Learn how to make Homemade Hoisin Sauce that’s delicious and easy!
If you enjoy cooking homemade Chinese dishes or you’re simply a fan of condiments, I recommend adding homemade hoisin sauce to your repertoire. Hoisin sauce has long been a staple of Chinese cuisine and can be used while preparing a Chinese stir-fry or another classic dish. Of course, you can buy hoisin sauce in a store. However, store-bought sauces are often filled with excess sugar and preservatives. I recommend making homemade hoisin sauce so that you can control everything that goes into it.
Hoisin sauce is surprisingly simple to make at home. The recipe uses ingredients that most people already have in their kitchen. Personally, I think the homemade version of hoisin sauce tastes way better too. With ingredients like peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and Chinese five-spice powder, hoisin sauce has a great blend of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. The homemade version in this recipe also has a stronger fragrance than store-bought hoisin sauce, which adds a little extra to the experience.
Is Homemade Hoisin Sauce Healthy?
With more natural ingredients than what you’ll find in stores, this recipe can be considered healthier than ready-made hoisin sauce. As opposed to using refined sugar, this recipe uses honey to tap into sweetness. High sodium levels are often a concern with hoisin sauce, although you can alleviate that by using low-sodium soy sauce. Peanut butter is considered healthy when eaten in moderation due to the protein and healthy fats, while the ginger offers anti-inflammatory properties.
Try The Traditional Route
The use of peanut butter in this recipe makes homemade hoisin sauce a little easier to make. However, you can make a more authentic version of hoisin sauce by replacing the peanut butter with fermented soybean paste. Traditionally, soybean paste is the base ingredient in hoisin sauce. It also gives the sauce a more savory, miso-like flavor. If you don’t have soybean paste, you should be able to find miso paste in some grocery stores.
FAQs & Tips
Once the hoisin sauce has cooled, transfer it to a jar or another airtight container. If kept in the fridge, the sauce should remain good for up to a month. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
For a little more flavor and spice, you can add extra Chinese five-spice powder or a few extra drops of sriracha as you’re mixing. You may also consider chili powder or red pepper flakes.
For a sweeter hoisin sauce, you can always add a little more honey. It’s also possible to include a little brown sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar in addition to honey (or as a honey substitute.) However, don’t add too much at once so that you can maintain a good balance between sweet and spicy.
Serving Suggestions
Hoisin sauce can be used in virtually any Chinese dish as a glaze or dipping sauce. I enjoy having it as a dipping sauce when I make Chicken Potstickers or Crispy Fried Wontons. But sometimes I want hoisin to be the main flavor of my dish, which is why I love this recipe for Hoisin Chicken. Too much hoisin? You can always use hoisin sauce as a drizzle on Moo Shu Chicken or Healthy Homemade Orange Chicken. Finally, I love having hoisin sauce around when I’m making a stir-fry dish, especially Paleo Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry and Beef Stir-Fry.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 4 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce optional
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
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In a small saucepan, mix soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, and sriracha (if using). Whisk until smooth.
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In a separate bowl, stir together cornstarch and water until the cornstarch dissolves.
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Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to simmer.
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Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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Remove from heat and let the sauce cool. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 449kcal (22%) Carbohydrates: 44g (15%) Protein: 15g (30%) Fat: 27g (42%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g Monounsaturated Fat: 12g Sodium: 3767mg (164%) Potassium: 382mg (11%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 28g (31%) Vitamin A: 10IU Vitamin C: 5mg (6%) Calcium: 50mg (5%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
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