This sweet and tangy miso dressing can be served with a salad, as a dipping sauce, or as a seasoning for your favorite protein. It’s an easy recipe that only requires 6 ingredients and can be served in as little as 5 minutes total time – no blender needed!

What is Miso Dressing

Miso dressing is a simple blend of Japanese miso paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil and salad oil. The taste is umami, sweet and a little tart. While most commonly served as a salad dressing for greens, think of miso dressing more like an all-purpose dressing / sauce / marinade that can be used a thousand ways.

This creamy miso dressing is dairy-free and vegetarian.

How to Use Miso Dressing

Here are a few ideas on the many ways you can use homemade miso dressing in your own kitchen.

• Salad Dressing: Drizzle over a simple, fresh tossed green salad – or something heartier like a salad with tuna steak, potatoes and green beans.
• Sauce For Grain Bowls or Buddha Bowls: Use for a Japanese donburi (rice bowl), or add a pop of flavor to a healthy farro bowl. Sometimes I use a drizzle on top of this vegetarian chirashi sushi.
• Marinade: Use this simple homemade dressing as a full flavored marinade for fish, tofu, chicken, etc. Simply place your protein in a food storage bag, add the dressing, seal and store in the fridge. Obviously, the longer you marinade your protein, the stronger the flavor when you fire up the grill or sauté pan.
• Dressing for Noodles: I love noodle salads. Especially when using chewy buckwheat soba noodles. Check out this soba salad with miso dressing and fresh ginger.
• Stir Fry Sauce: Sear your veggies, protein and a garlic clove or two in a wok, then stir in this dressing as a fully composed sauce.

Miso Salad Dressing Ingredients

• Olive Oil: I’m using first press extra virgin olive oil. Most wafu (Japanese style) dressings call for vegetable oil – but I find that good quality olive oil has a delicate herbaceous fruitiness that compliments this dressing more than a neutral salad oil.
• Rice Vinegar: Plain rice vinegar imparts a mild sweetness you won’t get from red wine or white wine vinegars. There’s also a nice hit of tartness that dances around the edges. Rice vinegar is one of those Japanese pantry staples you’ll use all the time. Pick up a bottle at your local shop – or grab rice vinegar on Amazon.
• Miso Paste: The earthy savoriness and umami two tablespoons of miso paste brings to this dressing can’t be overstated. In fact, there’s so much flavor imparted by the miso paste alone, there’s no need for added salt or soy sauce in this mixture at all. We’ll take a closer look at miso paste in just a second.
• Sugar: A little sugar plays nice with the tart sweetness from the rice vinegar. Vegans should use raw sugar instead of granulated sugar. And if you’re following a low-sugar diet, feel free to omit this ingredient – or use monk fruit sweetener instead.
• Sesame Oil: The addition of toasted sesame oil not only introduces a wonderful nuttiness to the dressing, it also elevates the umami of the miso paste. But a little goes a long way. I use 2 teaspoons max for this miso salad dressing recipe.
• Black Pepper: You’ll get little pops of sharp heat and pine from adding pepper to this miso dressing. If you can, use fresh cracked pepper. If not, the stuff from the shaker does nicely as well.

What is Miso Paste

Miso paste is soybeans fermented with rice koji (or sometimes barley koji).

• This thick paste is commonly used in Japanese recipes for its umami, earthy flavors.
• Miso is an integral ingredient in miso soup – and in recipes like nasu dengaku among many others.
• Read all about miso paste here.

There are three main types of miso paste:

• Red (umami, salty and punchy) 赤味噌
• White (mildly savory with a hint of sweetness) 白味噌
• Awase / Mixed (a flavor forward mixture of red and white miso) 合わせ味噌

I prefer using white miso paste or awase miso (mixed miso) in this delicate Japanese salad dressing recipe. Both provide just enough savoriness – without overpowering the sharpness of the rice vinegar.

Where to Buy Miso Paste

Luckily, miso paste is fairly easy to track down these days. Of course you can choose from numerous brands and different types of miso paste at most Asian grocery stores. But in the past decade even Western grocery stores typically have a few containers in the refrigerated cases around the fresh veggies or with the dairy. And, if you want to keep it easy, you can always grab miso paste on Amazon.

How to Make Miso Dressing (Easy Instructions)

1. Gather all of your cooking tools and ingredients.
2. Place all of your measured ingredients into a wide-mouth bowl.
3. Whisk until creamy.
4. Serve immediately – or place in a jar the fridge until ready to use. Shake well if separation occurs.

How to Store Leftover Dressing

• Store leftover miso dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
• Separation will likely occur. Simply take the dressing container out of the refrigerator 5 minutes before you want to use it – and shake well (or whisk) until re-emulsified and serve.

Since this homemade dressing has such a long shelf life, I typically make more than I’ll need on purpose and bank the rest in the fridge. But since we use it all the time, no matter how much I make, it never lasts long!

That’s OK though. I can just whip up a new batch in less than 5 mins of prep time.

And check out these other delicious and easy Japanese salad recipes

Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

Hijiki Salad (Hijiki No Nimono)

Kani Salad – Japanese Imitation Crab Salad

Japanese Potato Salad (ポテト サラダ)

Have you tried this miso dressing recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Miso Dressing

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

This sweet and tangy miso dressing can be served with a salad or as a seasoning for your favorite protein! Only 6 ingredients needed!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: about 2/3 cup
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Whisking
• Cuisine: Japanese
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon white or awase miso paste
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Ground black pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until creamy.
2. Refrigerate in a jar or airtight storage container for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: about 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 110
• Sugar: 1.4g
• Sodium: 0.2mg
• Fat: 11.2g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 2.9g
• Fiber: 0.3g
• Protein: 0.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Vinaigrette, marinade

Recipe Card powered by

Miso Dressing (Quick and Easy!)
Pickled Plum.

This 5-minute salmon seasoning is the perfect way to give your fish a boost of flavor! Made with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a mix of other spices, this salmon seasoning will take your fish from boring to delicious in no time. So next time you’re feeling like your salmon needs a little something extra, give this seasoning a try!

If you’re looking for an easy way to flavor your salmon, this is the recipe for you. This quick and easy salmon seasoning is a blend of spices that gives the fish a delicious smoky flavor and a touch of heat. It can also be used with other seafood, tofu, or chicken.

What Are Some Other Fish Options?

If you don’t have salmon or are not a fan of salmon, you can use this seasoning on other firm fish such as tuna, arctic char, cod, or snapper.

Salmon Seasoning Ingredients

• Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika has a lovely smoky flavor with a little heat and sweetness. If you do not have smoked paprika you can use regular paprika or even cumin, for a mild curry taste.
• Garlic powder: Garlic powder has a roasted garlic flavor that’s sweeter and milder than actual garlic cloves, which is why it’s such a popular spice and one that most chefs love.
• Celery seed: Earthy and slightly bitter, celery seeds are more potent than celery stalks. I’m only using half a teaspoon because the flavor is very powerful and can quickly be overwhelming.
• Ichimi togarashi: Ichimi togarashi is a mix of coarsely ground chili peppers that add a little heat and color to the seasoning. It’s often used as a seasoning for noodle dishes and yakitori in Japan.
• Kosher salt: A little salt to add saltiness and give balance to this spice mix.
• Dried thyme: Floral and peppery, dried thyme has an earthy flavor that’s hard to resist! It also pairs beautifully with smoked paprika and gives the seasoning a rustic aroma.
• Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are nutty and even more flavorful once they are ground. You can use black or white sesame seeds.

