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Home » Food » By Type of Dish » Sauces, Seasonings and Condiments » BEST Chinese Black Bean Sauce

BEST Chinese Black Bean Sauce

September 10, 2023 by Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet · 237 Comments

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This authentic black bean sauce recipe holds the grand secret to making some of the best Chinese food on the planet!  It will work absolute flavor miracles for your Chinese dishes and most anything you simply want to boost with some flavor and umami!

black bean sauce recipe best authentic traditional Chinese Asian paste

For those of you who know what Chinese black bean sauce is, you already know the wonders it does for your Asian-inspired dishes.  You’ll also be happy to know how incredibly quick and easy it is to make yourself (all of 15 minutes).  PLUS, it tastes even better than store-bought stuff AND you know exactly what’s in it…and what isn’t!

For those of you who have no idea what this stuff is, you’ve now discovered a grand secret to making some of the best Chinese food on the planet!

What is Black Bean Sauce?

Let’s begin with the central ingredient:  Fermented black beans.  No, they’re not your typical black beans, aka turtle beans, that you find in dishes like Black Beans & Rice or in South American cuisine.  (Yes, I have seen several well-intentioned recipes online calling for regular black beans.)  No, these black beans are actually black soybeans.  These fermented black soybeans, called douchi in Chinese, are created through a process of boiling the beans, then inoculating them with a special mold spore (commonly aspergillus oryzae) as they dry in the sun.  Then they’re typically either stored dry or in brine.  This same mold variety is used in miso and soy sauce which are also both fermented products.

You can find fermented black beans in well-stocked Asian grocery stores or you can buy them online.

fermented black beans

Because of their strong flavor, fermented black beans are frequently paired with other strong flavors like, most commonly garlic and also chilies for heat.  Fermented black beans are most widely used to make Chinese Black Bean Sauce, also referred to as Black Bean Paste and Black Bean & Garlic Sauce.  Black bean sauce is an important and popular ingredient in Chinese cuisine, particularly Cantonese and Sichuan cooking.  It’s as common as an everyday condiment as ketchup is here.

Sharp, pungent, salty and spicy with a hint of sweet, black bean sauce contributes a flavor to Chinese food like no other.  And a little goes a very long way, so use sparingly.

black bean sauce recipe authentic chinese traditional fermented condiment

How To Use Black Bean Sauce

Black bean sauce is used any time you want to add a unique and powerful flavor boost to your dishes along with a punch of umami.  Some popular ways of using it include:

  • Stir-fries
  • Fried rice
  • Noodles
  • Eggs and omelettes
  • Chinese long beans or green beans
  • Fish, scallops, clams and shrimp
  • Chicken, pork, and beef dishes
  • Asian eggplant dishes
  • Slathered on pork spareribs and then steamed, grilled or roasted
  • Steamed vegetables such as bok choy or broccoli
  • Asian wraps
  • Asian-style coleslaw

I especially love including it in the base for most any stir-fry.  Just select your protein, throw in some veggies, and add some black bean sauce with your other sauce ingredients.

How to Store Black Bean Sauce

Store the black bean sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.  Stored in this way this sauce will keep for at least two weeks.  Some separation may occur, just give it a stir before using.

black bean sauce recipe authentic chinese fermented paste garlic recipe asian

Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Let’s get started!

Making your own Chinese black bean paste takes all of 10 minutes.  As long as you have the fermented black beans, the rest of the ingredients are common staples and easy to find.  You can find fermented black beans online.

They come in a large quantity and at a good price.  They’ll keep for a long time, several months, and you can also freeze them in ziplock bags and they’ll last even longer.

Place the fermented black beans in a small bowl, cover with water and soak for an hour or so.  Then rinse and drain them.

Mash the beans up with a fork and set them aside.

smashing fermented black beans

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook the garlic and ginger for a minute or two until softened and very fragrant.

Add the green onions and cook for another minute.

adding ingredients to saucepan

Add the mashed fermented black beans and cook for another minute.

adding ingredients to saucepan

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has been reduced by half.

adding broth to saucepan

Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer for another minute or until thickened.

adding cornstarch thickener to black bean sauce

Let the Chinese Black Bean Paste / Chinese Black Bean Sauce cool and then store it in the fridge in an airtight container, preferably a glass jar.  Will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

black bean sauce recipe authentic chinese paste garlic recipe asian

For more delicious homemade Asian condiments be sure to try our:

  • Teriyaki Sauce
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Yum Yum Sauce
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • Eel Sauce (Unagi Sauce)
  • Plum Sauce 
  • Kecap Manis
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Ponzu Sauce
  • Char Siu Sauce
  • Ginger Sauce
black bean sauce recipe authentic chinese traditional best umami fermented

BEST Chinese Black Bean Sauce

Kimberly Killebrew
With an incredible depth of flavor, this sauce will work magic on any dish you add it to.  You'll never use store-bought again!
Print Recipe
4.91 from 76 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course condiment
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 18 servings
Calories 21 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 tablespoons fermented black beans , soaked in water about an hour then rinsed and drained (if you prefer a stronger and saltier flavor, use more beans)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
  • 2 green onions , finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (can substitute dry sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce or sambal oelek , for heat (optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

Instructions
 

  • Mash soaked and drained fermented black beans with a fork and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute or two until softened and very fragrant. Add the green onions and cook for another minute. Add the mashed beans and cook for another minute.
  • Add all remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer for another minute or until thickened.
  • Let the black bean sauce cool and store in an airtight container (preferably glass). Will keep for up to 2 weeks.Makes a little more than a cup.  

