Homemade Szechuan Sauce

By Krista Teigen

Published Jun 11, 2025

If you’re a fan of bold and spicy stir-frys, you’re going to love this homemade Szechuan sauce. This sweet, savory, and fiery Chinese sauce is made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. In our house, we’re all about Chinese takeout, so I’m always on the hunt for recipes to recreate at home. I’m thrilled to share that this Szechuan sauce is a family favorite—it’s sure to be a hit in your kitchen, too.

A close-up view of a small bowl filled with homemade Szechuan sauce, featuring visible minced garlic and chili flakes, with a golden spoon resting in the sauce. - 3

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I’m all about sauces—no matter the cuisine, they’re my favorite part of the meal. There’s nothing better than whipping up a simple one-pan dish and elevating it with a perfectly balanced, flavorful sauce. This bold and spicy homemade Szechuan sauce is a game-changer for Szechuan chicken and stir-frys, plus it works equally well as a dipping sauce for crispy appetizers.

The other night, I made popcorn shrimp and had some leftover Szechuan sauce in the fridge. On a whim, I used it as a dip—and let me tell you, it was a match made in flavor heaven. With its perfectly balanced blend of sweet, savory, and spicy Asian flavors, this sauce captures everything you love about traditional Szechuan cuisine. It’s versatile, addictive, and sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 1/4 cup soy sauce
▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon mirin
▢ 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
▢ 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns or black peppercorns
▢ 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1 piece 1-inch of ginger, minced

Instructions

Crush the peppercorns with a spice grinder or by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing with a rolling pin. 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and whisk to combine. 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 piece 1-inch of ginger, minced, 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns

Becky’s Tips

Szechuan Peppercorns bring heat to the sauce and can be found in most Asian markets. If you can’t find them, use black peppercorns instead. If you aren’t big on heat, pull back a bit on the peppercorns.
I prefer low sodium soy sauce for the base of my sauces. For a gluten-free option, make sure to find gluten-free soy sauce or use coconut aminos .
The key to a great sauce is to balance the ingredients to your liking. You can adjust the sweetness levels, the acidity, or the heat .
Allow the sauce to sit for a few hours in the fridge before using—it gives the flavors time to meld and develop further.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Szechuan Sauce Step by Step

Gather all your ingredients.

A close-up of ground Szechuan peppercorns on a white plate, with whole peppercorns and a wooden bowl in the background. - 5

Grind the Peppercorns: Crush 1 teaspoon of Szechuan peppercorns using a spice grinder for a fine texture, or place them in a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin for a coarser grind.

A glass bowl filled with freshly whisked Szechuan sauce, surrounded by whole peppercorns and a wooden bowl of spices on a textured light surface - 6

Combine the Ingredients: In a bowl, add ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp crushed peppercorns, ½ tsp Chinese five spice, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 1-inch piece of minced ginger. Whisk to combine all the ingredients.

How to Store and Reheat

Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a container. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

I also like to freeze my sauce if I make a big batch. I’ll put it in ice cube trays or a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A small white bowl of rich, homemade Szechuan sauce, topped with minced ingredients, with a spoon lifting some sauce for a close-up - 7

Serving Suggestions

I use this homemade Szechuan sauce in my Szechuan chicken recipe and for simple stir-fry dinners, like my favorite chicken stir fry . I always make extra and use the leftovers for a dipping sauce. My kids love it with their panko chicken !

More Asian Sauces to try

Korean BBQ Sauce

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Yum Yum Sauce

BANG BANG SAUCE is sweet, spicy, and creamy. It's such a delicious and easy sauce to make for all kinds of dishes. This Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce is definitely known for the Bonefish Grill namesake appetizer, but this homemade version is even better! This Bang Bang Sauce recipe is actually a lot healthier too, as it's made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Try this flavorful sauce with seafood, meat, or vegetables. - 14

Easy Bang Bang Sauce

Homemade Szechuan Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns or black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
2 cloves garlic minced
1 piece 1-inch of ginger, minced

Instructions

Crush the peppercorns with a spice grinder or by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing with a rolling pin. 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and whisk to combine. 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 piece 1-inch of ginger, minced, 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns

Notes

Szechuan Peppercorns bring heat to the sauce and can be found in most Asian markets. If you can’t find them, use black peppercorns instead. If you aren’t big on heat, pull back a bit on the peppercorns.
I prefer low sodium soy sauce for the base of my sauces. For a gluten-free option, make sure to find gluten-free soy sauce or use coconut aminos .
The key to a great sauce is to balance the ingredients to your liking. You can adjust the sweetness levels, the acidity, or the heat .
Allow the sauce to sit for a few hours in the fridge before using—it gives the flavors time to meld and develop further.

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!