Substitutions

If you don’t have ichimi togarashi, you can use chili pepper flakes. Gochugaru or cayenne pepper (a little goes a long way with cayenne pepper!) can also be used if you like food that’s very hot and smoky. Use fresh thyme instead of dried thyme to give the seasoning a fresher taste and aroma. If you are going to use fresh thyme, double the measurement, from one teaspoon to two teaspoons.

You can also add different herbs and spices to the seasoning to make it more complex. Some good options include dill, lemon zest, onion powder, ground ginger, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried parsley.

How To Make Salmon Seasoning

Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Put all the ingredients in a spice grinder and pulse a few times.
2. Transfer the seasoning to an airtight container or use it right away..

How Long Does Salmon Seasoning Last?

Salmon seasoning will last for up to 4 months in an airtight jar. Store it in a cool, dark place.

How To Season Salmon

There is no set amount of seasoning to use per pound of salmon so feel free to add the desired amount to taste. Also, here are couple of tip to help your fillets cook to perfection:

• Brush the salmon fillets with a little olive oil or melted butter on both sides to prevent the fish from sticking to foil or parchment paper. It also helps the seasoning to stick to the flesh and spread evenly across the surface.
• Add the seasoning to the fillets no more than 30 minutes before baking, broiling, or grilling. Since the seasoning contains salt, leaving it on for too long can break down the texture of the fish.

How To Cook Salmon

My favorite way to cook salmon for this recipe is to bake it in the oven. Keep in mind that the thickness of your fillets will dictate how long they will need to cook. According to The Kitchn, “for every half-inch of salmon, roast 4 to 6 minutes — 4 minutes will give you salmon that is still a touch rare, 6 minutes will thoroughly cook it.”

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place salmon filets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure that the skin side is facing down.
3. Sprinkle the homemade salmon seasoning evenly over the top of each filet.
4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.
5. Enjoy!

How Many Calories Are In Salmon?

A 4-ounce serving of salmon has about 200 calories and is a great source of protein and omega-3.

What To Serve With Salmon

When salmon comes to mind, we usually see it served with the classic combination of steamed vegetables and rice. And while there is nothing wrong with that, I prefer to make my salmon dinners more full flavored.

For example, instead of white rice I will make a Japanese fried rice, and instead of steamed vegetables I will stir fry some veggies with garlic sauce. This makes dinner a little more exciting and different since I regularly switch up side dishes.

Here are other delicious side options to pair with salmon:

• Italian cauliflower stir fry
• Chinese lotus root salad
• Air fryer french fries
• Bok choy with garlic and oyster sauce
• Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce
• Asian garlic noodles

Did you like this salmon seasoning recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Salmon Seasoning

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Made with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and other spices, this salmon seasoning will take your fish from boring to delicious in no time!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: about 4 1/2 tablespoons
• Category: Seasoning
• Method: Grinder
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika or paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ichimi togarashi
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients in a spice grinder and grind until smooth.
2. Transfer the seasoning to an airtight jar and store somewhere dark and cool for up to 4 months.

To season salmon: rub the fish with olive oil and sprinkle some seasoning on top, or on both sides if you are using skinless fillets.

• Bake in the oven at 400ºF for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Or broil it for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Or grill it until desired doneness.

I don’t recommend pan frying salmon with this type of seasoning since the seasoning burns quickly.

Notes

Store this salmon seasoning in an airtight container or jar and keep it in a cool, dark place, for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
• Calories: 8
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 54.7mg
• Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 1.3g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 0.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Recipe Card powered by

Other Salmon Recipes You Might Like

Salmon Teriyaki Donburi (丼)

Baked Salmon with Honey Sriracha Sauce

Ginger Garlic Air Fryer Salmon

The Best Salmon Croquettes

Salmon Seasoning
Pickled Plum.

Pomodoro sauce is a light and sweet red sauce that’s smoother in texture than your average tomato sauce. Serve it with your favorite pasta, and top with freshly chopped basil and grated parmesan for the ultimate Italian meal.

There’s something to be said for any any pasta sauce that tastes so good you end up eating with abandon.

In the process of cooking (and eating) pomodoro sauce over the years, I’ve ruined more than a few white t-shirts with sauce splatter.

Worth it? With flavor like this… Yes, I think so.

What is Pomodoro Sauce?

Pomodoro sauce is a classic Italian tomato sauce typically served with pasta. This blended sauce is smooth without any of the chunky properties you might find in other traditional pasta sauces.

Drop the word pomodoro into Google Translate, and the result you get is simply ‘tomato.’ And that makes sense. The flavor of this homemade Italian pasta sauce is the tomato in all it’s garden fresh glory.

It has a a simple ingredients and a comparatively short cooking time – all of which belie the deep, rich homecooked flavor.

Pomodoro Sauce Ingredients

Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: When it comes to olive oil, using the good stuff is important. Extra virgin olive oil is oil from the first press – and is, accordingly, the least processed. While it isn’t always cheap, you’ll definitely taste the difference.
• Garlic: Four medium to large garlic cloves will have you sitting pretty. I like to chop my garlic super fine so that it almost becomes a mince. It perfumes the oil with its earthy pungency in a very short time when heated. Alternatively, you can use a fine grater or a microplane to ease the workload.
• Tomatoes: I’m using whole, peeled canned tomatoes for this pasta sauce recipe. When using canned tomatoes, I usually look for Bianco DiNapoli or San Marzano tomatoes – but that’s just a personal preference. However, you can also use fresh tomatoes if you prefer. If you go that route, simply follow the cooking instructions from this chilled Japanese tomato pasta recipe. Remember to score fresh tomatoes before boiling them so you can easily remove the skin.
• Tomato Paste: Canned tomato paste is essentially a tomato concentrate made by cooking tomatoes down (for several hours), then straining out the skin and seeds – and removing the water content. Adding a couple tablespoons will give this tomato sauce a rich boost.
• Fresh Basil: I use a sprig or two of basil while cooking the sauce – and remove it before the final blending step. When making pasta pomodoro, I like to add sprinkling of Parmesan cheese a couple fresh basil leaves to the plated dish.
• Salt and Pepper: You’ll need a few pinches of each. When it comes to salting most things in my kitchen, I prefer kosher salt.

How to Make Pomodoro Sauce

1. Gather all of your cooking tools and ingredients.
2. Then get a medium sized pot going over medium heat – and add your olive oil and garlic.
3. Cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Then add your canned tomatoes, tomato paste, basil sprig – and salt and pepper. Stir and bring that mixture to boil.
4. Once boiling, lower the heat so that the sauce is simmering. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft enough that they easily break apart with a wooden spoon. If your sauce is watery at this point, you can pull the lid off and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off, remove your basil sprig and transfer the sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth. Or, if you prefer, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce inside the cooking pot. Once you’ve got your preferred texture, serve over pasta (or see below for other uses).

If you’re preparing this pomodoro sauce recipe as a pasta sauce, prepare your noodles in a large pot of salted water according to the instructions on the box.

