How to Make Delicious Black Bean Sauce from Scratch

This is one of the most useful Chinese sauces because it goes well with almost anything. You can stir-fry, bake, grill, or steam with it.

If you like Chinese food, you should keep a jar of ready-made black bean sauce in your fridge. Here are the reasons:

Black bean sauce is a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking. The rich, savory sauce made from fermented black beans adds a wonderful umami flavor to many Asian dishes. While you can purchase pre-made black bean sauce at the store, homemade has a fresher, more complex taste.

With just a few simple ingredients and easy steps, you can quickly whip up a tasty batch of black bean sauce right in your own kitchen. Once you learn the technique, you’ll be able to customize it to suit your tastes. Read on to find out everything you need to know about making this versatile Chinese staple.

An Overview of Black Bean Sauce

Black bean sauce utilizes dried, fermented black soybeans as its key ingredient Through a natural fermenting and salting process, the black beans become intensely savory, slightly sweet, and a little tangy When simmered into a thick sauce, these complex flavors intensify even more.

In Chinese cuisine, black bean sauce can be used in a variety of dishes:

As a flavorful accent stirred into rice or noodle dishes
As a marinade or sauce for proteins like chicken, pork, fish, and tofu
As a component in stir fries and braises
As a topping or dipping sauce for dumplings and spring rolls

The sauce provides a wonderful salty, nutty, and aromatic quality. Just a spoonful can add lots of rich, savory flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Making your own black bean sauce only requires a handful of ingredients:

Dried fermented black beans – Sold in Asian grocery stores, these small black soybeans are packed with umami flavor Rinse before using
Garlic – Minced garlic adds a layers of aromatic flavor. You can use 2-3 large cloves.
Ginger – Grated ginger brings a little spicy kick and bright flavor. Use about a 1-inch knob.
Scallions – Thinly sliced scallions give fresh onion flavor. The green tops add nice color.
Stock – Chicken or vegetable stock provides a flavorful base. Use about 1 cup.
Soy sauce – A few tablespoons of soy sauce adds saltiness and extra rich flavor.
Rice wine – The mild acidity of rice wine balances the other flavors. Substitute dry sherry.
Sugar – A pinch of white sugar balances the saltiness and adds subtle sweetness.
Cornstarch – A cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce to the desired consistency.

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions

Making black bean sauce is simple with these easy steps:

1. Rinse the black beans.

Place the dried black beans in a mesh strainer and rinse under running water for 30 seconds. This removes any dirt or dust from packaging or handling.

2. Mince the garlic and ginger.

Finely mince 2-3 cloves of garlic. Peel and grate about 1-inch of fresh ginger. You want very small pieces to distribute the flavors.

3. Slice the scallions.

Trim the scallion bulbs and thinly slice the white and green parts. Keep them separated.

4. Heat oil in a saucepan.

Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat.

5. Fry the aromatics.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

6. Add black beans.

Add the rinsed black beans. Stir and fry for 2 minutes more.

7. Pour in rice wine.

Give the pan a splash of rice wine or dry sherry, about 2 tablespoons. Cook for 1 minute.

8. Add seasonings.

Stir in 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Add a pinch of sugar.

9. Pour in stock.

Add 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer.

10. Simmer the sauce.

Let simmer for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to develop. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

11. Make a cornstarch slurry.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth.

12. Thicken sauce.

Give the sauce a stir and slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. Stop when desired thickness is reached.

13. Finish and serve.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in the sliced scallion whites. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with scallion greens.

And that’s it – your homemade black bean sauce is ready to enjoy! The sauce will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days. Use it to flavor all kinds of savory Chinese dishes.

Variations and Customizations

Once you master the basic recipe, try these tweaks:

Use other types of stock – beef or mushroom stock add deeper flavor
Add a splash of sesame oil for additional aroma
Stir in a spoonful of chili-garlic paste for spicy kick
Substitute red wine vinegar for a more robust acidity
Garnish with minced cilantro instead of scallions
Add a splash of toasted sesame seeds for more texture
Use brown sugar instead of white for deeper molasses notes
Simmer mushrooms or tofu in the sauce for extra volume
Thicken with arrowroot instead of cornstarch for glossy sheen
Boost the black bean flavor by using more beans
Add freshly grated orange zest for a hint of citrus

The possibilities are endless! Adjust the ingredients to create your own signature black bean sauce.

