All purpose stir fry sauce
A glossy garlic, ginger and tamari sauce that turns any vegetable, chicken, beef or tofu stir fry into a proper dinner.
Make this once, then cook it into 29 different dishes.
- Time15 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.92 a head
- Makesabout 480 ml, enough for 4 or 5 stir fries for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the cornflour with the 3 tbsp cold water in a small bowl until smooth.
- 2
Put the tamari, 150 ml water, rice vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes.
- 3
Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, stirring. Let it bubble for 2 minutes.
2 min - 4
Stir the cornflour mixture again, then pour it into the pan while whisking. Keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
1 min 30 s - 5
Taste. It should be salty, savoury, a little sweet and tangy. Add a splash more vinegar for sharpness or a little more syrup for sweetness.
- 6
Cool completely, then pour into a clean jar. You should have about 480 ml.
About all purpose stir fry sauce
All purpose stir fry sauce is a thickened, savoury sauce of tamari, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar and a little sweetness that coats a stir fry in one go. It is the sauce for any combination of vegetables, meat, prawns, tofu and noodles.
It tastes salty, garlicky and gently sweet with a tang from the vinegar and a nutty finish from toasted sesame oil. Because it is already thickened with cornflour, it clings to the food in the last minute of cooking without extra seasoning or measuring in a busy kitchen.
This version uses gluten free tamari, so it is safe for coeliacs and for anyone avoiding wheat. One batch makes about 480 ml, enough for four or five stir fries for four people at 100 ml each.
Tips
- Add the sauce in the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. Cooking it for longer makes it too thick and salty.
- If the sauce sets thick in the fridge, loosen it with a splash of hot water before using.
- Replace the maple syrup with honey if you are not cooking for vegans. The flavour is slightly more floral.
- For a spicier sauce add 1 tbsp of chilli sauce or sambal oelek. For a nuttier one, add 1 tsp tahini.
- Check the tamari label. Some brands contain wheat, and only those marked gluten free are safe for coeliacs.
Storing and freezing
Keeps up to 5 days in a clean jar in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer in 100 ml portions. Cool within 1 hour before chilling, and defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Dishes you can make with all purpose stir fry sauce
Gobi Manchurian (Indo-Chinese Crispy Cauliflower)
DFNFVSambal Beef and Pak Choi Stir Fry
GFDFEFBeef Lo Mein (Takeaway Style Noodles with Beef and Vegetables)
DFNFChinese Vegetable Chop Suey with Crispy Tofu
GFDFEFYangzhou Fried Rice with Prawns and Egg
GFDFNFStir Fried Cabbage with Pork Mince and Ginger
GFDFEFGarlic Stir Fried Choy Sum with Ginger
GFDFEFYu Xiang Qie Zi (Sichuan Style Aubergine in Garlic Sauce)
GFDFEFPrawn and Vegetable Rice Noodle Stir Fry with Chilli Oil
GFDFNFDwaeji Kimchi Bokkeum (Pork and Kimchi Stir Fry)
GFDFEFSan Choy Bow (Pork Lettuce Cups)
GFDFEFVeg Hakka Noodles (Indo Chinese Vegetable Noodles)
DFNFVQuestions
Is this stir fry sauce gluten free?
Yes. It uses gluten free tamari instead of ordinary soy sauce, plus rice vinegar and cornflour. It is also dairy free, egg free, nut free and vegan. Always check your tamari label because not all brands are gluten free.
How much sauce should I use per stir fry?
About 100 ml for a stir fry serving four people, made with around 600 g of vegetables and protein. Add it near the end of cooking and let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes.
Can I use it as a marinade?
It works as a quick marinade for 20 to 30 minutes, but do not reuse the marinade that touched raw meat as a sauce unless you boil it for at least 2 minutes. Keep a separate portion for the stir fry.
My sauce is too salty, how do I fix it?
Add a splash of water, a little more vinegar and a pinch of sugar or syrup. For a whole stir fry, add extra vegetables or rice to take up the saltiness.
Can I make it without sesame oil?
Yes. Leave it out or use a neutral oil instead. You will lose the nutty aroma, so add a few toasted sesame seeds on top of the finished dish if you like.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.