Pomodoro Sauce Uses

My absolute favorite use for this Italian tomato sauce is pasta al pomodoro. And while I usually make spaghetti pomodoro at home, this quick pasta sauce is an all purpose plug-and-play with:

• Linguine
• Fettuccini
• Gnocchi

However, I have also been known to pull leftover sauce out of the freezer and use it for any number of homemade Italian recipes. Here are some other uses:

• Homemade pizza sauce
• Sauce for eggplant Parmesan or chicken Parmesan
• Pan fried zucchini cakes with Parmesan and tomato sauce
• A sauce for spiralized veggies like zucchini, daikon radish, carrots or beets
• Sauce for a meatball sub or Italian sausage sandwich
• Ravioli sauce

What’s your favorite use for pomodoro sauce (besides spaghetti pomodoro)? Sound off in the comments section below and tell me about your favorites!

Pomodoro Sauce VS Marinara Sauce

While the ingredients list for both Italian pasta sauces tends to be very similar, there are a few differences mainly related to to texture (and color to a lesser extent).

• Pomodoro sauce is smooth and rich. It’s thick without being gloppy. The smoothness is due to the blending of the sauce. The longer you cook this Italian red sauce, the deeper and more pronounced that dark red hue becomes.
• Marinara sauce has chunks of tomato, yet has an overall thinner texture than pomodoro. While not a completely runny sauce, the difference is noticeable. In my experience, marinara tends to keep a super bright red color as well. Many recipes for marinara sauce will also call for the addition of oregano (not typically used in pomodoro).

Is Pomodoro Sauce Spicy?

Pomodoro sauce is not inherently spicy. It’s more in the garden fresh, savory and naturally sweet zone.

However, you can easily add a pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like to breathe fire) to the sauce as it simmers to introduce a touch of heat.

How to Store Leftovers

You can store any leftover sauce in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

Or you can freeze your leftover spaghetti sauce.

• When freezing, it’s best to divide the sauce into single servings you can microwave as needed. Since it’s not a good idea to re-freeze a thawed sauce a second time, this will keep you from wasting any.
• As long as the pomodoro sauce is in airtight containers, you can freeze for up to 6 months.

Delicious and Easy Pasta Recipes

Chilled Japanese Tomato Shiso Pasta

Homemade All-Purpose Tomato Sauce

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Napolitan (ナポリタン)

Did you like this pomodoro sauce recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Pomodoro Sauce

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

Serve this light, sweet, and tangy pomodoro sauce with your favorite pasta. Top with freshly chopped basil and grated parmesan for the ultimate Italian meal.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 27 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a medium size pot over medium heat, add the garlic and olive oil.
2. Cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil sprig, salt, and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to low, to a bubbling simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft enough that you can easily break them with a spoon.
4. Turn the heat off, remove the basil sprig, and transfer the sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth and serve with pasta. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer and blend until smooth straight in the pot.

Notes

Save the sauce in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. 

Freezing: You can divide the sauce into individual servings and save them in airtight storage bags or containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 133
• Sugar: 6.1g
• Sodium: 388.7mg
• Fat: 11.1g
• Saturated Fat: 1.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 9.4g
• Fiber: 4.2g
• Protein: 2.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Recipe Card powered by

Pomodoro Sauce
Pickled Plum.

Looking for a sweet, tangy, and moderately spicy duck sauce to dip your spring rolls in? Look no further! With only 4 ingredients needed, this homemade duck sauce is so much better than the store bought version. In fact, it’s so good that it may become your new favorite dipping sauce!

Since I was a little girl eating out at the Chinese buffet in my hometown, duck sauce has been a mainstay anytime I indulged in an egg roll.

On the other hand, Ben figures he’s binned thousands of plastic packets from Chinese takeout orders over the years, citing the orange sauce as far too sweet and one-note.

And while many Chinese restaurants make their own duck sauce in-house that FAR exceeds the flavors of the mass produced stuff, it’s pretty tough to get that sealed in to packets for to go orders.

This inspired me to experiment with a simple combination of store bought sauces, that jettisoned ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, to see if I could make a sauce that paid proper tribute to the original – while creating a more well rounded flavor you can enjoy at home anytime. No packet needed!

What is Duck Sauce?

Duck sauce is an often orange, sweet sauce – akin to a thin marmalade – that is served alongside fried foods at many Cantonese restaurants in North America.

It is so ingrained in the North-American Chinese restaurant experience that most people expect to see a small bowl of the thick, neon sauce accompanying a plate of egg rolls, fried wonton strips or fried noodles at the restaurant.

Why is it Called Duck Sauce?

There’s a deep red condiment that is frequently used as a glaze on (and is often served alongside) Peking duck called hoisin sauce.

And while hoisin sauce is definitely its own thing, it may have morphed in the Chinese-American food lexicon throughout the years into something akin to the condiment we now call duck sauce.

Duck Sauce Ingredients

Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.

• Apricot Preserves: This provides the lion’s share of sweetness to this homemade duck sauce recipe without dipping into cloying territory – like with some of the neon colored egg roll sauce you might find in packets or at takeout restaurants. While my preference is definitely preserves, apricot jam would work (as would preserves and jams flavored with peaches or plums – or even jarred Chinese plum sauce).
• Chili Garlic Sauce: You’ll get a dose of medium heat and well rounded earthiness from garlic chili sauce. You can also use sambal oelek for its unique blend of savory and tangy fire. Steer clear of sweet chili sauce, as this dipping sauce is already sweet enough. It’s pretty easy to find many Asian chili sauces at your corner grocery store in the Asian ingredients aisle. Or you can grab garlic chili sauce here on Amazon.
• Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar: Vinegar delivers tartness to this dipping sauce – without being overtly sharp. Apple cider vinegar in particular has fruity tasting notes perfuming and complimenting the sourness. Rice vinegar is mellow and slightly sweet. Just keep in mind that seasoned rice vinegar usually has added sugar and salt. Regular rice vinegar is just the vinegar itself.
• Soy Sauce: The bringer of salty, umami richness. Think of soy sauce as the low end of the flavor spectrum – the bass. While you only need a tablespoon of soy sauce to make this duck sauce recipe, you’d miss it if it wasn’t there. It’s the savory lynchpin that tempers the natural sweetness and shimmering heat. If you’re steering clear of wheat in your daily diet, use tamari or liquid aminos instead.

How to Make Duck Sauce

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small pot over low heat on your stovetop.
3. Then stir constantly until the apricot preserves dissolve and mix evenly with the other liquid ingredients.
4. Next, turn the heat off and run the entire mixture through a strainer or sieve. Alternatively, if you prefer a more lumpy sauce, omit this straining step.
5. Finally, allow the sauce to come to room temperature prior to serving.

What Does Duck Sauce Taste Like?

As we touched on, this tangy sauce recipe is sweet, without coming across as overtly sugary or cloying. There are fruity notes from the preserves and apple cider vinegar – which are heartily contrasted by the garlicky, earthy and umami notes.

And there’s enough heat to know it’s there – without resorting to anything resembling the scorched earth you might find in something like a Thai influenced (and crazy hot) homemade chili garlic sauce.

The flavor is so well rounded that I end up using this Americanized-Chinese sauce in a ton of (likely unintended) ways.

What to Serve With Duck Sauce

Some of the best applications involve deep fried foods:

• Egg rolls and spring rolls
• Wontons and fried wonton strips
• Crab Rangoon
• Fried chicken wings

However, you could also use it as an all purpose glaze for tofu, meat, fish, or shellfish. And I have a friend that swears this is his favorite dipping sauce when he makes an elaborate Peking duck feast at home.

