Kung Pao Sauce is an authentic Szechuan style stir-fry sauce filled with sweet, spicy, and complex flavors. It is usually made with fresh aromatics, basic sauces, Szechuan peppercorns, and sesame oil. The recipe I have shared here shows how to make Kung Pao Sauce with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe to show the cooking process as simple and clear. This homemade Kung Pao Sauce is one of the flavor-filled stir-fry sauces and is used to make Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, Kung Pao Tofu, and similar other Chinese dishes.
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What is Kung Pao Sauce?
Kung Pao Sauce is a sweet, spicy, and authentic stir fry sauce from Sichuan Cuisine. It is made with fresh aromatics, sauces, and Szechuan peppercorns. This sauce usually tastes sweet, spicy and has a unique tongue-tingling effect from the Szechuan peppercorns.
Not to mention the rusting and earthy taste flavor notes from the sesame oil that elevates the flavor profile of the sauce. Fresh aromatics like ginger, garlic, dry red chilies, and onions give an incredible flavor to your sauce that you don't get in bottled ready to make sauces.
You can also make this Kung Pao Sauce ahead to make a finger-licking chicken, shrimp, or veggie stir-fry dish. And you can make your own Asian or Chinese restaurant-style take-out dishes in your kitchen with minimal effort like a pro.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Kung Pao Sauce are basic Asian sauces and aromatics. You can easily find them in most Asian or Chinese grocery stores around. So let's see what are they below.
- Aromatics - Ginger, garlic, and dry red chilli gives nice aroma and flavor to this dish
- Light Soy Sauce - Light soy sauce gives the rich flavor to the dish
- Dark Soy Sauce - Delivers rich color to the sauce and dishes
- Shaoxing Wine - It is nothing but cooking wine used in most Chinese recipes
- Vinegar - Even though the traditional recipe calls for black vinegar, you can also feel free to use rice or regular cooking vinegar
- Sichuan Peppercorns - Gives the unique numbing and tingling taste
- Sesame Oil - For a tradional earthy and rustic flavor
- Broth - I have used vegetable broth here to make it as a vegetarian friendly. But feel free to use chicken broth if thats handy to you
- Cornstarch Slurry - To thicken the sauce
- Brown Sugar - Elevates the over all taste of the sauce. And also balance out the spicy and complex flavors of the sauce
How to make Kung Pao Sauce?
The recipe I have shared here is an authentic Kung Pao Sauce from scratch that is widely used in Szechuan Cuisine and most Chinese recipes. The process to make this sauce is simple and it can be prepared ahead to make most Chinese-style dishes.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photo and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Saute the Aromatics - In a pan with medium heat, pour sesame oil and add garlic, ginger, dry red chili and saute until it turns aromatic
- Saute the Onions - Add white onion or white part of scallion and saute until it turns soft
- Add Szechuan Peppers - Add the crushed Sichuan peppercorns and saute until it turns aromatic
- Add Sauces - Pour light soy, dark soy and hot sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, veg or chicken broth, white pepper powder, and brown sugar. Give a good mix to incorporate everything well. Allow the sauce mixture to boil for 3 to 5 minutes
- Thicken the Sauce - Add the cornstarch slurry and mix well until the sauce thickens. And now the hot and spicy Kung Pao Sauce is ready for you to use in your recipes
- Ready to Use - This Kung Pao Sauce is used in making Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, Kung Pao Tofu or similar other Chinese stir fry dishes.
Tips
- For fresh aroma and flavor - Aromatics like minced garlic, ginger, and dry red chili gives the fresh aroma and flavor to the sauce
- Sesame Oil - Stir-frying the aromatics in sesame oil gives authentic and earthy notes to your sauce
- Sauces - Adding the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine gives a rich taste, flavor, and color to your dish
- Sichuan Peppercorns - Delivers a unique numbing and tingling effect with slight spice notes. It is also one of the basic ingredients in the Sichuan cuisine. But if it is not handy feel free to use white pepper powder for similar results
- Vinegar - Even though the classic Chinese recipes call for black vinegar, you can also feel free to use rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar that's handy to you
Storage Suggestions
You can store this sauce for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in a closed container. Feel free to use the required amount of sauce in your chicken, shrimp, tofu, or veggies to make delicious dishes.
