How to Make General Tso Sauce
General Tso Sauce is a rich, sweet, and spicy sauce perfect for stir-fry dishes. Learning to make this sauce at home will change how you cook, so believe me!
Talk about a universal sauce for cooking, marinating meat or tofu, or dipping. The first time I had it, I was hooked, and I mean it when I say that you can make it, too, in just 10 minutes! This homemade version puts to shame any takeout or store-bought alternative.
General Tso sauce is incredibly popular, and you will undoubtedly see General Tso Chicken on every Chinese Takeout Menu. So, anytime you want to have some Chinese takeout, look no further because making it home will be quicker and tastier.
Table of contents
As someone who cooks for a living, I have learned a few shortcuts that come in handy and will save you time in the kitchen. Hear me out: Any recipe you make may end up incredibly bland, even if you use the best ingredients. Because flavor is so important, having a few good sauce recipes under your belt is key.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make and the fool-proof approach to make your dinner 10 times tastier
- The ability to make a larger batch and freeze it for later
- Way healthier, tastier, and undeniably more flavorful than ANY store-bought version!
- The versatility to use it as a stir-fry sauce or dip
What is General Tso Sauce made of?
Over the years, I have enjoyed eating out at traditional Chinese restaurants in New York and New Jersey. This experience has helped me become an expert at understanding how the most authentic Chinese recipes should taste.
The secret to making a great homemade sauce that you will immediately differentiate from the store-bought versions is fresh aromatics that will elevate and sharpen the flavors! To make the sauce, you need staples like:
- rice vinegar
- soy and hoisin sauce
- chicken broth
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- minced ginger
- fresh garlic or garlic powder
- red pepper flakes
- cornstarch
How do you make General Tso sauce?
This is one of the easiest recipes you will make, and don’t worry—it’s impossible to mess up! Combine all the ingredients in a pot to make it; the order doesn’t matter. Then, heat 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat while continuously stirring.
Let it thicken for 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat. Use it immediately, cool it thoroughly, and store it in a clean container or jar.
Recipe variations:
- Gluten-free: You can make this sauce gluten-free using tamari or Amino acids instead of soy sauce.
- Sugar alternatives: The sugar in this recipe can be replaced with honey or agave. Sugar substitutes like erythritol or monk fruit sugar can also be used.
How to serve:
This is a very versatile sauce. I usually use it in stir-fries with meat, veggies, or whatever I have on hand. I also like to use it as a dipping sauce for avocado egg rolls or drizzle it on top of my crispy tofu salad.
It’s also great as a chicken, pork, and beef marinade. I recommend trying it as a marinade, baked chicken breasts, roasted pork loin, or a glaze for this homemade meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used in the famous Chinese takeout dish, General Tso Chicken. It is named after a Chinese leader from the Qing dynasty, Zuo Zongtang, whose romanized name is Tso Tsungtang. History has it that a certain Chef Peng invented the dish and served it in his restaurant in Taiwan.
From this original recipe, the Chinese immigrants in the US developed the present-day recipe in the 1970s. The version that we know now is tweaked to please the American palate – a little bit sweeter than the original version which is hotter and of Hunanese influence.
It is the perfect and balanced combination of sweet and savory flavors. It has notes of sour, tangy, and mildly spicy all at once. The sauce has a sticky texture and tends to thicken when refrigerated. It goes hand in hand with crispy chicken and veggies, as served in General Tso Chicken.
That is the case when the sauce was not simmered enough, or a thickener like cornstrach slurry has not been used. I recommend, mixing about a teaspoon of cornstarch with two teaspoons of water, until fully dissolved, and add the mixture to the sauce. Simmer it for a few minutes, and repeat if needed. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken more once it cools.
While both are sweet and savory sauces, and have some similarities, they are NOT the same. Each one possesses very distinctive features. General Tso Sauce leans more towards the savory palette, with an umami flavor from the Hoisin sauce that is not used in Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Sweet and sour sauce is a bit more acidic, sweeter, and not as spicy. Usually, it has some pineapple juice in the ingredient list, and the umami flavor comes from the Ketchup that is added.
They also look different visually, with the General Tso being darker and the other almost a bright red color.
How to store:
- Refrigerator: Once refrigerated, you can use this up within two to three weeks.
- Freezer: If frozen, this can be kept for 3 months. This is especially helpful when you cook a larger batch and refrigerate portions in Ziploc bags to have on hand.
More Chinese sauce recipes:
Craving Chinese takeout? I’ve got easy stir-fry dishes for a nice family dinner! Check out my recipes for Szechuan Chicken, Hunan Beef, and Hunan Chicken!
Recipe tips:
- Hoisin sauce adds authentic Chinese flavor to any dish. But if you do not have it, you can combine barbecue sauce with Sriracha. You can also add some Chinese five-spice powder. I strongly encourage you to get some, though! It is used in many Chinese recipes and can be kept in the refrigerator for one whole year.
- Not everyone is a garlic fan. If you want a subtle garlic flavor, use garlic powder. However, if you prefer a robust garlic flavor, opt for fresh minced garlic.
- Chinkiang vinegar is also an excellent ingredient for replacing rice vinegar. It has a deeper flavor.
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General Tso Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add all the ingredients and whisk to combine. Place it over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until it starts to simmer.
- Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat.
- Use immediately, or let cool and transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate.