Honey Garlic Sauce is made with simple ingredients and is ready in minutes. This Asian sauce is sweet, savory, and perfect for chicken, shrimp, or veggies.
Skip the takeout and make this irresistible honey garlic sauce at home in minutes!
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Easy honey garlic sauce
Sweet, sticky, and packed with flavor, garlic honey sauce is a game changer for weeknight dinners!
Drizzle it, toss it, use it for dipping, cook with it.
This is one sauce with endless possibilities!
There’s something truly magical about a sauce that can transform even the simplest meal into something so delicious, and this Honey Garlic Sauce does exactly that.
Sweet, savory, and perfectly balanced, it’s the kind of simple sauce recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again.
Whether you’re drizzling it over crispy chicken, tossing it with shrimp, or glazing roasted vegetables, this sauce brings bold flavor to every bite.
I also love using it as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and French fries too.
It’s quick to prepare, uses pantry staples and fresh kitchen ingredients, and comes together in just minutes, making this homemade sauce recipe perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.
The combination of rich honey, aromatic garlic, flavorful ginger and a hint of tangy vinegar creates a depth of flavor that tastes like it simmered for hours.
But it only takes minutes to make this sweet and savory sauce recipe.
This recipe is truly foolproof and wonderfully simple.
Once you make it from scratch, you won’t ever go back to store-bought sauces with chemicals and preservatives again.
Get ready to elevate your meals with this irresistible homemade Honey Garlic Sauce!
This flavorful DIY sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. A must-save recipe for busy weeknights!
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How to make honey garlic sauce
This is a quick overview of how to make this sticky garlic honey sauce recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Melt the butter and cook garlic and ginger
- Step 2: Add the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and vinegar.
- Step 3: Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, stirring until blended and smooth.
- Step 4: Add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Hint: Be sure to use medium-low or low heat when simmering the sauce so that it doesn't begin to burn.
Expert recipe tips
- Use fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavor. Jarred garlic and pre-minced versions won’t give you the same depth of flavor.
- Keep the heat at medium-low to low to avoid burning the garlic.
- Stir or whisk the sauce when the cornstarch slurry is added to the saucepot to prevent lumps.
- Let the sauce simmer over a low heat just until thickened; overcooking can make it too thick.
- You can taste and adjust the flavors to your personal preferences by adding a splash more vinegar for tang or extra honey for sweetness.
Substitutions
- Brown Sugar - Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar can be used to make this recipe.
- Butter – You can use a plant-based butter or olive oil instead of butter, however, butter gives rich dairy notes to the sauce and is my personal preference.
- Cornstarch - Arrowroot powder can be used as a thickener alternative for cornstarch.
- Fresh Ginger – If you need to replace fresh ginger, you can use 1 teaspoon ground ginger instead.
- Honey - Maple syrup can replace honey, however, it will give the sauce a different sweetness profile. Agave can also replace honey.
- Rice Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can replace rice vinegar.
- Soy Sauce – You can use low-sodium soy sauce instead of soy sauce or tamari for a gluten-free option.
Variations
- Citrus Twist - Stir in a bit of orange juice or orange zest for a bright citrus note.
- Garlic Lovers Version – For a more intense garlic flavor, double the garlic.
- Pineapple Honey Garlic – For a tropical flair, add pineapple juice or canned crushed pineapple or pineapple bits for a tropical flair.
- Spicy Honey Garlic Sauce – For a spicy sauce, add crushed red pepper flakes when cooking the garlic and ginger or stir sriracha into the sauce when simmering.
Ways to use honey garlic sauce
Here are some ways to use this versatile sauce:
- Toss chicken wings with honey garlic sauce
- Use as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and french fries
- Drizzle over cooked chicken, beef or seafood
- Use as a sauce for cooking meats and vegetables
- Toss with cooked vegetables
- Brush garlic honey sauce on as a glaze when cooking pork chops, chicken and steak
- Use as a simmer sauce
Storage
- Refrigerator - Store leftover garlic sauce in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating - Reheat the leftover sauce gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add a bit of water or juice to loosen the sauce.
- Freezer – You can also freeze this sauce for up to 2 months. Thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Ingredients
Ingredients for an easy honey garlic sauce
- Butter - Adds richness and a silky texture to the sauce and enhances the overall flavor.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic delivers bold, savory flavor and that signature aromatic punch that makes this sauce irresistible.
- Fresh Ginger – Fresh ginger gives a subtle warmth and zesty flavor that balances the sweetness of the honey.
- Honey – Honey is the star ingredient, bringing its natural sweetness and helping to create the glossy, sticky finish.
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds depth and a hint of molasses flavor and makes the sauce richer and more complex.
- Soy Sauce – Soy sauce lends a umami note and saltiness which balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar adds a subtle tang that brightens the sauce and keeps it from being overly sweet.
- Cold Water and Cornstarch – Cold water and cornstarch combine to create a slurry that thickens the sauce and gives it its perfect, glossy consistency.
Easy sauce recipes
What to serve with honey garlic sauce
Serve garlic honey sauce on the side, drizzled over, as a dipping sauce or as a glaze with one of these recipes:
Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoons minced garlic about 2 large cloves
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup honey
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
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Instructions
- In a small saucepot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and vinegar.
- In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch, stirring until smooth and blended.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepot and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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