What about you? How to you enjoy Chinese duck sauce? Sound off in the comments section and tell me about your favorite uses!

How to Store Leftovers

Store any leftovers of this iconic Chinese-American dipping sauce in a glass jar with an airtight lid in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a month.

It’s the perfect condiment to have on hand anytime you want to level up your take out egg rolls at home!

Other Easy Asian Sauce Recipes

Hot Sichuan Chili Oil

The Best Dumpling Sauce Recipe

Black Bean Sauce

Bibimbap Sauce

Did you like this duck sauce recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Duck Sauce

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

This sweet, tangy, and moderately spicy duck sauce only requires 4 ingredients to make and 10 minutes cooking time. 

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cup
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Chinese
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (like Sambal Oelek)
• 2 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a small pot and turn the heat to low.
2. Stir constantly until the apricot preserves dissolve and mix with the other ingredients.
3. Turn the heat off and run the mixture through a strainer, or you can serve it as is.
4. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Store this duck sauce in a jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month. 

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 66
• Sugar: 11.7g
• Sodium: 46.9mg
• Fat: 0.1g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 17.4g
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Protein: 0.3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Recipe Card powered by

Duck Sauce
Pickled Plum.

Craving restaurant quality Chinese food at home? You can rely on this pungent, savory, earthy and aromatic black bean sauce recipe to deliver authenticity and depth of flavor! This versatile Chinese sauce can be used as a condiment, a marinade, or stir fry sauce!

My Japanese mom loves Chinese food.

So when she stayed with us in Brooklyn over the holidays one year, we ordered an obscene amount of Chinese takeout. Her favorite dish was the shrimp with black bean sauce.

Succulent, tender shrimp with stir fried onions and chives, studded with garlicky and salty bits of fermented black beans became her go-to order over that holiday break.

She liked it so much that I decided to make my own homemade Chinese black bean sauce so we’d always have some in the fridge.

What is Black Bean Sauce?

Chinese black bean sauce is a pungent, savory, earthy and aromatic sauce that features fermented black soybeans. It is used both as a condiment and as a main flavoring element in composed dishes.

Featured prominently in the Chinese food lexicon, black bean sauce variations are also well known in other Asian cultures recipes. For example chunjang is a Korean black bean paste used in recipes like Jajangmyeong.

However, unlike Korean chunjang, the Chinese version we’re making today isn’t really a paste at all. It’s much chunkier.

The best black bean sauce is an uneven mixture of mashed beans, smaller chopped pieces and larger pieces alike. We’ll talk about how to achieve that mixture in the recipe steps in a sec.

Black Bean Sauce Recipe Ingredients

Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.

• Fermented Black Beans (Douchi): These black soybeans are salted and fermented and have a salty, earthy, tangy and umami flavor with a semi-dry texture. Because of their strong salty notes, most chefs rinse them before using. You should be able to find fermented black beans in most Asian grocery stores – or you can grab them here on Amazon. Store any remaining fermented beans in the fridge.
• Neutral Oil: I use vegetable oil or grapeseed oil for this recipe.
• Garlic and Shallot: These are your aromatics that you’ll first cook in the oil. Two tablespoons of minced garlic – and a small shallot, minced – will do nicely. A small amount of minced onion could stand in for the shallot if needed.
• Brown Sugar: A tablespoon of brown sugar will round out this otherwise savory sauce with a faint, understated sweetness.
• Shaoxing Wine: This is an amber colored Chinese cooking wine made of fermented rice, water and wheat. It ads a rich flavor to the dishes it is used in. Most brands of this rice wine add a bit of salt to the wine (similar to the added salt in Japanese cooking sake) which allows it to be sold as a food ingredient rather than an alcoholic beverage. If you can’t find shaoxing wine at your local shop, an equal amount of dry sherry is a good substitute.
• Soy Sauce: The ubiquitous bringer of savory, umami flavors. You’ll need about 2 tbsp for this recipe.
• Broth: You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, mixed with 1 tsp cornstarch as a thickener. Since the other ingredients in this sauce are so savory, I recommend you use low sodium broth. If you opt for veggie broth, this black bean garlic sauce is 100% vegan.

How to Make Black Bean Sauce

• First, gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
• Then place the fermented black beans in a strainer and rinse, drain well – and transfer them to a cutting board. Chop the beans – but leave some pieces larger than the others. Transfer the beans to a small bowl.
• Next, mash half of the chopped beans with a fork (until almost a black bean paste). Leave the other half un-mashed.
• Get a small pan going over low heat and add the oil, minced garlic and shallot.
• Stir the mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, until you see the appearance of small bubbles in the oil.
• Then add your fermented black beans and brown sugar and stir well.
• Next, add the shaoxing wine, soy sauce and broth and stir until mixed.
• Cover and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Then you can remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 3 mins.
• Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature inside the saucepan.
• Finally, transfer the sauce to a jar. This sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

What Does Black Bean Sauce Taste Like?

The first thing you’ll notice is the savory, salty notes from the beans themselves. And when you bite into whole bean that wasn’t fully chopped, that umami is quite pronounced.

However, there’s also a fragrant undertone from the garlic and minced shallot that tempers the saltiness and allows a bit of sweetness to peep through around the edges.

You’ll also note that the sauce has an intangible depth to it – an almost smoky earthiness. It’s that almost indescribable depth that makes this assertive sauce work in almost any dish you use it in.

How to use Black Bean Sauce

I routinely use Chinese black bean sauce as a condiment, a marinade – and as a fully composed stir fry sauce.

A spoonful can compliment things like fried rice, Asian lettuce wraps, omelettes – or you give your homemade beef and broccoli an extra punch of depth by adding a little just before serving.

However, as a composed stir fry sauce, you can simply cook your ingredients in the wok, add the black been sauce – and dinner is served. It goes well with tofu, veggies, meat, seafood and noodle dishes alike.

One of Ben’s favorites is fresh cockles in black bean garlic sauce… YUM!

How to Store Black Bean Sauce

This delicious Chinese condiment can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one-month.

A little separation is to be expected. Just stir well and reincorporate the oil before using.

I prefer using glass containers – but much of that is due to the fact that I like to be able to open the fridge and see what I have to work with. It’s especially helpful when you’ve got food searing in a screaming hot wok and need the right stir fry sauce NOW.

Other Easy Asian Sauce Recipes

It’s so handy to have a fridge full of homemade master sauces. Whipping up an easy stir fry at the end of a long day – or adding flavor to a dish that needs a little extra help has never been easier.

Here are a few reader favorites

Bibimbap Sauce

Hot Sichuan Chili Oil

Eel Sauce – うなぎのタレ

Easy Hoisin Sauce

Did you like this black bean sauce recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Black Bean Sauce

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

This pungent, savory, earthy and aromatic black bean sauce recipe delivers authenticity and depth of flavor to your Chinese favorites! Use this versatile sauce as a condiment, a marinade, or stir fry sauce!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: about 1 cup
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Chinese
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fermented black beans
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth mixed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Place the fermented black beans in a strainer and rinse. Drain well and transfer them to a cutting board. Chop the beans, leaving some pieces bigger than others, and transfer them to a bowl.  
2. With a fork, mash about half of the beans and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the oil, garlic, and shallot. 
4. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until small bubbles appear in the oil.  
5. Add the fermented black beans and brown sugar and stir.
6. Add the shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and chicken broth (or veggie broth) and stir.
7. Cover and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
8. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
9. Turn the heat off and let the sauce cool to room temperature.
10. Transfer the sauce to a jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Notes

This black bean sauce will keep, stored in an airtight jar or storage container, in the fridge, for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
• Calories: 50
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 113.2mg
• Fat: 3.5g
• Saturated Fat: 2.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 4g
• Fiber: 1.1g
• Protein: 1.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: sauce, seasoning

Recipe Card powered by

Black Bean Sauce
Pickled Plum.

