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Home Ā» Food Ā» By Type of Dish Ā» Sauces, Seasonings and Condiments Ā» BEST Authentic Hoisin Sauce

BEST Authentic Hoisin Sauce

July 15, 2022 by Kimberly Killebrew Ā· 187 Comments

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Potently flavorful and fragrant, Hoisin sauce is a central ingredient in many Chinese dishes and will work absolute MIRACLES for the foods you add it to!Ā  Look no further for the BEST hoisin sauce recipe!

hoisin sauce recipe best homemade authentic

What is Hoisin Sauce?

Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark, fragrant and flavorful sauce that is commonly used as a dipping sauce, a glaze for meats and added to stir fries.Ā  It balances both sweet, tangy and salty flavors and contributes an intense umami element to whatever food it’s added to.

Although the name hoisin is Chinese for “seafood” it does not contain any seafood, rather the name likely refers to the fact that the sauce is a common accompaniment for seafood.

How To Use Hoisin Sauce

It’s pretty much an all-purpose condiment, it’s so delicious on so many things. Ā Here are just a few ways to use it:

  • In stir-fries and on noodles
  • Slathered on chicken, pork, ribs, duck or tofu and baked or grilled
  • Added to veggies
  • In marinades, vinaigrettes and barbecue sauces
  • A general substitute for ketchup
  • A new twist for meatloaf
  • Slathered on burgers
  • For pulled pork or pulled chicken
  • Added to soup broths for a great flavor
  • The base sauce for Chinese-style pizza
  • Added to mayo for a Chinese twist
  • As a dipping sauce for Chinese dumplings, egg rolls, wontons, chicken nuggets, etc.

This sauce is just plain incredible!

hoisin sauce recipe best homemade authentic Chinese Asian

Key Ingredients in Hoisin SauceĀ 

As with most things, store-bought hoisin sauce doesn’t even begin to compare to homemade.Ā  The flavor and potency of this authentic homemade sauce will absolutely wow your taste buds!

You’ll find a lot of recipes online for hoisin sauce calling for things like peanut butter and molasses – neither of those belong in hoisin sauce and do not remotely resemble the right flavor.Ā  Leave those two items on the shelf and instead grab the two key ingredients you’ll need to make the real deal: Chinese Five Spice and Black Bean Sauce (click links for recipes to make your own).

You can find Chinese five spice in the spice section of most grocery stores.Ā  The black bean sauce may be a little more challenging to find.Ā  However in both cases we HIGHLY recommend making your own anyway in order to achieve the absolute BEST flavor results.

Black bean sauce is a key ingredient to the best Chinese food, so you’ll want the ingredients on hand to make that anyway.

So now all you have to do is combine the Chinese five spice powder with the black bean sauce and a few other ingredients and you’ve got the best homemade hoisin sauce ever!Ā  Check out our reader’s reviews in the comments below.

Authentic Hoisin Sauce Recipe

Let’s get started!

There are just two steps:Ā  1) Place all the ingredients in a blender and 2) Puree until smooth.Ā  Ā That’s it, you’re done!

NOTE: Ā We’re adding a few prunes for sweetness and texture. Ā However, this isĀ not the same thing as plum sauce.

how to make hoisin sauce

Store the sauce in the fridge in a non-reactive airtight container.Ā  It will keep for about a week.

Enjoy!

hoisin sauce recipe best authentic Chinese

For more phenomenal Asian condiments, be sure to try our:

  • Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Yum Yum Sauce
  • Plum SauceĀ 
  • Teriyaki Sauce
  • Kecap Manis
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Ponzu Sauce
  • Char Siu Sauce
  • Ginger Sauce
hoisin sauce recipe authentic Chinese traditional

BEST Authentic Hoisin Sauce

Kimberly Killebrew
An incredible depth of flavor, this will work magic on the dishes you add it to.  Simply the best, you'll never use store-bought again!
Print Recipe
4.83 from 68 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Servings 14 servings
Calories 35 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons Homemade Chinese Black Bean Sauce
  • OR use store-bought Chinese Black Bean Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 4 prunes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Homemade Chinese Five Spice Powder (strongly recommended)
  • or use store-bought five spice powder
  • If you prefer a little heat add some red chilies or sriracha to taste

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Store in the fridge in a non-reactive airtight container. Chill overnight or preferable 24 hours before using. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 31mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Keyword Hoisin Sauce
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on April 26, 2016

 

 

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187 Comments →

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187 Responses

  1. Perry Mason says

    October 7, 2022 at 2:11 pm

    Great recipe, so delicious, far beyond store bought, thank you.

    Reply
  2. Mary Ellen says

    August 16, 2021 at 11:06 pm

    Woǹderful! How about a peanut sauce?
    Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Joan M MILLER says

    July 25, 2021 at 2:25 pm

    Can this sauce be canned? If so, what canning procedure and for how long?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 28, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      Hi Joan, this recipe hasn’t been tested for canning so I can’t recommend it for that purpose.

