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
Thank you so much for this, I’ve been searching for something I can use as a basic stir fry sauce for ages!
I hope you love it as much as I do Barbara!! 🙂
Thank you for sharing! I have been looking for something like this for years! Just finished our first stir fry with your sauce, 5 star! Thanks again!
Woo hoo! Glad you liked it Brittney! 🙂
Hi there. was wondering what brand of chinese cooking wine you use?
Hi Vicki! This is the one I use – I get it from Chinese grocery stores and it costs about $1.50 for a big bottle 🙂 https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwiT8a3Eh-_KAhUHW5QKHcBiCcIQjBwIBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodsubs.com%2FPhotos%2Fchinesericewine.jpg&psig=AFQjCNGv8k6KJp4xm5ouy1WUOfF–Nq-bQ&ust=1455257503461487&cad=rja
Cannot Thank you enough for sharing this. I have been looking for the perfect make ahead stir fry sauce FOREVER! You are very kind to share it.
Could you possibly share the difference between oyster sauce and hoisin sauce since I noticed that you mentioned hoisin could be used in place of the oyster sauce – I had always thought you needed both.
Thank you!
Hi Cyd! So glad you enjoyed this! Hoisin sauce has Chinese five spice in it. Oyster sauce is more neutral for the purposes of this all-rounder sauce. 🙂
I have used this stir fry sauce many times and it is GREAT! As instructed, I made a jar of it and leave it in the refrigerator, using it as I need it. Makes meal prep so much faster and easier. I always use it on the stir fry noodle dishes on your site, but last night I used in as the sauce for stir fried eggplant and tofu – just added a little Sriracha for some heat. It turned out great. I am learning that any recipe from Nagi is a winner! Thank you so much for such another great recipe!
I have used this stir fry sauce many times and it is GREAT! As instructed, I made a jar of it and leave it in the refrigerator , using it as I need it. I am learning that any recipe from Nagi is a winner! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Awwww, thank you Gee Gee, you’re so kind! Glad you like it!!
Hi Just curious how long this will last in the fridge before it spoils?
Hi Ed! I’ve kept it for around 6 to 8 weeks and it was fine! Just check the used by date of the ingredients you use – the sauces. 🙂
Can you recommend a good wok for a glass top stove?
Hi, thanks for the base sauce recipe, I think I need to adjust amount of rice wine in it as it is slightly strong for me in smell and flavor, but other than that I love your sauce. I would like you to ask if you can post how to make sweet and sour sauce and lemon sauce. I don’t think they are made based on Charlie?
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 I’ve actually shares a sweet and sour sauce recipe 🙂 A chicken one. Lemon is on my list!!
Cannot wait to try Charlie. My sauces are always watery and do not coat. Fingers crossed.
This one is definitely not watery, you’ll find it coats the stir fries beautifully!!! 🙂
OMG! Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe. I just finished making chicken stir fry with it and I swear I have tasted this at restaurants before. I used garlic as my base and it turned out fantastic. This is a sauce that will become a permanent fixture in my fridge. I have looked so long for something like this. I can not thankyou enough. God love you for sharing.
So glad you liked it Faye! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Is that really a tablespoon of white pepper? Seems an awful lot…
Hi Dan! By the time the sauce is thinned for cooking and tossed through a stir fry, you can barely taste it 🙂 Feel free to reduce it if you want! White pepper is an essential ingredient in Chinese cooking 🙂
Thanks Nagi -will try exactly as is … can always be thinned out in the cooking! 🙂
The white pepper ruined the flavour! will try again without and see how it goes
I’m sorry you thought that. I find that you can’t actually taste it!
perhaps white pepper isn’t as strong in the region u are purchasing it, here in Chile it certainly was very overpowering at such quatitties.
I’d really like to know where you got the square jar? It’s very unique and i’d love to use it for my squce.
Hi Shay! It’s just an empty jar from a sauce or condiment I got from the supermarket!!! 🙂
This is a keeper. I bought veggies that were already cut up for stir fry, they sliver the carrots so they cooked up in the same amount of time as it cooked for the chunkier mushrooms. The surprise ingredient in the mix was…..brussel sprouts! My boyfriend loved it! Saving the extra sauce in the fridge for next week’s stir fry!
YEE HAA!!! SO GLAD you enjoyed it Nella!!! 🙂
Chinese cooking wine: is this Mirin or an actual bottle of drinking wine? Thanks!!
Hi Amy! It’s Shaoxing wine (Shaohing, Shaoshing) which is a Chinese cooking wine. It’s different to Mirin and drinking wine. In Australia it’s even sold at major supermarkets now, otherwise, any asian store definitely will carry it!
I cannot believe I am trying this…my husband and I were going to buy take out Chinese food for us and my parents for this Sunday. Somehow I got onto your site and have decided to attempt the chicken chow mein with your “Charlie” sauce. The other items we will order, however, next time I will try using your site for any other items like broccoli and beef…Thanks Martine
Ooh, I do hope you love it Martine!! This sauce is super popular – and in fact, I just did a feature for a magazine on it!!!
I just tried this tonight, and my wife and kids really like it. The only negative feedback I got was the pepper makes it a little spicy. Next time I’m going to use only 1 tsp of pepper. Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Christopher! Definitely adjust the pepper to your taste, but I really like it per the recipe! So glad your wife and kids enjoyed it!! N x
I stumbled on this recipe on Pinterest couple of weeks back and I have already made dinner twice using it. i used it in fried rice and noodles. Both turned out awesome. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
YAY!! I’m glad you enjoyed it RNJ!!! 🙂
Hi Nagi
I stumbled on your website yesterday whilst googling Chicken Chow Mein recipes and ended up making this sauce. I then followed your Chicken Chow Mein recipe using crushed garlic and finely diced Thai red chilli for the base flavoring… the result was absolutely PERFECT!! Thank you so much for sharing, the sauce was a winner and feeling so pleased with myself, I kept telling my husband that I am an aussie who has just nailed a Chinese dish that actually tasted like it had come from a Chinese Restaurant!! This jar of sauce will now be a staple in my fridge for ever! Thank you again! 🙂
So glad you loved it Georgia!! Thank you for letting me know!! N x