Like it spicy? This homemade taberu rayu is loaded with garlic, scallions, and ginger. This fiery red flavored oil will round out your Japanese favorites such as gyoza and ramen.

What is Rayu?

Rāyu (ラー油) is Japanese chili oil. This delicious Japanese condiment is used to introduce smoky heat to things like ramen, gyoza dipping sauce, soups or even pasta.

Now, there are actually two different types of rayu.

• Traditional rayu, layu, or la-yu. This is the most common type of Japanese chili oil available. You may be familiar with the small but iconic S&B bottle on the shelves at your local Asian market.
• Taberu rayu (食べるラー油), which translates roughly into rayu meant for eating. This chunky chili oil is fortified with bits of crunchy garlic, ginger and spring onion. It can be used in the same ways as the smooth oil – or you can serve the chunky bits on top of a bowl of rice.

We’re making the latter today. However, this spicy rayu actually pulls double duty – and can be served however you prefer. More on that in a sec.

This addictive Japanese chili oil is Ben’s new favorite – and he has been adding it to (almost) everything. While he has an unusually high tolerance for spicy foods, I’d rate the spice level at about a 7 or so. It packs a punch!

Ingredients for Rayu

Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.

• Ginger and Garlic: You’ll want a finely chopped tablespoon of each for this rayu recipe. The ginger brings a zing and some heat – while garlic lends its trademark pungency to the mix. And, in my opinion – there’s nothing better than bits of crunchy garlic in chili oil!
• Scallions: Fresh green onions are herbaceous – but when they’re cooked in oil they take on an almost toasted onion quality. A must!
• Cinnamon Stick and Star Anise: While cinnamon and star anise might be something you’d typically associate with five-spice powder used in Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, it goes so well in this Japanese chili oil, delivering yet another layer to the multifaceted flavor profile.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: This nutty and intensely toasty oil has a relatively low smoking point. So you’ll want to make sure not to scorch the oil when cooking.
• Ichimi Togarashi: This is ground red Japanese chili pepper powder. It’s a great way to add heat to this dish without being overtly volcanic. If you’re having trouble finding it at your corner shop, you can grab ichimi togarashi here on Amazon. A workable substitute would be to use gochugaru instead (a smoky Korean chili powder).
• Chinese Red Pepper Flakes: These dried chili flakes are actually hot! I like to use a tablespoon myself for this rayu recipe – but you can use a bit more (or less if you prefer things on the milder side).
• Salt: This is optional, but a pinch will go a long way toward rounding out the savory nature of this homemade chili oil.

How to Make Chili Oil

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Add half of the oil to a small pot, and add in the chopped ginger, garlic, scallions, the whole cinnamon stick and star anise. Turn the heat to low and let the oil simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. You should only see small bubbles at this point. Large bubbles means that the heat is too high. Seriously, keep it on low heat. Don’t scorch your homemade chili oil!
3. Turn the heat off and stir in your remaining sesame oil, ichimi togarashi and Chinese red pepper flakes.
4. Add a pinch of salt for extra flavor.
5. Let the rayu sit in the pan until it reaches room temperature. Once it has cooled, discard the cinnamon stick and the star anise pods. Transfer everything else to a glass jar.
6. When serving, you have two options:

• Chili oil only (rāyu). If you’re looking for smooth oil without crunchy bits, don’t shake the jar! Simply scoop the flavored oil from the top of the jar with a spoon. You can also strain the oil through cheesecloth or a sieve.
• Crispy chili oil (taberu rāyu). If you prefer to enjoy this chili oil recipe in all its glory with the crispy garlic, ginger and scallions, you can shake the jar prior to serving so that all the ingredients are mixed well.

How to Use Rayu

As I mentioned, this Japanese chili oil is most iconically used to round out a dish. It is the best spicy ad-in to complete a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen.

And it can really elevate something like a dipping sauce to new levels. Check out these easy recipes for both Japanese and Chinese dumpling sauces.

But this taberu rayu also has great crossover appeal. You could use it as a stand alone dipping sauce when eating Chinese dim sum.

Now, while rayu is typically used as a condiment, it can also technically be used as a cooking ingredient as part of a composed dish. Ben has been using it as a base for some of his late-night East-meets-West pasta inventions.

How to store Japanese Chili Oil

Rayu chili oil can be stored in a glass storage jar at room temperature for about two months. I prefer to place it in a dark, cool cupboard to keep the vibrant reddish tint from changing color due to sun exposure.

Trust me, this stuff will come in handy! You never know when you’ll need to need to make a midnight bowl of ramen or whip up some crispy, pan-fried gyoza dumplings!

Other Easy Asian Sauces

As a home chef, I find it’s always a good thing to have a few condiments and easy sauce recipes in your back pocket. Hey – if you’re like me, you like to keep it saucy too!

Here are a few reader favorites:

• Hot Sichuan Chili Oil
• Quick Homemade Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste)
• Yakisoba Sauce
• Crazy Hot Chili Garlic Sauce
• Quick and Easy Tonkatsu Sauce

Did you like this homemade rayu recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Homemade Rayu – Japanese Chili Oil

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

This homemade taberu rayu is loaded with garlic, scallions, and ginger. This fiery red flavored oil will round out your Japanese favorites such as gyoza and ramen.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: about 3/4 cup
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Japanese
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 3/4 cup toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons ichimi togarashi
• 1 tablespoon Chinese red pepper flakes
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, cinnamon stick, star anise, and half of the oil to a small pot. Turn the heat to low and let the oil simmer until small bubbles begin to appear, about 3 to 5 minutes. 
2. Turn the heat off and stir in the remaining sesame oil, ichimi togarashi, and Chinese red pepper flakes. 
3. Add a pinch of salt for extra flavor.
4. Leave until the oil reaches room temperature, discard the cinnamon stick and star anise, and transfer the rest to a jar. 
5. When using the flavored oil only, leave the ingredients at the bottom (do not stir) and scoop the oil from the top. Or you can strain the oil by running it through a cheesecloth or a fine sieve. When using chunky taberu rayu, stir well so everything is well mixed.

Notes

How to store the oil: Keep the oil in a dark storage area like a cupboard to prevent the color from changing. It will keep for about 2 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
• Calories: 124
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 7.3mg
• Fat: 13.7g
• Saturated Fat: 1.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 0.7g
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Protein: 0.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Seasoned oil, sauce, ramen oil

Recipe Card powered by

Homemade Rayu – Japanese Chili Oil
Pickled Plum.

Feeling like devouring a Korean rice bowl but don’t have bibimbap sauce? No worries! I have an easy bibimbap sauce you can make with 6 ingredients and in just 5 minutes!

Bibimbap is one of those amazing recipes that encompasses everything that I love about Korean food – it’s colorful, filled with veggies, and comes with a pungent, spicy, sweet and salty sauce. I think bibimbap sauce is absolutely delicious, but sometimes, it can get a little too spicy for me. I love heat but not to the point where I can no longer taste my food.

