Stir-fry sauces

Stir-fry sauces are versatile, flavor-packed liquid condiments used to season and coat ingredients during the high-heat cooking process of stir-frying. Common bases include soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil, often balanced with sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili. While originating from Chinese cuisine, countless regional and fusion variations exist across East and Southeast Asia.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

Stir-fry sauces are typically high in sodium and can be moderate in carbohydrates from added sugars. They provide minimal protein or fat on their own but are a concentrated source of savory umami flavor and can contain trace minerals from fermented ingredients.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	25 kcal
Protein	1.5 g
Carbs	4 g
Fat	0.5 g
Fiber	0.2 g
Sugar	2.5 g
Sodium	800 mg
Manganese	0.3 mg
Iron	0.4 mg
Selenium	1.5 mcg
Copper	0.05 mg
Niacin (B3)	0.8 mg
Phosphorus	20 mg
Magnesium	5 mg
Potassium	45 mg

Per 2 tablespoons (30 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

The magic of a stir-fry sauce lies in the 'wok hei' or 'breath of the wok'—the complex, smoky flavor achieved when the sauce caramelizes and vaporizes upon hitting the scorching hot metal, a signature characteristic of authentic stir-fry dishes.