Vegan Stir Fry Sauce (Oil-Free)

An easy vegan Stir Fry Sauce recipe with fresh garlic and ginger! Use this tasty sauce for a quick and easy meal. Get creative with your favorite vegetable combinations or whatever's in season! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

This flavorful stir-fry sauce is made from scratch in just 5 minutes!

It's super flavorful with fresh garlic and ginger, and also oil-free. Use it to create a stir fry with your favorite veggies or whatever's in season.

Stir fries are also a great "clean out the fridge" meal. It's a tasty, satisfying way to use up what you have and reduce food waste.

Plus making sauces at home allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavors just the way you like! It's fresher and often more budget-friendly than buying pre-made sauces at the store.

Ingredients for Stir Fry Sauce

For this recipe you will whisk together in a small bowl:

• Vegetable broth: You can substitute water if needed, but it will be less flavorful.
• Tamari: Or you can use soy sauce, but I use tamari for gluten-free. (Liquid aminos could also work.) We use a decent amount in this recipe, so be sure to use low sodium if desired.
• Pure maple syrup: Just a little bit of this natural sweetener helps to balance the flavors. Feel free to omit this if you'd prefer no sweetness however.
• Rice vinegar: I use unseasoned rice vinegar which does not include added sugar and salt.
• Fresh garlic cloves: You'll need two cloves garlic, but you can use even more if you really enjoy the flavor.
• Fresh ginger: I use a micro-plane grater to freshly grate my ginger.
• Cornstarch: This is used to help thicken the sauce. Or you can substitute arrowroot which is a great thickener as well.

Stir Fry by Season

Stir fry is a fun, easy dish to change up based on the season! Check out some favorites below, or simply mix and match with what's available.

Spring: Asparagus, broccoli, snow peas, green onion, mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, sugar snap peas, and leeks.

Summer: Zucchini, yellow summer squash, bell pepper, green beans, celery, peas, and eggplant.

Fall: Bell pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, mushroom, and onion.

Winter: Broccoli, cauliflower, onions, bok choy, cabbage, fennel, carrot, sugar snap peas, and Brussels sprouts.

Adding extra protein? Plant-based proteins like tofu, tempeh, or vegan chicken are great with this sauce as well. Cook your protein first, then toss it in a pan with the sauce for a few minutes to thicken and coat it.

Customizing

This recipe is incredibly versatile. Use more or less of the flavors you love. A few other additions could include:

Flavors: Add hoisin sauce, chopped chives or green onions, lime juice, or sesame seeds.

Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes or sriracha to taste if you like a little heat.

Adding oil: If you include oil in your diet, toasted sesame oil is also a flavorful addition. Simply whisk in a teaspoon or so.

Serving: I like to pair saucy stir fries with cooked brown rice or ramen noodles!

Storing

Make ahead: This homemade stir fry sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.

For more inspiration, also browse all vegan sauce and seasoning recipes.

Vegan Stir Fry Sauce (Oil-Free)

A flavorful stir fry sauce with fresh garlic and ginger! Use it to get creative with your favorite stir fry combinations or whatever's in season.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1-2 tsp. ginger (freshly grated)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot (more for thicker sauce)

Optional add-ins:

• 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 1-2 Tbsp. chives or green onions
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. (Or add to a jar, seal lid, and shake.)
• Using in stir-fry: Cook veggies (or protein of choice) until crisp-tender. Re-stir the sauce and pour in the pan. Toss to combine and simmer over medium-high heat for a few minutes until thickened. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Notes

Yield: Recipe makes just over 1 cup sauce. I find this matches about 8-10 cups raw vegetables, which is a large stir fry with about 4-5 servings. Adjust sauce amount accordingly for smaller or bigger batches.

Customizing: Use more/less of the flavors you enjoy. For a spicy version, add red pepper flakes or sriracha to taste.

Storing: Store sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

For gluten-free: Use tamari and a GF hoisin sauce if using. (I use San-J brand hoisin.)

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Stir Fry Sauce (Oil-Free)

Amount per Serving

Calories

41

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.03

g

0

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.01

g

0

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.01

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

0.003

g

Potassium

 

50

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

9

g

3

%

Fiber

 

0.2

g

1

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

2

g

4

%

Vitamin A

 

84

IU

2

%

Vitamin C

 

0.5

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

11

mg

1

%

Iron

 

0.4

mg

2

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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If you are enjoying this oil-free vegan stir fry sauce, also check out:

• Easy Peanut Sauce (Oil-Free)
• Orange Tofu
• Asian Noodle Soup

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