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 An Authentic Szechuan Sauce Recipe! Use as a flavorful stir-fry sauce for veggies or noodles, or as a flavorful marinade for tofu, chicken, shrimp or beef!  Healthier than store-bought versions with no preservatives or msg, It is gluten-free adaptable and vegan! Can be made in 5 minutes flat and keeps for 10 days in the fridge! With a Video!

Amazing and Authentic Szechuan Sauce! Use as a flavorful stir-fry sauce for veggies or noodles, or use it as a marinade for tofu, chicken, shrimp or beef!  Healthier than store-bought versions with no preservatives or msg, It is gluten-free adaptable and vegan! Can be made in 5 minutes flat and keeps for 10 days in the fridge! 

Here’s an amazingly delicious and authentic recipe for  Szechuan Sauce that we’ve been using ever since our trip to Shanghai a few years ago!

I’m a huge fan of  Szechuan Sauce but hate all the preservatives, sugars and msg that go into store-bought versions, so we make our own at home. So fast and easy!

This version of Szechuan Sauce is FULL of flavor and can be made very spicy or kept very mild. It has a multitude of uses, but mainly we’ve been using it for quick and easy stir fry or as a marinade for meat or tofu. You’ve seen a version of it in the Sheet Pan Szechuan Chicken and Brussel Sprouts recipe a while back and so many of you have commented on the recipe,  I thought it deserved a post of its own!

Authentic Szechuan Sauce | 60-second video

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This version of Szechuan Sauce has Szechuan Peppercorns in it – but if you don’t have them, don’t fret! Just use black pepper or peppercorns!

The Szechuan peppercorns give the sauce a really authentic “zingy-ness” that is hard to replicate, but it also tastes just fine without!

Spicy Szechuan Sauce -an easy delicious stir-fry sauce and flavorful marinade, infused with the flavors of China! #stirfrysauce #szechuan #sauce #stirfry #chinese #recipe #marinade #szechuansauce

Wonderful for meal prep, you can use this scratch-made sauce in this flavorful stir-fry as well!

Authentic Szechuan Sauce! Use as easy delicious stir-fry sauce or flavorful marinade - preservative-free, msg free, gluten-free adaptable, vegan and full of amazing flavor! Can be made in 5 minutes! #stirfrysauce #szechuan #sauce #stirfry #chinese #recipe #marinade #szechuansauce #szechuanrecipe

Always remember to go lightly at first with Szechuan peppercorns they are definitely an acquired taste, perfumy and complex, while having a unusual numbing effect on the tongue. Some people looooooove this. Some do not. The best thing to do is just try one! We all taste things differently!

Authentic Szechuan Sauce! Use as easy delicious stir-fry sauce or flavorful marinade - preservative-free, msg free, gluten-free adaptable, vegan and full of amazing flavor! Can be made in 5 minutes! #stirfrysauce #szechuan #sauce #stirfry #chinese #recipe #marinade #szechuansauce #szechuanrecipe

When I first tried Szechuan peppercorns, I have to admit, I was not a fan. But after I went to China, and had them in moderate doses, I actually grew to love them. So be sure start conservatively! Remember you can always just plop one in your mouth to get the gist of it. 😉

 Authentic Szechuan Sauce! Use as easy delicious stir-fry sauce or flavorful marinade - preservative-free, msg free, gluten-free adaptable, vegan and full of amazing flavor! Can be made in 5 minutes! #stirfrysauce #szechuan #sauce #stirfry #chinese #recipe #marinade #szechuansauce #szechuanrecipe

Whether you add the Szechuan peppercorns or not, the Szechuan Sauce is still delicious and worth making so I hope you give it a try. It’s especially great on tofu – either baked tofu or crispy tofu!