Notes

For an additional touch of flavor (depending on what you're using it for) you can also add a 1/2 teaspoon or so of orange zest. Add it along with the broth and then proceed with the simmering.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 7mg | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Keyword Black Bean Sauce
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet March 4, 2016

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237 Comments →

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237 Responses

  1. Jill says

    August 4, 2022 at 1:02 am

    Hi there
    Is this good for preserving? Etc

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      August 14, 2022 at 7:35 pm

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

      Reply
  2. Tessie says

    April 26, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Great recipe, very fragrant and authentic. Used as a base for yummy Chicken Chow Mein in Black Bean sauce tonight, but I’m sure to find lots of other uses for it as well, even if just a dollop of it for extra flavour in non-black bean dishes. Thank you for sharing :)

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      April 26, 2022 at 4:13 pm

      Thank you, Tessie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Tony says

    March 19, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    Where do you get fermented black soy beans from other than china?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 20, 2022 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Tony, I’ve only seen them from China.

      Reply
      • jojobe says

        July 27, 2022 at 12:30 pm

        Amazon carries them, of course!

        Reply
    • Trisha says

      July 20, 2022 at 3:52 am

      Are you in the UK Tony? I got mine online, have just seen the same one on Ebay, look for Mee Chun, they are in England, and the beans are lovely.

      Reply
    • Rob says

      July 20, 2022 at 10:56 am

      Local chinese grocer has them.

      Reply
    • Sam McNeill says

      March 5, 2023 at 8:19 am

      In a supermarket called Longdan. One has just opened in Crawley West Sussex. £ 1.90 for 250g

      Reply
  4. Kimberly LewisBowie says

    March 8, 2022 at 10:27 am

    I was surprised that I had all ingredients in my pantry and was able to follow the instructions. It tasted great and I added the zest which made the recipe popped. Thank you for such a easy recipe. I will add this more often to my diet regimen..

    Thanks from California

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 9, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      I’m so glad, Kimberly, thank you!

      Reply
  5. CONRAD FERNANDES says

    February 21, 2022 at 3:47 am

    Can i use fermented yellow soya beans, instead of yhe black.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 21, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      Hi Conrad, I’m not familiar with fermented yellow soybeans. Are you referring to yellow soybean paste, like miso? You can certainly experiment with that. It won’t give you the same flavor outcome as the fermented black beans but and will have a runnier texture, but I’m sure it will taste good.

      Reply
  6. SuperD says

    February 20, 2022 at 4:40 pm

    This is fantastic!! I think packaged in smallish glass jars they’d be great for gift giving as well.

    Reply
  7. Anne Purdham says

    February 19, 2022 at 10:01 pm

    Can I use a can of black beans? Also how much of this do you add to a dish while cooking say 500 gms of meat?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 20, 2022 at 8:09 am

      Hi Anne, black beans aren’t remotely the same thing and will not work as a substitute. The beans used in this sauce are fermented soybeans and they are what give the sauce its distinctive flavor. How much black bean sauce to add to a dish is purely a matter of personal preference. I’d start with less (stir in a couple of tablespoons), taste it, and you can always add more. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  8. lynne lasser says

    December 26, 2021 at 9:35 am

    I wonder if this would last longer in the fridge with powdered garlic and ginger. What do you think?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 26, 2021 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Lynne, maybe a little. There’s the green onions too….

      Reply
  9. Amber says

    December 23, 2021 at 11:23 am

    Is this the same black bean paste used for korean jajangmyeon? I’ve been looking for a way to make it from scratch. I haven’t found a store bought one without all the added preservatives and Carmel color dyes.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 25, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      Hi Amber, Korean black bean sauce and Chinese black bean sauce are similar in that they’re both made with fermented soybeans, but Korean black bean paste is considerably saltier and many people agree that it doesn’t have the same depth of flavor or complexity as Chinese black bean paste. All that is to say that you can definitely use this for jajangmyeon and it will probably taste all the better for it!

      Reply
  10. chantel says

    December 22, 2021 at 11:48 am

    I love black bean sauce, but have found the last 2 years the store stuff is soo grossly salty. So glad to have a recipe.

    Reply
  11. Deb says

    December 22, 2021 at 9:09 am

    I’ve made this today for the first time and I am amazed at how easy it was and how fabulous it tastes. I added a bit more sugar as it was slightly too salty and it ended up perfect 👌🏻!
    Going to try it with beef and green pepper later…I’ve tried the velvet method for the beef as well!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 25, 2021 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks so much, Deb, I’m happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  12. Keith says

    November 18, 2021 at 7:31 am

    Ive always got some of this in the fridge. Brilliant recipe, thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      November 18, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      Fantastic, Keith, thank you very much!

      Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    September 6, 2021 at 8:05 pm

    While the sauce was tasty it was not salty enough. Either I won’t soak the beans as long or will add more soy sauce to the recipe. My chicken broth was sodium free, as well.

    Reply
  14. Jim says

    August 14, 2021 at 9:16 am

    I’ve found black bean garlic sauce online but not any without garlic in the name. Could this be the same thing?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 14, 2021 at 7:26 pm

      Hi Jim, yes that is basically a simplified store-bought version of this.

      Reply
  15. Anonymous says

    July 12, 2021 at 2:09 am

    Can I use normal beans instead of fermented. Would taste be compromised?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 13, 2021 at 11:05 am

      No, they’re not remotely the same thing and have an entirely different flavor.

      Reply
    • Super D says

      August 8, 2021 at 2:33 pm

      Can I freeze the sauce for later use?? Love your recipes🙏💝

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        August 9, 2021 at 6:11 am

        Hi Super D, yes you can but omit the cornstarch as it doesn’t freeze well and tends to break down. If you need the sauce to be thicker when you’re ready to use it, you can reheat it and add the cornstarch at that point.

        Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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