Name: Easy Hoisin Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoon peanut butter (smooth or chunky); 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or tamari); 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 teaspoon vinegar; 2 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or siracha); ½ teaspoon minced garlic; 1 pinch black pepper; 3 tablespoons water (more as needed)

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5 from 3 votes

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Make this easy hoisin sauce with key ingredients present at home in just 5 minutes. This makes a great substitute for the original hoisin sauce in any recipe and is not laden with salt.

Hoisin sauce in jar on the white marble background.

Hoisin sauce is a dark-colored sauce usually used in Chinese cooking to glaze meat. It is made of soybean paste, garlic, chili, and has a sweet and sour taste. This sauce has a thick texture.

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Why this recipe is easy?
Ingredients
How to make it?
Uses:
Expert Tips
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It is easily available in most supermarkets or Chinese stores. If you can’t find it, try this easy hoisin sauce recipe which is not original but gives a similar taste and makes a good substitute.

Why this recipe is easy?

As I said original hoisin sauce is made with soybean paste. Finding soybean paste can be more difficult than finding hoisin sauce. So I’m using peanut butter in place of soybeans which provides a similar taste. This makes this recipe easy and pantry friendly.

I used this homemade hoisin sauce recipe in my mongolian beef and mongolian meatballs recipe.

Ingredients

Peanut butter: adds a novel umami flavor to the sauce.
Vinegar: provides a tangy and acidic taste, which helps balance the sweetness of other ingredients. I used distilled vinegar, rice vinegar works too.
Pepper
Fresh Garlic
Hot sauce: adds some extra heat and depth of flavor to the sauce, you can replace this with sriracha sauce.
Sesame oil: gives a nutty and toasty flavor to the sauce, which enhances its overall taste. You can replace this with peanut oil or neutral oil.
Dark soy sauce: provides a rich and savory taste, as well as a dark color to the sauce. You can substitute this with tamari for gluten-free version. I have tried this recipe with regular soy sauce. It tastes similar but it is lighter in color.
Brown sugar: adds sweetness and caramel notes to the sauce, which balances the acidity of the vinegar. You can replace this with molasses or jaggery or dark brown sugar.

Combined together, these ingredients create a flavorful and delicious hoisin sauce that can be used in a variety of ways in Chinese dishes and other Asian stir-fries.

How to make it?

Steps to make hoisin sauce easily just by mixing.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, gather all ingredients.
Whisk together until well combined. If your peanut butter is chunky then you need to blend it in the food processor.
Continue to whisk or blend the mixture until the ingredients are fully combined and the sauce is smooth.
Transfer the sauce to a jar or airtight container or glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to four weeks.

Uses:

Dip it: Use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite appetizers like spring rolls or dumplings.
Marinade it: Add it to your marinade for meats like chicken or beef. It'll give your meat a sweet and savory flavor while also tenderizing it.
Glaze it: Give your meats a glossy and delicious finish by using hoisin sauce as a glaze. It works especially well with roasted duck, ribs, or fish.
Stir-fry it: Use it as a base for your stir-fry dishes. Stir-fry your favorite veggies and meats, then add a few tablespoons of this sauce to the pan and toss it all together.
Dress it up: Make a killer salad dressing by mixing hoisin sauce with vinegar, sesame oil, and a little honey. It'll add tons of flavor to your salad.

Overall, it is a super versatile condiment that can be used in so many different ways to add flavor to your dishes. Give it a try and see what you come up with!

Expert Tips

Gluten free: This sauce can be made gluten free by use tamari.

Vegan: It is also a vegan substitute for oyster sauce.

You can use this sauce in these recipes.

If you try this easy homemade Hoisin recipe, I'd LOVE to hear your feedback in the comments. Your 5-ratings motivate me to do my best. Stay connected for more recipes and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.

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