 

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Amazing Szechuan Sauce! Use as easy delicious stir-fry sauce or flavorful marinade - preservative-free, msg free, gluten-free adaptable, vegan and full of amazing flavor! Can be made in 5 minutes! #stirfrysauce #szechuan #sauce #stirfry #chinese #recipe #marinade #szechuansauce #szechuanrecipe

Szechuan Sauce

  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: ½ cup 1x
  • Category: sauce, condiment
  • Method: Whisked
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Description

AMAZING Authentic Szechuan Sauce! Use as an easy delicious stir-fry sauce or flavorful marinade – preservative-free, msg free, gluten-free adaptable, vegan and full of amazing flavor! Can be made in 5 minutes! Keeps for 10 days in the fridge!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  1. 1/21 teaspoon Szechuan Peppercorns (or sub black peppercorns)
  2. 1/4 cup soy sauce ( of Gluten-Free Liquid Aminos) see notes.
  3. 3 tablespoons honey (or sub maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar or sugar alternative)
  4. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  5. 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or black vinegar)
  6. 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing) or mirin (both optional)
  7. 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (use a garlic press)
  8. 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced ( or use ginger paste)
  9. 1 tablespoon garlic chili paste (or sambal oelek) more for more spicy or sub 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  10. 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
  11. optional- 2-3 teaspoons corn starch, to thicken, see notes.

Instructions

  1. Toast szechuan peppercorns in a hot dry skillet over medium heat, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Crush.
  2. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl or small jar and whisk until well combined.
  3. If using as a stir-fry sauce, and you would like to thicken it, whisk in 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
  4. If using as a marinade, forgo the cornstarch and make sure to season what you are marinating ( chicken, tofu, beef) with salt. The marinade alone will probably not be salty enough.
  5. If making a stir-fry, try adding a few dry  Chinese or Arbol chilies (5-10) to the stir-fry, right before adding the Szechuan Sauce. Do not eat the chilis. 😉

Notes

Makes a little over ½ a cup and will keep for 10 days in the fridge.

If you prefer a thicker sauce when stir-frying, add corn starch.

Using Tamari Soy Sauce will make this way too salty! So either Stick with regular or Gluten-free Liquid Aminos. Or dilute Tamari: use 2 1/2 tablespoons tamari and 1 1/2 tablespoons water.

Szechuan Peppercorns add a unique flavor, but using too much will overpower. If unfamiliar, start with ½ teaspoon. If you’ve never tired one, just plop one in in your mouth and taste it. It has a very strong perfumy flavor and numbing effect on the tongue, adding interesting complexity!  A little goes a long way. This may be very pleasant, or very unpleasant to you. This, for me was an acquired taste. You can absolutely leave these out and sub black peppercorns.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 88
  • Sugar: 6.5 g
  • Sodium: 83.7 mg
  • Fat: 6.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
  • Fiber: 0.1 g
  • Protein: 0.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: how to make szechuan sauce, szechuan sauce recipe, szechwan sauce, authentic szechuan sauce, szechuan stir fry sauce, stir fry sauce, chinese stir fry sauce,

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Comments

  1. Great recipe…have made it many times, including today!

    I add TB of Szechuan peppers, love the numbing effect and extra spicy Mother’s chili paste.

  2. Very well demonstrated and explained. I hope to try and see how this turns out. The Chinese pepper corns are an interesting ingredient that I did not know about but I have encountered them in the Chinese grocery store. They were mixed with spicy roasted peanuts and I was not a fan as there were too many mixed along with the peanuts.

    1. Cecil- give it a try and see. It is a very pungent zingy flavor- I actually didn’t like it the first time I tried it. But in small amounts, it can be quite pleasant.

  3. I made this recipe with the coconut sugar and black vinegar options, left out the 5 spice as i didn’t have any. Marinated chicken thigh in it for a few hours then stir fried it. Omg delicious! Thankyou for sharing!

  4. This was amazing as a vegetarian stir fry sauce. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely make again!

  5. You say this is gluten free but say don’t use Tamari. Soy sauce isn’t gluten free, and tamari is the usual substitute. How do you make this gluten free?

    1. You can dilute the tamari with water (see recipe notes, I just adjusted it) or use gluten-free amino acids like Bragg’s brand.