And that’s a problem I unfortunately encounter at times when I’m out having Korean food. I love the cuisine so much that I want to eat it every week, but my taste buds can only take so many hits of fiery red sauce before they can no longer consume another bite.

That’s why I like to make my own bibimbap sauce, and gochujang too for that matter! I get to control the spice level so that I can fully enjoy Korean food with its crazy and yummy flavors.

This recipe for bibimbap sauce is a spicy but not too spicy version that’s easy to tweak to your liking. Below you will find variations on how to make it hotter, not hot at all, sweeter, and not so sweet!

What is Bibimbap?

Bibimbap is a popular Korean rice bowl dish served with a variety of seasoned vegetables, kimchi, meats, and/or tofu, and topped with a raw egg and bibimbap sauce. The best way to enjoy bibimbap is by mixing all of the ingredients with a spoon so the flavor from each ingredient is evenly distributed.

Using leftover banchan (side dishes offered with rice), such as sookju namul (Korean bean sprout salad), spicy cucumber salad, and kimchi, are also often used to make homemade bibimbap. It’s the perfect meal to make with leftovers, a little like making fried rice!

Ingredients for Bibimbap Sauce

• Gochujang: Gochujang is a spicy, sweet, savory, and nutty, red chili paste that’s a staple ingredient in Korean cooking. We will need 1/4 cup for this recipe.
• Garlic: The garlic bits add another layer of pungency to this already powerful sauce. Make sure to take the time to finely chop them as biting into big garlic chunks can be unpleasant.
• Sesame oil: One tablespoon of sesame oil smooths out the texture of the sauce while giving it an extra kick of nuttiness.
• Honey: The honey infuses a floral element and plenty of sweetness to the sauce.
• Sugar: Using a little sugar helps to tone down some of the floral notes of the honey, while bringing the sweetness to the forefront.
• Rice vinegar: I like using a little rice vinegar to lighten up the sauce for a more refreshing taste.
• Salt: Adding salt is completely optional but I personally find that the sauce tastes more balanced with a little pinch of it.

How to Make Bibimbap Sauce

1. Gather all of your ingredients and cooking tools in one place.
2. Add the ingredients for the bibimbap sauce in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
3. Enjoy with your own homemade Korean rice bowl!

Variations

Make it more spicy: Add 1 t0 2 teaspoons of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or freshly grated ginger.

Make it less spicy: Use 1 tablespoon less of gochujang and add 1 tablespoon water. You can also add a little more rice vinegar to tone down the spiciness.

Make it kid friendly (not spicy at all): Swap gochujang for doengjang (soy bean paste) and mix 2 tablespoons doengjang with 2 tablespoon water.

Make it less sweet: Use 1 tablespoon less of honey. Honey is sweeter than sugar so it’s best to reduce the amount of honey first.

Other Homemade Asian Sauces

I really love making my own Asian sauces because I get to control the amount that I make (I don’t have a whole bottle at the store if I only need a couple of tablespoons) and what goes into them. Plus, I find that they taste better 99% of the time!

One thing you will notice once you start making your own sauces on a regular basis is how easy the process is. They usually don’t require more than 5-10 ingredients and only take a few minutes to whip up. They may not last as long as store bought ones but that’s because they contain no artificial ingredients, which makes them better for you and your family.

Here are some of my favorite homemade Asian sauces:

• Tonkatsu sauce
• Eel sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Gochujang
• Dumpling sauce

How to Store Bibimbap Sauce

It’s preferable to put the sauce in a glass container since it might stain a plastic one. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. It’s always best to do a sniff test before using the sauce just to make sure it hasn’t gone bad.

Did you like this Bibimbap Sauce Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Bibimbap Sauce

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This is an easy bibimbap sauce you can make with only 6 ingredients and in just 5 minutes.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1/2 cup
• Category: Sauce
• Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup gochujang
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Serve.

Notes

Storing bibimbap sauce

Transfer the sauce to a glass container as it may stay a plastic one, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 51
• Sugar: 8.4g
• Sodium: 156.6mg
• Fat: 1.7g
• Saturated Fat: 0.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 9.9g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: banchan, rice bowl, spicy sauce, hot sauce

Recipe Card powered by

Bibimbap Sauce
Pickled Plum.

Making yakisoba sauce at home is easy! Use it to make yakisoba from scratch or to add extra flavor to your bowl of Maruchan yakisoba. It’s delicious!

What is Yakisoba Sauce?

Yakisoba sauce (焼きそばソース) is a Japanese condiment used for yakisoba, a dish consisting of wheat noodles pan fried with mixed vegetables and topped with aonori (seaweed flakes) and beni shōga (red ginger pickles). The word yakisoba literally means ‘fried noodles’.

While you can purchase packages of pre-made yakisoba such as Maruchan (Gotsumori), or frozen yakisoba noodles with powdered sauce, I find that the homemade version is much better, and not that much more time consuming. You can also make extra and keep it in the fridge for up to a month so the next time you cook will be even faster!

Ingredients for Yakisoba Sauce

• Worcestershire sauce: What makes yakisoba sauce so irresistible is the tangy spicy taste that hits your palate as soon as you take the first bite. Adjusting the amount of worcestershire sauce is what makes the sauce more or less tangy. This one is pretty tangy so I suggest lowering the amount by 1 tablespoon and adding more sugar if you prefer it sweet.
• Soy sauce: Soy sauce adds earthiness and plenty of umami to this classic Japanese sauce. Use regular soy sauce, or skip the salt if you use lite soy sauce as it’s usually saltier.
• Oyster sauce: My favorite oyster sauce is by Lee Kum Kee, which is rich in umami and less sweet than other brands such as Ka-Me or Kikkoman.
• Sugar: I like my yakisoba sauce to be equally sweet, salty, and tangy. But feel free to add an additional teaspoon or two of sugar if you enjoy a sweeter version.
• Salt: Half a teaspoon of salt is the perfect amount to marry sweet, umami, and tangy together.
• Black pepper: Optional but I love to add a little ground black pepper for some heat.

How to Make Yakisoba Sauce

1. Place all the ingredients for the yakisoba sauce in a microwave proof container and stir.
2. Microwave for 20 seconds on high and stir well. Enjoy!

I have two recipes where you can use this sauce:

• My yakisoba recipe using packaged yakisoba noodles. For this recipe, simply use the homemade yakisoba sauce instead of the powdered seasoning the package comes with. I recommend 2 tablespoons of yakisoba sauce per serving of noodles.
• My vegetable chow mein recipe, which also qualifies as yakisoba. Once again, swap the sauce I have written in the recipe for this one.

Best Way to Store Yakisoba Sauce

Keep yakisoba sauce in a jar, tightly sealed and refrigerate it for up to one month.

You can also freeze yakisoba sauce!

Let the sauce cool to room temperature first. I recommend freezing the sauce in individual portions if it’s just for one, otherwise, save the sauce in an airtight storage container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Where to Buy Pre-Made Yakisoba Sauce

If you still prefer to buy pre-made yakisoba sauce, visit an Asian grocery store or Japanese supermarket. The most popular brand is Otafuku but you can also use something like Bulldog or Hikari Okonomi sauce if you can’t find it.