Serving Suggestions
This sauce is traditionally used to make Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, or to stir fry veggies. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite starters, appetizers, or snacks.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar sauce recipes below and more at condiment recipes.
- Stir Fry Sauce
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- General Tso's Sauce
- Orange Sauce
- Szechuan Sauce
- Tamarind Sauce
- Garlic Butter Sauce
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Recipes with Kung Pao Sauce.
More Chinese recipes:
Kung Pao Sauce Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Kung Pao Sauce Recipe below that I hope will help you to make an authentic stir fry sauce easily at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Kung Pao Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Sesame Oil
- 2 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Ginger, minced
- 8 Red Chilli, dry
- 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorn, crushed, start from ½ tsp if you are new to this taste
- 2 tbsp White Onion, or scallion, chopped
- 3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- 1 tbsp Chili Sauce, or sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar , or black vinegar
- 1 cup Vegetable Broth, or chicken broth
- 1 tsp Pepper Powder, white
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch, diluted in 3 tbsp Water
Instructions
To make Kung Pao Sauce
- In a pan with medium heat, pour sesame oil and add garlic, ginger, dry red chili and saute until it turns aromatic
- Add white onion or the white part of the scallion and saute until it turns soft
- Add the crushed Sichuan peppercorns and saute until it turns aromatic
- Pour light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, hot sauce, rice vinegar, veg or chicken broth, white pepper powder, and brown sugar. Give a good mix to incorporate everything well
- Allow the sauce mixture to boil for 3 to 5 minutes
- Add the cornstarch slurry and mix well until the sauce thickens. And now the hot and spicy Kung Pao Sauce is ready for you to use in your recipes
To Serve
- This Kung Pao Sauce is used to make Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, or similar other Chinese stir fry dishes
Video
Notes
- For fresh aroma and flavor - Aromatics like minced garlic, ginger, and dry red chili give the fresh aroma and flavor to the sauce
- Sesame Oil - Stir-frying the aromatics in sesame oil gives authentic and earthy notes to your sauce
- Sauces - Adding the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine gives a rich taste, flavor, and color to your dish
- Sichuan Peppercorns - It is one of the basic ingredients added in the Sichuan cuisine that delivers a unique numbing and tingling effect with slight spice notes. But if it is not handy feel free to use white pepper powder for similar results
- Vinegar - Even though the classic Chinese recipes call for black vinegar, feel free to use rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar that's handy for you
Nutrition
FAQ
It is a sweet, spicy, and authentic stir fry sauce from Sichuan Cuisine. The ingredients you will need are fresh aromatics, sauces, and Szechuan peppercorns. This sauce is traditionally used to make Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, or to stir fry veggies. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite starters, appetizers, or snacks.
This sauce usually tastes sweet, spicy and has a unique tongue-tingling effect from the Szechuan peppercorns. Not to mention the rusting and earthy taste flavor notes from the sesame oil that elevates the flavor profile of the sauce.
Not all Kung Pao Sauce is vegan as it sometimes contain chicken broth and non-vegan-friendly sauces. So I would recommend checking on the label for vegan-friendly ingredients. And if you are trying to prepare it at home then I would suggest using vegan-friendly sauces and vegetable broth to make this sauce.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
May
Just discovered your site! Fantastic, easiest ever to browse, get needed info. I had been looking for Kung pao sauce recipe and can't wait to try yours. One thing, though, I am old school and need the email alternative for sharing and saving purposes. Is it possible to add that alternative for us baby boomers🤓🤗
Sangeetha Vel
Hi May,
I am glad and happy that you found our site useful and easy to browse. On the sharing part, we have an email icon in the recipe card for the same purpose. But I assume it is small enough to miss it. So, I have edited our share buttons shown at the top of every post and added email option as well. Hope it helps 🙂 And I really appreciate your valuable feedback. Feedbacks such as this one helps us to serve our audience better!