Tips for Using Black Bean Sauce

Black bean sauce is extremely versatile in Asian cooking. Here are some tips:

Add just a spoonful to fried rice or lo mein noodles for savory flavor
Toss blanched vegetables in diluted sauce as a quick stir fry
Brush on proteins before grilling, roasting, or pan-frying
Mix with mayo as a topping for burgers or sandwiches
Use to marinate chicken, tofu, or pork before cooking
Stir into dips and dressings in place of plain soy sauce
Add to stir fries and noodle dishes in the last few minutes of cooking
Mix with sesame oil as a dip for dumplings or egg rolls

A little black bean sauce goes a long way to add delicious umami depth to all kinds of dishes!

Now that you know how easy it is to make your own black bean sauce at home, you’ll always have this flavorful secret ingredient on hand. Get creative and make this Chinese staple your own.

how to make a black bean sauce

( Cut and prep the vegetables.

To make a quick dinner, my favorite method is to only use one type of vegetable. You can use two, but no more.

Asparagus – Chopped to 1-inch pieces
Bok choy: Tear off big leaves and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut the rest of the leaves in half or quarters.
Bamboo shoots – Sliced
Bell peppers – Sliced or chopped
Broccoli (fresh) – Divide to small florets; steam or blanch. (Read this post to find out how to quickly blanch broccoli in the same pan.)
For frozen broccoli, heat it in the microwave for two to four minutes, depending on how much you have. This will thaw it and make it warm, but not hot.
Peel and cut Brussels sprouts in half. For instructions on how to roast Brussels sprouts, see this post.
Cabbage (green and red) – Coarsely chopped
Take fresh cauliflower and cut it into small florets. Then steam, blanch, or roast them.
If you want to make stir-fry with frozen cauliflower, put it in the microwave for two to four minutes. If you want to roast it, read this post to learn how to do that.
If you use a julienne peeler, cut the carrot into pieces or strips. You can also cut it into chunks and roast them.
Celery – Sliced or diced
Eggplant – Sliced. (Read this post to find out how to get eggplant ready to cook so it gets crispy.) ).
Green peas (fresh or frozen)
Kale – Stalk chopped to small pieces, leaves coarsely chopped
Mustard greens – Chopped
Mushrooms – Sliced or quartered
Okra – Sliced
Onion – Sliced
Spinach – Roughly chopped for larger spinach. No need to chop baby spinach.
Snow pea
Zucchini – Seeded and sliced

(5) Make the stir fry, or use the stir fry sauce for baking, grilling, or steaming

Read this post to learn the basic steps of making Chinese stir fry.

To learn how to use Black Bean Sauce now, go to:

how to make a black bean sauce

( Choose and cut the protein.

Beef (flank steak or short ribs): cut into thin slices (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick) or strips for stir-fry.
Chicken breast or thigh without skin or bones—cut into 1-inch cubes or 1/4-inch thick slices for stir fry Use whole pieces for grilling or baking.
If you want to make stir-fry, cut pork tenderloin or loin into thin slices that are 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. For baking, pan searing, or grilling, use bigger cuts like pork chops.
Shrimps – Peeled and deveined for stir fry or grilling.
Fish fillet – Grilled, baked, or steamed with the sauce.
Tofu (firm or extra firm)—Cubed into 1/2 to 2/3-inch pieces for braising or stir-frying

The EASIEST Black Bean Sauce in a jar – Chinese Sauce Basics

FAQ

What is black bean sauce made of?

What is black bean sauce made of? Homemade black bean sauce is full of only the good stuff, and our black bean sauce recipe has got no nasties. It features fermented black beans (which you can get from your Asian grocer), a whole lot of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and Chinese vinegar.

What is a good substitute for black bean sauce?

You’ll see bean sauce called for in many Asian recipes. It is often sold in the Asian foods section of the grocery store. But if you can’t find it, use hoisin sauce in its place. Hoisin is sweeter, so decrease the amount of sugar or honey in the recipe if there is any.

Is Chinese black bean sauce healthy?

The sauce is healthier than many other Chinese sauces because it contains less sugar. The sauce has a bit of thickening powder by itself, so you don’t always need to use extra cornstarch to thicken the sauce. One more prep step eliminated!

What is Korean black bean sauce made from?

Jajang, or chunjang, is a Korean bean paste made from fermenting black soybeans in salt, wheat flour, and caramel. It has a unique and delicious taste!