Bulldog is typically used for tonkatsu or as a sauce for sandwiches, and Hikari for okonomiyaki (obviously!), but they are similar enough to yakisoba sauce to be interchangeable.

These sauces are also available on Amazon.

Other Ways to Use Yakisoba Sauce

Yakisoba sauce is very versatile and can be used for so much more than just yakisoba!

It can be used in vegetable stir fries, to make fried rice (only use a little bit), with other noodle dishes, as a sauce for wraps and sandwiches, or as a dipping sauce for tofu, chicken or meat.

Other Homemade Japanese Sauce

Once you start making your own sauce at home, it’s hard to go back to the store bought version since you get to make it exactly how you like it! If you enjoyed this yakisoba sauce recipe, you might enjoy making these ones as well:

• Eel sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Tonkatsu sauce
• Sweet and sour sauce
• General Tso sauce

Did you like this Yakisoba Sauce Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Yakisoba Sauce

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Making yakisoba sauce at home is easy! Use it to make yakisoba from scratch or to add extra flavor to your bowl of Maruchan yakisoba.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 seconds
• Total Time: 5 minutes 20 seconds
• Yield: about 3/4 cup
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Microwave
• Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sake
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 5 teaspoons sugar (add an additional teaspoon for sweeter)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and stir.
2. Microwave for 20 seconds and stir. Serve.

I have two recipes where you can use this sauce:

• My yakisoba recipe using packaged yakisoba noodles. For this recipe, simply use the homemade yakisoba sauce instead of the powdered seasoning the package comes with. I recommend 2 tablespoons of yakisoba sauce per serving of noodles.
• My vegetable chow mein recipe, which also qualifies as yakisoba. Once again, swap the sauce I have written in the recipe for this one.

Notes

• This yakisoba sauce will keep refrigerated in an airtight storage container for up to 1 month
• It can also be frozen! Let the sauce cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight storage container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 49
• Sugar: 5.5g
• Sodium: 1343.4mg
• Fat: 0.1g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 9.7g
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Protein: 1.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: seasoning, noodle sauce

Recipe Card powered by

Yakisoba Sauce – 焼きそばソース
Pickled Plum.

Homemade sweet and sour sauce is so much better than store bought because you get to make it as sweet or as sour as you want. Plus, it only takes 7 minutes to make from start to finish!

What is Sweet and Sour Sauce?

The original sweet and sour sauce comes from the Chinese province of Henan. It was used as a condiment for fish, meats, and vegetables, and was made of a mixture of light vinegar and sugar.

What’s interesting is that the Henan version of sweet and sour sauce is only used there. The rest of mainland China has a different version of sweet and sour sauce, which is traditionally made with a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, cloves, and other spices. Sometimes tomato paste is added, however it’s not very common.

In China, sweet and sour sauce is used more often as a dipping sauce than as a cooking sauce, like it is here in the U.S.

The Western version of sweet and sour sauce is Cantonese and comes from Hong Kong. It was originally created for sweet and sour pork (咕嚕肉).

Here in the U.S, the sauce is used in stir fries (like this sweet and sour tofu recipe) and as a dipping sauce. The main difference between the sauce you taste here and the one in Hong Kong is in the level of sweetness – it tends to be on the sweeter side here while the Hong Kong version is more complex, savory, and tangy.

Since I’m based in the U.S, this recipe is going to be closer to the American version than the Chinese version. But I will show you how to tweak it so it can be exactly the way you like it!

Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Sauce

• Sugar: Brown sugar is what I like to use but you can use granulated sugar as well. 1/3 cup is enough to give the sauce the perfect balance between sweet and sour.
• Salt: Salt is necessary to balance the flavors and bring out the sauce’s tanginess.
• Ketchup: You can use ketchup or Worcestershire sauce. If you use Worcestershire sauce, start with 1 tablespoon and do a taste test. Add more if needed.
• Soy sauce: Soy sauce adds depth of flavor to the sauce by adding umami and a savory note.
• Vinegar: You can use plain rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Water: Use cold or room temperature water to dissolve the cornstarch. If you start the recipe with hot water, the cornstarch will turn gloopy.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is necessary to thicken the sauce and give it its gooey texture.

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Small pot
• Whisk
• Glass jar or other storage container

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

1. Gather all of your ingredients for this recipe.
2. Put all the ingredients in a small pot and whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.
3. Turn the heat to medium high and keep whisking until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
4. Turn off heat and transfer the sauce to a glass jar or other storage container.
5. Use immediately or let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating it.

How to Tweak this Sauce to Make it Perfect for You

Make it more sweet

To make the sauce sweeter, add sugar in increments of 1 teaspoon at a time. Do a taste test every time you add sugar so the sauce doesn’t end up too sweet.

Make it less sweet

Start with 1/4 cup of sugar and do a taste test. Add more if needed. You can also swap the ketchup for Worcestershire sauce. Since Worcestershire sauce is quite strong, start with 1 tablespoon and work your way up from there.

Make it more tangy

Add an additional tablespoon of vinegar and/or use Worcestershire sauce instead of ketchup.

Make it less tangy

Replace 1 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar with water.

Make it the traditional Chinese way

Use this combination of ingredients and follow the recipe the same way:

• 1 1/2 tablespoon shaoxing wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar or black vinegar
• 150ml water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)

How to Use Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and sour sauce can be used in many different ways which makes it a lot of fun to cook with. Here are my favorite uses for it:

• In stir fries for dishes like sweet and sour chicken or pork. Make the stir fry first and add a couple of spoonfuls of sweet and sour sauce in the end, right before turning off the heat. Or go vegetarian with this delicious sweet and sour tofu recipe.
• As a dipping sauce to a vegetable plate. I love to add crisp iceberg lettuce leaves like to my vegetable plate as they pair so well with this sauce.
• As a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, and fried wontons. It’s a classic, you can’t go wrong here.

Other Easy Homemade Sauces

Here are other easy homemade sauces you can make in just a few minutes!

• Tonkatsu sauce
• Japanese mayo (kewpie mayo)
• Tartar sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Eel sauce

How to Store it in the Fridge and the Freezer

In the fridge:

Store the sauce in a jar or storage container and refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

In the freezer: The sauce will have a much longer shelf life when frozen so the best way to save it, if you made a lot more than you needed, is to portion it out so you only take out from the freezer what you need. You can use food storage plastic bags or airtight storage containers.

To thaw, place the sauce in the microwave and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Or you can put the frozen sauce in a small pot and thaw it over medium heat.

Did you like this Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Homemade sweet and sour sauce is so much better than store bought because you get to make it as sweet or as sour as you want. Plus, it only takes 7 minutes to make from start to finish!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 7 minutes
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cup
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Chinese
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup brown sugar
2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
3. 2 tablespoons ketchup or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
5. 5 1/2 tablespoons plain rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
6. 2/3 cup water
7. 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a small pot over low heat, add all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce.
2. Stir and turn the heat up to medium.
3. Keep stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
4. Turn the heat off and transfer to a jar or other storage container. 
5. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

In the fridge: Store the sauce in a jar or storage container and refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

In the freezer: Portion out the sauce into serving sizes in food storage plastic bags, or airtight storage containers so you only take out from the freezer what you need.

To thaw, place the sauce in the microwave and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Or you can put the frozen sauce in a small pot and thaw it over medium heat.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 32
• Sugar: 6.2g
• Sodium: 198.3mg
• Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 7.6g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: condiment, stir fry sauce

Recipe Card powered by

Sweet and Sour Sauce (糖醋醬)
Pickled Plum.

