Chinese white sauce is a light, clear sauce made from stock, garlic, and ginger. It’s thickened with cornstarch and works beautifully in stir-fries.
This Chinese white sauce is a delicate, clear sauce ideal for stir-fries. Mild in flavor, it’s naturally gluten free and can be made vegan by using vegetable stock. It adds a glossy finish and subtle seasoning to vegetables, chicken, seafood, or tofu.
It’s often used for moo goo gai pan and other dishes that call for a light, non-spicy sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Try it in moo goo gai pan for a classic example of how this sauce is used.
- Versatile: pairs with any mix of vegetables and proteins.
- Quick and easy: ready in under 10 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
- Diet-friendly: naturally gluten free and easy to make vegan using vegetable stock.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Stock: any clear stock (chicken, vegetable, or seafood) — it will define the sauce’s flavor.
- Cornstarch: thickens the sauce. It will make the mixture look opaque initially, then clear and thicken as it boils.
Step by step instructions
- Combine 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the stock in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine the remaining stock with 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or mirin/cooking wine), 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Heat over medium-high until it comes to a simmer.
- When the stock begins to boil, slowly drizzle in the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Stir until the sauce thickens and turns clear.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Turn off the heat once you reach the desired thickness.
Ways to use Chinese white sauce
This sauce is the classic choice for moo goo gai pan, a chicken and mushroom stir-fry with mixed vegetables. Add the sauce at the very end of cooking—when protein and vegetables are fully cooked—and let it coat the ingredients for 30 seconds to 1 minute over high heat.
You can also use this as a neutral base to create other sauces. Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, or chili sauce to transform it into a richer brown sauce with more depth.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because of the cornstarch, the sauce will gel as it cools but will return to a liquid when reheated in a hot pan.
Variations & substitutions
- Stock: use vegetable stock for a vegan version, chicken or seafood stock for a pale sauce, or beef stock if you prefer a deeper color and flavor.
- Aromatics: garlic and ginger are traditional; you can also add scallions, leeks, onions, or a touch of lemongrass.
- Spices: add whole peppercorns or dried chilies to the stock for subtle heat.
- To make a brown-style stir-fry sauce, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, or chili sauce to this base.
Frequently asked questions
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The sauce will set into a gel because of the cornstarch but will melt quickly when added to a hot pan. If you need to keep the base longer, store the seasoned stock without cornstarch and mix the cornstarch slurry in just before using to preserve thickening power.
Yes. Use vegetable stock to make it vegan. The recipe is naturally gluten free because cornstarch does not contain gluten; just check any additional sauces you add (like soy sauce) for gluten content.
This sauce suits almost any stir-fry—vegetables, chicken, seafood, or tofu. Traditionally it’s used in moo goo gai pan. Always add it at the end of cooking and heat for just a minute to coat the ingredients without over-thickening.
More recipes to try:
- Moo Goo Gai Pan – Quick and Easy!
- 3 Classic Spring Roll Dipping Sauces
- Sweet and Tangy Sticky Soy Glaze
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Copycat
- Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken Copycat
- Chicken Chow Mein with Vegetables – Better than Takeout!
- Panda Express String Bean Chicken Breast Copycat
- Easy Japchae (Korean glass noodle stir fry)
Chinese White Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups stock – chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine – substitute with mirin or cooking wine
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger – grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
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Set aside 1/4 cup of stock and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth; this is your slurry for thickening.
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Combine the remaining stock with Shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt, and sugar in a medium pot. Heat over medium-high until it simmers.
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When the stock boils, slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly. Stir well to avoid lumps.
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The sauce will thicken and clear as it boils. Remove from heat once it reaches the desired consistency. Use immediately in stir-fries or cool and store for later use.
Notes
Makes about 3 cups of sauce.
For stir-fries:
- Add the sauce at the end when vegetables and protein are cooked. It only needs about a minute on high heat to warm and coat the ingredients.
- If refrigerated, the sauce may gel; it will liquefy quickly when reheated.
Storage:
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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