      Reply
  4. Stephanie says

    July 20, 2021 at 4:03 am

    I live in Turkey and Chinese ingredients are hard to find, but very expensive if you can get them. Made this and tasted delicious. I couldn’t find prunes so used dates instead, but am so happy with the results. Thank you

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 20, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Thank you, Stephanie, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! :)

      Reply
  5. Mme de Fleuris says

    June 23, 2021 at 8:52 am

    How lucky l was for having fou d The Daring Gourmet! I had prepared the usual recipe with peanuts and peanut butter and, evidently had little to do with the one you can taste in a good chinese dinner. I was trying to find other ways to prepare and then your recipe came along. Now l have to adjust a bit the proportions and will have it! Just one question, pls, in the small town l live in France there’s just one Chinese food/supplies shop and the fermented black beans are too salty, they are contained in soja oil. Can l rinse them or they would lose their punch? I don’like buying in the internet, l’m a firm supporter of local commerce and real shops and well, this is what l have here! Merci Beaucoup!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 23, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      Thank you! :) Yes, you can rinse them if you like, that’s no problem. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  6. Vince Stapleton says

    June 3, 2021 at 3:08 pm

    Outrageous!
    Have always wanted to make my own Hoisin sauce and this recipe is a winner! Mine came out a bit thin so next time I will eliminate the two tablespoons of water.

    Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    April 13, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    I decided to try this since I had all the ingredients needed. Wow! So very good! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  8. Mun says

    March 31, 2021 at 8:01 pm

    May I know why prunes are added?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      April 2, 2021 at 1:37 pm

      Hi Mun, for flavor and texture.

      Reply
      • Geert says

        August 21, 2021 at 9:35 am

        What prunes exactly did you use?

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          August 21, 2021 at 9:48 am

          Hi Geert, prunes are dried plums and they’re usually made from the Italian variety (very fleshy) of plums.

          Reply
  9. Tony says

    March 3, 2021 at 6:37 pm

    This recipe was spot-on; tasted authentic and way better than store-bought. I’ve tried dozens of online hoisin recipes and no others even came close.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 3, 2021 at 10:29 pm

      Thank you so much, Tony, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that!

      Reply
    • SuperD says

      February 20, 2022 at 4:44 pm

      Another Outstanding recipe!! Thank you

      Reply
  10. Ken Butler says

    February 21, 2021 at 9:07 am

    The directions call for Chinese Five Spice Powder and Chinese Five Spice. The second Chinese Five Spice should read, Fermented Black Bean Paste. I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I look forward to it.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 21, 2021 at 10:57 am

      Hi Ken, I’m not sure I understand. The recipe calls for Chinese five spice and black bean sauce. I provide two options for each – the link to the recipes to make them yourself, and links to examples of where you can purchase them online.

      Reply
      • homemom4 says

        February 21, 2021 at 10:13 pm

        I think Ken means there is a typo at the top of the directions and while it correctly links to the black bean paste, it actually says “chinese five spice”.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          February 22, 2021 at 7:44 pm

          Oh gotcha. When you both referred to the “directions” I thought you meant the recipe. I see what you’re referring to in the blog post and updated it. Thank you.

          Reply
  11. Tricia Bush says

    January 31, 2021 at 7:55 am

    can this sauce freeze?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 31, 2021 at 9:53 am

      Hi Tricia, you can but cornstarch does not freeze well, it breaks down when thawed, so you may need to reheat it and re-thicken with cornstarch. That’s if you’re using it for a dipping sauce and need it to be a thicker consistency. If you’re just adding it to your cooking you probably don’t need to worry about re-thicken it.

      Reply
      • Keith Meredith says

        February 6, 2021 at 5:36 am

        Haven’t tried it yet but plan to – but where is the cornstarch? Can’t see any mention in the recipe…

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          February 6, 2021 at 9:19 pm

          Hi Keith, this isn’t a cooked sauce and there is no cornstarch in it.

          Reply
  12. K says

    January 5, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    Thank you! We made this with black bean and garlic sauce ( because I had it) and it is wonderful!

    Reply
  13. Barbara A Chen says

    January 3, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    You just saved me. Not because I followed the recipe but because I was able to convert it to low carb easily and the flavor is still spot on!!! We are trying to reduce carbs and my son can’t resist using hoisin like it’s ketchup, so this is amazing! Thank you so much for the ONLY authentic hoisin recipe on the internet!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 3, 2021 at 10:14 pm

      Fantastic, Barbara, I’m glad you were able to adjust it to your needs and that it’s a family hit, thank you!

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      January 4, 2021 at 10:16 am

      Hey! Out of interest what changes did you make to make it low carb?

      Reply
    • Ceredwyn says

      January 8, 2021 at 9:30 am

      Hi there, what did you use instead of sugar to make it low carb and still sweet? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Ann says

        March 10, 2022 at 2:47 pm

        I’d use erythritol or monk fruit sweetener. Since brown sugar in this recipe helps thicken, using guar gum will do the same without adding significant carbs. I prefer it over xanthan gum which I find has an unpleasant mouthfeel. Hope that helps!

        Reply
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