soon. Wish me luck!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Oooh!! Can’t wait to see your variation on this! It really is so versatile, you’ll like it 🙂
Maha says
Hi Nagi, I am excited that i found your blog. I have been looking for the Chinese stir fry sauce for a very long time and finally found yours winning my taste buds. Many many thanks!
But i do not find Chinese wine in chennai (India) (though have requested one from Singapore friend) meanwhile any substitute suggestion..would rice wine vinegar or sherry vinegar help?
I made the sauce without this ingredient..that itself tasted well.
Would it be possible to share Schezwan sauce?
Best,
Maha
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Maha! Thank you for your wonderful feedback! Rice wine vinegar is too sour as a substitute, I’m afraid. A dry sherry is the best substitute – make sure to get a DRY one not a SWEET one. Sherry is very cheap in Australia, you can get a large bottle for $5. Not sure if you can get it in India though! And I will certainly look into a Schezwan sauce! 🙂
Charisse says
I LOVE THIS SAUCE!!! Thank you! I’ve missed having my favorite dishes since developing a gluten allergy, and now I have finally found a great sauce that I can make with gluten free soy, and keep on hand for when I’m in the mood for a stir fry.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
That’s wonderful Charisse! I am so glad you like it! I pretty much always have a jar of this in the fridge 🙂
Jim says
what kind of Chinese wine in stir fry recipe? Rice wine or what? Also I see where gin has a similar flavor so could I use that in the stir fry sauce recipe.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Jim! Chinese wine is called Shaoxing wine and it is made of rice. It is a cooking wine, so you will find it in large supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, not liquor stores 🙂 It is really cheap – in Australia, I can get large bottles for $1 at Asian stores! And they last forever. Unfortunately gin is not a suitable substitute! The alcohol content is much higher and it has a very different flavour 🙂 A dry (not sweet) sherry is the best substitute. Hope that helps!
Marissa says
Love your blog! Your recipes look amazing, I plan to try them out asap. My boyfriend is allergic to sesame, any substitute for sesame oil that wouldn’t compromise the flavor of this recipe?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Marissa! Thanks for your kind words!! There is no substitute for sesame oil in terms of flavour (unfortunately!) but you can simply replace it with vegetable, canola or any other neutral flavoured oil to get the right consistency for the sauce. 🙂 The sesame flavour is very subtle so you won’t miss it. Also, many Chinese stir fries do not have sesame in it anyway!
Kathleen | HapaNom says
I just made this stir fry sauce, and it… was…. fantastic! I had some Chinese egg noodles sitting around, chopped up some green onions, add some crushed red pepper and added the stir fry sauce. The sauce had great flavor, coated each individual noodle perfectly, and super quick and easy to make! Seriously, what’s not to love! This is my new go-to stir fry sauce from now on!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hip hip hurrah! I am so glad you liked this, I respect your opinion! Now I really feel like this has been validated 🙂 Thanks Kathleen!!
mila furman says
I so love this Nagi… I pinned it because I could use a good classic stirfry sauce 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Mila!!
Shirin says
is there any way to get around using the cooking wine/alcohol in this recipe for those of us who do not use it? I would love to try this recipe …after the tweak
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Shirin! I have read that apple or grape juice is the best non alcoholic substitute but it won’t be quite the same. But those juices are of similar acidity and sweetness but they don’t have the complexity that the alcohol gives cooking wine and sherry. I have not tried it though but my expectation is that the sauce will still be tasty. Even just omitting the cooking wine completely without substituting with apple or grape juice is still fine to use, just replace with water so you get the right consistency. I would love to hear what you think if you do try apple or grape juice though! I will update the recipe with any thoughts you have. Thanks!
Kathy says
Looks like another winner Nagi. Stashed away in my favourite app (RecipeTin of course) for safe keeping
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Kathy!!
J says
This is THE stir fry sauce! I’ve been searching for years and here it is…! I used hoisin in mine and substituted sherry for the Chinese wine and it was heavenly. I will definitely be bookmarking your site, Nagi!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Jacqueline! So glad you approve of it!!
Rachel says
Hi! Looks great but I have one question, can Mirin be substituted for the Chinese wine? I live in Switzerland and it is so hard to track down Asian ingredients!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Rachel! Actually there is no Mirin in this recipe, it uses Chinese wine so you are in luck! And if you ever come across a recipe requiring Mirin then substitute it as follows: 1 TBSP Mirin = 1 tbsp of Chinese wine PLUS 1/4 tsp sugar. That is what I do on the odd occasion I don’t have mirin 🙂
Monica says
This is fantastic!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Monica! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Domenic says
Hi, great recipe!
Quick question: can toasted sesame seed oil be substituted for sesame seed oil (for the sauce)?
Thanks!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Domenic, that’s fine, but reduce the quantity to 1 1/2 tbsp instead of 2 tbsp because toasted sesame oil has a slightly stronger flavour. Also, please remember not to use toasted sesame oil for the stir frying oil because it has a lower cooking point that other oils (peanut oil is the best to use for stir frying – high smoking point) so it will cause your stir fry to have a “bitter” burn flavour. Using it in the sauce is perfectly fine though!
Shell says
Hi Nagi,
I stumbled on your blog today and I can’t believe the trouble you gone to
inorder to make Asian cooking an easy and non-stressful experience. My
daughter-inlaw is a new comer to stir frying and I have been trying to ex-
plain the basics but you have done all the work for me. Thank you so very
much. We have both recently aquired Spiralizers and needed a really good
sauce for all the veggies. I’ve started doing something recently that I find
cheap and very healthy when cooking. I have been purchasing ramen pack-
ages lately for 20 cents and to the 2 cups of water I add 2 cups of chicken broth,
fresh spinach Asian veggies, Nappa cabbage, green onions, fresh snowpeas,
5 Spice, Asian red pepper flakes, red pepers etc. It has become a fun thing to
do and I’ve created a healthy and delicious 2 serving economical dish. I like it
so much I usually have it 4 X a week. I need to watch my sodium so I buy the 35%
less sodium paks. Thanks again for all your hard work.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Shell, thanks so much for your lovely message! It makes me so happy to hear when people find my posts useful. The ramen you are making sounds delicious and healthy too, I like the way you bulk up one packet with lots of veggies and extra soup so you can serve 2. That’s a really healthy meal! Thanks so much again for your message! Hope you drop by again soon 🙂
Mimi says
Thanks for sharing the recipe! Can you be specific on brands you use for soy sauce? Is it Thai or Chinese?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Mimi! I use the brand Lee Kum Kee for both the light and dark soy sauce which are Chinese soy sauces. However, the dark soy sauce can be substituted with any all purpose dark soy sauce – like Kikkoman – and you won’t be able to tell the difference. I often do this because I always have Kikkoman in stock. I hope you enjoy it! Get creative with the extra flavourings 🙂
Mimi says
Thanks! Is the light soy the same as seasoned soy sauce?