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
Hi I was wondering what the shelf life is if you follow your recipe?
Loved this recipe! Can I use it with a prawn chow mein?
YES! Just switch the chicken for prawns in my Chicken Chow Mien recipe!
OMG this was so delicious! I found the recipe yesterday and made a stir fry with chicken, vegetables and lo mein type noodles. Starting with your sauce, using garlic as the base and adding sriracha, sweet chili sauce, five spice powder, rice vinegar and cilantro made the most amazing stir fry I have ever made. My husband had thirds!!! We were happy to have enough leftovers to have more for lunch today. You have a new pair of fans!
That’s wonderful to hear Lynn! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Hi Nagi,
I stumbled across your website looking for a simple stir fry sauce and boy did this recipe deliver!
I’ve since tried a bunch of your recipes and they’re all awesome. You’ve redeemed me from my title “world’s worst cook”. You’re my new favourite person ☺
Keep being your fabulous self (in addition to posting your fabulous recipes, obviously)!
Thanks a bunch!
This looks like a total mid week dinner game changer. I may be disproportionately excited about this! Cant tell you how every time i stir fry my kitchen looks like a bomb site no matter how much i prepare. As a result i tend not to stir fry as often as id like.
Ba ha ha! I HEAR YOU KIM!!! 🙂 N x
Delicious, thank you Nagi! I had to go to the local Asian Market to get the Chinese Wine and some nice man working at the store helped me find it. I live in San Diego and there is a large population of Asians here so we have many markets to choose from. I first just tried “Charlie” on a variety of veggies and it was fantastic!
That’s terrific to hear Stacy!! So pleased you enjoyed this – N x
Hi, planning to make this over the weekend but wondering whether Sesame Oil is toasted or white kind? Thanks 🙂
I used canola and added tahini since I didn’t have sesame oil. This recipe is versatile. I changed a few things and it was still amazing!
That’s terrific to hear Sandra!! N x
Toasted! 🙂
Thanks Nagi, much appreciated. I have some toasted oil and ready to go 🙂
Charlie sounds great. I have two questions, though. My wife is severely allergic to fish and seafood. Would Hoisin sauce be ok for her. Secondly she does not really like the taste of anise – is there an alternative?
All of that said, great website. Well done, keep going, and stay safe.
Best,
Norman Munro.
Keen Cook and Expert Kitchen Clutterer.
Hello, I used a combination balsamic syrup and worchesrershire sauce, soy and chili powder to sub the oyster sauce. The goal was to simulate a little meatiness in the sauce. Having bought and used the oyster sauce tonight, I can say it was a good sub. You can also just leave it out entirely. It will still be tasty, believe it!
Hoisin will be fine! Even if she does not like anise, I think that you’ll find the flavour is so mild she may not notice it 🙂
Hi there! I’m excited to try this, but need some guidance on the Chinese wine. There is a great Asian grocery store in my neighborhood, but of course there’s lots of wine and I don’t know what I’m looking for! Is there a brand or a type you can recommend?
I ended up buying shao hsing wine. Hopefully that will work! Can’t wait to try!
I never knew how to make a decent stir fry sauce. I accidentally found your easy recipe. I cut it in half since I live alone. That quantity will last me a while. Thank you so much. I loved it.
That’s terrific to hear Marlene! Thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x
Hi Nagi, we love this sauce it is so delicious and now my stir fried dishes look better than takeout. Thanks for the recipe and detailed instructions!
Love hearing that Bernadette! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
I love this and used it as a basis for other brown sauces! At our house we fabor a hot James Brown sauce and a gingery Foxxy Brown sauce.
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That’s so great to hear Katherine! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Love this sauce. Used Tamari (reduced salt) instead of regular soy sauce and beef with lots of vegetables and it was absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow!
That’s so great to hear Anna! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Hi Nagi, what can I use instead of oyster or fish sauce as a vegan? I don’t drink wine either 🙁
Hi Mewe, that makes it a bit tough unfortunately. You can try Hoisin for the oyster sauce, and see note 5 for the wine sub. 🙂
At my local Vietnamese market I found a vegetarian sauce to substitute for fish sauce using pineapple. It is spicy but works very well. The name is Nuoc Mam Chay Pha San ( contains pineapple sauce, sugar, chili, vinegar, salt and water). I have been very pleased with the results in recipes.
Your sauce is perfection. I have done a lot of stir fries. Over the years I have used all these ingredients in varying combinations and proportions. But your recipe is the best that I have found. I used the brands of soy sauce mentioned in your notes. My only adjustment was that I added a half tablespoon more sugar as I like everything a bit sweeter. I made a simple stir fry of pork loin which is cheap and plentiful here in the Midwest. For vegetables I used a sweet Vidalia onion and some capsicum. Topped with some red pepper flake. SO SIMPLE. SO GOOD. Love your site. Your use of language to explain techniques is as good as I have found on any cooking site. I am going to try your slow cooker marinara sauce. It looks like another winner to me.
So pleased to hear that William! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
So good, finally have a stir fry sauce at home I love, yay!
So glad you love this too Alexis! N x ❤️
What kind of Chinese cooking wine am I supposed to use?? Will I only find it in an Asian grocery store??
Is there more than one type of Chinese wine? What brand do you use? Thanks. I’m very excited to make Charlie.
Hi Nagi,
I stumbled across your website a few weeks ago and have been so excited to try out Charlie. Needless to say, he did not disappoint. This sauce is wonderful and so are your other recipes! Thank you for this magical site, I can’t wait to cook my way through it.
Hi Nagi.
This is the best, most helpful article I’ve seen about Chinese food in awhile. You’ve got a new fan!
Quick question, where I am I can’t get Chinese wine or Sherry, can I switch it for normal red or white wine? And can I use paprika or black pepper to substitute white pepper?
Thanks Nagi!!
Hi Barbie! Unfortunately normal wine won’t suit, what about Mirin? If you can get Mirin, that can be used instead but leave out the sugar 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
We absolutely love this sauce!! My 5 bigger children (the 6th one is too small to eat yet) absolutely love it!! they demolish stir fry every time!!
I am going to try marinating my chicken in the sauce and making sausage rolls with it tonight, with the same stir fry veg just chopped smaller. Hopefully they turn out nicely.
Love hearing that Mel!! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know – N x ❤️