This honey garlic sauce recipe is simple to make and works with anything! Try it on salmon, chicken, stir fries, and more.
Need a simple, homemade sauce that will dress up any meal? Try this Honey Garlic Sauce recipe! It comes together with just 8 ingredients in less than 10 minutes, making it an easy, no-hassle sauce for quick meals.
You’ll want to paint a swath of this sticky, flavor-popping sauce on just about anything! It’s great for salmon, chicken, stir fries, and more. We first made it for our Honey Garlic Salmon, which was so good we’ve been making the sauce ever since.
“Just made this for some salmon. I followed the recipe to a T. Wow! This is my new sauce for everything.” -Rick
Ingredients in honey garlic sauce
This honey garlic sauce has a short ingredient list of mostly pantry ingredients, which magically come together into a sticky, thick glaze. It’s great for stir fries, though we love it best painted on a lovely fillet of salmon. Even our 5 year old son loves it, which is a big win in our book! Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this simple recipe:
- Soy sauce: We like using regular soy sauce for the most full flavor (not low sodium). Substitute tamari for gluten-free.
- Honey: Honey brings a nuanced sweetness. For vegan, substitute maple syrup.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is a vinegar made with fermented rice that’s often used in Asian cuisine; it has a lightly sweet, tangy flavor.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is our preferred cooking oil, but you can substitute with any neutral oil. Sesame oil would work well here.
- Garlic and garlic powder: For a flavor packed sauce, use both fresh garlic (not jarred) and garlic powder.
- Ginger root: Ginger root packs spicy, zingy flavor to this sauce. You can leave it out if it’s not a refrigerator staple for you, but it adds a depth that we think is absolutely worth the purchase.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch gives a shiny, thick body to the sauce (arrowroot powder works as a good substitute).
Pro tip
Use a microplane for easy grating! You can use it for both the garlic and ginger: you don’t even need to peel the ginger!
How to make honey garlic sauce: step by step
This honey garlic sauce is so quick and simple to make: it will take you longer to read about it than actually make the recipe itself! Here’s what to do:
Step 1: In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, oil, garlic powder, grated ginger and grated garlic over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
More about the cornstarch slurry
This honey garlic sauce recipe uses a cornstarch slurry, which is a mix of cornstarch and water (or another room temperature liquid). Here’s why:
- If dry cornstarch is added directly to heated foods, it clumps up. It’s best to add it to sauces and stir fries mixed with a little liquid first.
- Cornstarch must be heated to around 203°F for the thickening to occur. It’s called “starch gelatinization”: the process where the the particles of cornstarch absorb water. You’ll notice that once you add the cornstarch slurry to the warm sauce, it immediately starts to thicken: the starch gelatinization has been activated!
Ways to use honey garlic sauce
How do you plan to use your honey garlic sauce? This recipe is extremely versatile and works with many different types of foods. Here are a few ideas:
Storing leftovers
This recipe is quick to whip up and stores well. Store homemade honey garlic sauce refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, it starts to lose some of the potency in flavor.
More sauce recipes
Love making homemade sauces? Here are a few sauce recipes to try:
Dietary notes
This honey garlic sauce recipe is vegetarian, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. For vegan, use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
Frequently asked questions
This versatile sauce typically combines soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and sometimes rice vinegar or sriracha for a touch of heat.
It’s a beautiful balance of sweet and savory! The honey adds a touch of sweetness that complements the savory notes of soy sauce and the pungent kick of garlic and ginger.
The possibilities are endless! Here are some ideas:
Marinade: Marinate chicken, fish, tofu, or tempeh for a flavorful and sticky glaze.
Dipping sauce: Perfect for dumplings, spring rolls, chicken wings, or anything that needs a delicious dip.
Stir-fry sauce: Toss your stir-fry veggies and protein in honey garlic sauce for a quick and flavorful meal.
Glaze: Brush honey garlic sauce on chicken, salmon, or tofu during the last few minutes of cooking for a sweet and sticky glaze.
Noodle sauce: Toss cooked noodles with honey garlic sauce for a simple and satisfying dish.
Absolutely! This sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, sriracha, or a chopped fresh chili pepper to the sauce while cooking.
Easy Honey Garlic Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Yield: ½ cup 1x
Description
This honey garlic sauce recipe is simple to make and works with anything! Try it on salmon, chicken, stir fries, and more.
- ¼ cup regular soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, oil, garlic powder, grated ginger and grated garlic over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