If you are looking for the magic ingredient that makes Sichuan food so irresistible, look no further – this is it! Smoky, garlicky, salty, and hot, this all-purpose chili oil can turn a boring veggie or noodle dish into one of the best meals of your life!

I’ve been missing good Sichuan food lately, especially from Han Dynasty, our go-to restaurant that was walking distance from our place in Brooklyn.

Ben and I used to go there almost every weekend to order our usual cumin fries, spicy mung bean noodles, and double cooked fish. The place wasn’t cheap but we could never get enough of their magic sauce. Almost every dish was served with the same spicy, salty, and fragrant oil. You’d think we’d get bored of it but it was the exact opposite – the oil was so good that we wanted to bottle it up and take it home!

But 10 months ago we had to say goodbye to dear old Brooklyn in order to be closer to an ailing parent, and temporarily relocated to Des Moines, Iowa.

Since then it’s been a bit of a challenge to find good Asian food. Plus, with the current situation this country is facing, it’s not as if we would feel comfortable eating out anyway. We spend most of our time at home except for one weekly trip to the grocery store (both wearing masks) and a daily walk, or two.

This means I’ve had time to expand my pantry with plenty of basic homemade Asian sauces and flavored oils. It makes cooking so much easier and faster! I can use one sauce to make a quick stir fry, use another one to marinate fish or tofu, or grab a finishing oil to drizzle over noodles. Huge time savers!

This hot Sichuan chili oil holds a permanent spot in my pantry. It’s Ben’s favorite condiment, to the point where he puts in on absolutely everything. It may not taste exactly like the one from Han Dynasty but it’s pretty close to it, and I’m really happy with the result!

Ingredients for Chili Oil

• Oil: You can use any type of neutral oil since we won’t be cooking it at a high temperature. Just stay away from oils such as olive oil or coconut oil as the strong flavor will clash with the other ingredients.
• Star anise: You can really taste the star anise in this chili oil! The sweet licorice taste of this star shaped plant marries perfectly with the mixture of smoky, salty, and hot flavors.
• Cinnamon stick: A simple cinnamon stick can add an interest mix of woody, pungent, and sweet taste to the oil.
• Bay leaf: When bay leaf steeps in liquid for a while it develops a minty, peppery taste.
• Cloves: Cloves infuse the oil with pungent and astringent flavors that leave the mouth with a slight puckery and numbing effect.
• Garlic: Aside from being smoky, salty, hot, and aromatic, this chili oil is also very garlicky! Just lay your knife flat over the bulb and lightly crush it.
• Shallot: The shallot adds a little sweetness and bitterness to the oil. If you don’t have a shallot you can use 1-2 scallions stalks, chopped.
• Szechuan peppercorns: Aside from the Chinese chili flakes, Szechuan peppercorns are the other ingredients that infuse the oil with plenty of heat. They also produce a numbing sensation around the lips and tongue which is a common quality found in Sichuan cuisine.
• Chinese chili flakes: Holy smoky! Chinese chili flakes are added in the end to add a fiery red color, heat and smokiness to the oil.
• Salt: The salt is also very important because it’s what brings all the flavors together and gives the oil an assertive taste.

Cooking Tools Needed

• Chef’s knife
• Small pot
• Strainer
• Glass or ceramic bowl
• Jar or other storage container with a lid

What are Sichuan Chili Flakes?

Also called Chinese chili flakes, Sichuan chili flakes are made by deep frying whole Sichuan peppers in vegetable oil until crispy, and grinding them into flakes (seeds included). This method enhances the flavor and smokiness of the chili flakes and gives them a fiery red color (other chili flakes are pulverized after being dried, not deep fried).

Homemade Chili Oil vs Store Bought

When it comes to good quality chili oil,  it’s safe to say that homemade chili oil is better than store bought (by leaps and bounds). It contains no preservatives and is made by only using fresh ingredients and spices. The flavors are more complex, and the best part is you can tweak it to make it exactly how you like it!

Store bought chili oil often has a burned bitter taste I personally don’t like and tend to be one note in the flavor department.

To be honest, the only store bought chili oil I’ve ever liked is Lao Gan Ma chili crisp. And that’s because it has everything – it’s fragrant, spicy, hot, salty, nutty, smoky, and garlicky. But it also contains preservatives such as sulfur dioxide and sodium sulfite – two ingredients I try to avoid eating if I can.

How to Make Chili Oil

1. Gather all of your ingredients and place a small cooking pot in front of you.
2. Add the oil, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, crushed garlic, crushed shallot, and Szechuan peppercorns, to the pot.
3. Place the pot over a burner and turn the heat on low. Bring the temperature of the oil to 200ºF – it’s okay if it goes up to 220ºF- 230ºF – and cook for 40 minutes.
4. Strain the oil through a sieve into a glass or ceramic bowl, and discard the ingredients left in the sieve.
5. Stir in the Chinese chili flakes and salt and let the oil cool to room temperature.
6. Transfer the oil to an airtight jar or storage container and keep in a dark, cool place.

What is Chili Oil Used For?

This chili oil should only be used as a finishing oil that’s added at the end of the cooking process. You can drizzle some in a pan over meats and vegetables just before turning the heat off, or add it over your food once it’s been plated.

You can also use it as a flavor enhancer to noodle dishes (it’s so good together with soy sauce!), dippings sauces, and soups.

You can even use it on French fries!

Try this: place your French fries in a bowl and drizzle a little Sichuan chili oil on top. Sprinkle a little cumin powder and toss the fries. You won’t believe how good it is!

I’ve picked a few of my recipes that you can pair with this chili oil. Follow the recipe step by step and finish with a drizzle of oil:

• Eggplant with garlic sauce
• Pancit bihon
• Japanese fried rice (yakimeshi)
• Singapore chow mei fun
• Vegan dan dan noodles

Did you like this Hot Sichuan Chili Oil Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Print

Hot Sichuan Chili Oil

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

Smoky, garlicky, salty, and hot, this all-purpose chili oil can turn a boring veggie or noodle dish into one of the best meals of your life!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 cup neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 shallot, peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
• 1/4 cup Sichuan chili flakes (also called Chinese chili flakes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Put the oil, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, teaspoon cloves, garlic clove, shallot, and Szechuan peppercorns in a small pot, and turn the heat to medium high.
2. When the oil temperature reaches 200ºF – there should tiny bubbles coming to the surface – let the ingredients infuse the oil for the 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature (it’s okay if it goes up to 220-230) and ingredients to make sure they are burning too quickly (getting dark in color).
3. Set a glass or ceramic bowl down and place a strainer on top of it. Turn the heat off and carefully strain the oil through a sieve, into the bowl. Discard the ingredients that are left in the strainer.
4. Add the Chinese chili flakes and salt and gently stir to mix. Let the chili oil cool down to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight storage container.

Notes

How to store chili oil: Keep this homemade chili oil in a cool dark place. It will keep for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
• Calories: 122
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 73.1mg
• Fat: 13.9g
• Saturated Fat: 11.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 0.8g
• Fiber: 0.4g
• Protein: 0.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Seasoned oil, ramen seasoning, flavored oil

Recipe Card powered by

Hot Sichuan Chili Oil
Pickled Plum.