A flavorful and spicy Szechuan sauce recipe combining savory soy sauce, tangy vinegars, and a kick of chili garlic to enhance your favorite dishes. Perfect as a stir-fry sauce or dip, this homemade sauce can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
Total Time:20 minutes
Yield:1 cup
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce or chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian option
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare the slurry: Combine chicken or vegetable broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved to create a smooth slurry.
Mix sauce ingredients: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add low-sodium soy sauce, red wine vinegar, minced ginger, brown sugar, Asian chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Add cornstarch slurry and thicken: Slowly stir the cornstarch and broth slurry into the boiling sauce mixture, continuously stirring until the sauce thickens, which typically takes about 5 minutes.
Finish and cool: Remove the saucepan from heat once the sauce reaches desired thickness and let it cool before using. The sauce can be used immediately or stored for later use.
Notes
Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels and balance flavors.
Adjust the amount of chili garlic sauce and crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
For a vegetarian or vegan option, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Cornstarch slurry must be fully dissolved before adding to prevent lumps.
This sauce pairs well with stir-fried vegetables, meats, tofu, and can be used as a dipping sauce.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