  6. I tried this sauce with the Szechuan tofu and veggies recipe, also by Sylvia, and it was incredible. The two pair so well together and I’m sure this sauce tastes just as well separate! Thank you Sylvia!

  7. Im out of cornstarch, but I do have some tapioca starch laying around. Do you think I could use that?

  8. My fiancé and I LOVE this recipe on pan fried tofu in our fresh spring rolls.

    As far as how long it “keeps” in the fridge… why only 10 days? With the salt from the soy sauce, wouldn’t the garlic and ginger preserve for a few weeks at least? I thought it may be out of an abundance of caution but wanted to ask anyway.

    The real reason I’m asking… my partner wants to eat this meal once a week (and I’m on board! So many veggies with a cabbage slaw, raw peppers and avocados, etc.) but making the sauce each week could be a time-suck in our teeny kitchen.

    Thank you so much for posting and I’ll hope to hear back 🙂

    1. I hear you! It was out of caution. I haven’t tried keeping it longer, but you are right I think it would be fine.

  9. Do you use garlic chili paste or just the regular chili paste that you have linked?

    Can’t wait to try this!

    1. You can use either- I prefer garlic chili paste and I updated the link to reflect. 😉

  10. Hi Sylvia, ive noticed that your recipie says msg free. Just out of curiosity, whats the problem with msg? Is it bad for you?
    Thanks a lot!

    1. Some people get headaches from it. I don’t know that it is “bad” or “good”, some people just have a reaction from it.

  11. Great sauce! I made it with maple syrup and used it on some crisp tofu. Once again I learned that I absolutely hate tofu. With that said however, I will be using this sauce on a big wok of stir-fried vegetables soon. Thanks, it’s a winner. The tofu…not so much. 😉

  12. Very yummy and spicy! We all loved it! I made the sauce in a stir fry with turkey kilbasa, squash, zucchini, and onions.

  13. This is fabulous sauce.
    Since I’m not too keen on Chinese Five-Spice but I recognize its value in Chinese cooking, I decreased the amount to ⅛ teaspoon and really like just the hint of it.
    I will definitely make this again.
    Thank you!

  14. I recently got a spice grinder and wanted to make my own Chinese Five spice blend and was looking for more recipes to utilize both the blend and my leftover Szechuan peppercorns – this sauce was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Layers upon layers of fragrant flavor

  15. This was delicious. Cannot believe it is this easy to make a sauce I always believe I have to order in to get. Fantastic recipe. Used ordinary peppercorns and just a quarter teaspoon. So good. A new weekly recipe for me.

  16. GREAT Sichuan sauce!
    If you’re ‘used to’ Sichuan peppers, you can double or even quadruple the peppers.
    I’m not sure why the refrigerator shelf life wouldn’t be longer though. There’s really nothing in here that will go bad. Even outside of the refrigerator!
    Thanks a BUNCH for this recipe my friend!
    I doubled it (making a full pint) and will use it in many recipes.

  17. I really appreciated her sage comments regarding the ingredients. Can’t wait to try this. Can it be frozen in ice cube trays for later than 3 weeks use?

  18. I’ve made this sauce to substitute a Szechuan garlic paste from a meal kit and not only did my son tell me it tastes exactly the same, I found it delicious by itself. I tripled the recipe, heated it up and added the cornstarch to it. That makes it the perfect marinating sauce and the leftovers will be stored in the fridge to be used in another stir fry or to flavour leftover meat for my poke bowls 🙂

  19. As expected, the Five Spice powder was ‘way too prominent in the cooked dish. Recommend omitting it, or reducing amount to something like 1/8 tsp or a pinch. We found it under-spiced on the pepper side and added chili flakes. In sum, not bad, but not authentic.

Hi, I'm Sylvia!

Chef and author of the whole-foods recipe blog, Feasting at Home, Sylvia Fountaine is a former restaurant owner and caterer turned full-time food blogger. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest and shares seasonal, healthy recipes along with tips and tricks from her home kitchen.

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