Sauce – FoodWatcher

Easy Honey Garlic Sauce

This honey garlic sauce recipe is simple to make and works with anything! Try it on salmon, chicken, stir fries,…

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.

Featured reader comment

“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!

Honey garlic sauce on salmon with green onions on platter.

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:

Salmon: Brush it onto honey garlic salmon, grilled salmon, baked salmon, or pan fried salmon before and after cooking.
Chicken: Use for grilled chicken, chicken thighs, or wings.
Tofu: Try it with baked tofu or pan fried tofu.
Stir fries: Try in shrimp stir fry, cauliflower stir fry or tofu stir fry.
Vegetables: Add it to fried broccoli or sauteed carrots.

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:

Go for pomodoro sauce or arrabiata sauce.
Grab zingy Spanish romesco sauce.
Make garlic butter sauce, lemon garlic butter sauce, or lemon pepper sauce.
Opt for fresh chimichurri sauce.
Try fan-favorite pizza sauce recipe.

Romesco Sauce

Pomodoro Sauce

Chimichurri Sauce

Pizza Sauce Recipe

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

What is honey garlic sauce made of?

This versatile sauce typically combines soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and sometimes rice vinegar or sriracha for a touch of heat.

What does honey garlic sauce taste like?

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.

What can I use honey garlic sauce for?

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.

Can I make honey garlic sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! This sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

How can I make my honey garlic sauce spicier?

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, sriracha, or a chopped fresh chili pepper to the sauce while cooking.

Easy Honey Garlic Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Yield: ½ cup

Print Recipe

Description

This honey garlic sauce recipe is simple to make and works with anything! Try it on salmon, chicken, stir fries, and more.

Ingredients

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

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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

Easy Strawberry Compote

This strawberry compote recipe makes a thick, sweet sauce that’s perfect for drizzling over ice cream, waffles, cheesecake and more!…

This strawberry compote recipe makes a thick, sweet sauce that’s perfect for drizzling over ice cream, waffles, cheesecake and more!

Got ripe berries? Here’s a quick and fun way to use them: make strawberry compote! Cooking down strawberries with a bit of sugar reduces it into glossy, luxurious tangy sauce that’s like an amped version of taking a bite into this sweet berry.

Why we love this recipe: This strawberry compote is outrageously tangy and bursting with sweet berry flavor! Alex and I love whipping this up as a versatile topping for ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal. A compote is a great way to use fruit that’s almost overripe, but there’s no need to wait for that for this recipe. Anytime is the perfect excuse!

Ingredients for strawberry compote

A compote is a fruit sauce where the fruit is cooked with water, sugar, and seasonings until thickened. Compote works as a sweet sauce for desserts, or to spoon over breakfast items like yogurt, oatmeal and waffles. This strawberry compote has a minimal ingredient list and comes together in just 15 minutes! Here’s what you’ll need:

Fresh strawberries: Both fresh strawberries and frozen berries work in a compote. It’s quick to make with either and there’s no thawing required.
Granulated sugar: This type of sugar brings out the most intense sweet tart flavor and helps to make a thick, syrupy compote. You can also substitute pure maple syrup or honey as natural sweeteners, and the taste is comparable.
Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest brings a pop to the flavor; the acidity of the lemon is almost like salt in a savory dish. While it’s optional, we highly recommend it!
Cornstarch: Using cornstarch makes a thick, glossy body to this sauce. A good cornstarch substitute is arrowroot powder.
Vanilla extract and salt: These ingredients around out the flavor.

How to make strawberry compote (basic steps)

Strawberry compote is quick and simple to make: you’ll need about 5 minutes to prep the strawberries and 5 minutes to cook them. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the full recipe):

Step 1: Add the strawberries to a small saucepan with the sugar, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally while it bubbles gently.

Step 2: After 5 to 7 minutes when strawberries start to break down, whisk 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir until thickened, 1 minute. Reduce the heat. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher or fork.

Step 3: Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla. Taste and add additional sweetener, depending on the ripeness of your berries. The compote will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or cooled slightly.

Using a cornstarch slurry

This strawberry compote recipe uses a cornstarch slurry: a mix of cornstarch and water (or another room temperature liquid). If dry cornstarch is added directly to a dish, it clumps up. So, 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,” which is a fancy word for the process where the the particles of cornstarch absorb water. Once you add the cornstarch slurry to the warm sauce, it immediately starts to thicken: the starch gelatinization has been activated!

Strawberry Compote in jar with spoon and strawberries.

Storage info

How long does homemade strawberry compote last? Store it refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Or, you can freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.

Compote becomes very thick when it’s cooled, so make sure to bring to room temperature or warm it on the stovetop before serving. This is especially important if you’re serving with a warm food like pancakes or waffles.

Strawberry Compote in a jar with gold spoon.

Ways to serve strawberry compote

There are so many ways to serve strawberry compote! This fruit sauce is versatile enough to work with desserts or breakfast food items. Here are a few ideas for how to serve fruit compote:

Serve over vanilla ice cream
Spoon over cheesecake or mug cake
Add dollops to flourless chocolate cake
Swirl into a yogurt bowl and top with granola
Add to pancakes or waffles as a simple topping
Spoon over oatmeal, or try it on baked oatmeal or overnight oats.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Strawberry Waffles

Oatmeal

Flourless Chocolate Cake

More strawberry recipes

Got more berries? Here are a few more strawberry recipes to try:

Go for Classic Strawberry Crumble
Try our tasty fan-favorite Strawberry Bread
Bake up Strawberry Muffins or Strawberry Shortcake
Mix up Strawberry Waffles
Try Strawberry Water, Strawberry Smoothie or Strawberry Lemonade

Classic Strawberry Crumble

Strawberry Bread

Classic Strawberry Shortcake

Best-Ever Strawberry Muffins

Dietary notes

This strawberry compote recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between strawberry compote and strawberry jam?

Compote is a looser and fresher-tasting fruit sauce compared to jam. It uses less sugar and cooks the strawberries for a shorter time, preserving their shape and some of their natural texture.

Can I use frozen strawberries for compote?

Absolutely! Thaw frozen strawberries completely before using them in the compote. They might release more liquid, so adjust the cooking time slightly to achieve the desired consistency.

What are some other fruits I can use for compote?

The possibilities are endless! Berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries work well. You can also try stone fruits like peaches, plums, or cherries. Try our Blueberry Compote, Peach Compote, Easy Raspberry Compote, or Rhubarb Compote.