A jar of spicy homemade kung pao sauce with a black spoon on a slate board, surrounded by peanuts, fresh cilantro, a red chili pepper, and a small orange habanero. A bowl of peanuts and limes are in the background.

Easy 10 Ingredient Homemade Spicy Kung Pao Sauce

Chinese food ranks high on my list of favorite cuisines and kung pao recipes are definitely in my top five. So naturally, I have a go to homemade kung pao sauce recipe full of earthy, sour, and spicy notes. It combines a traditional sweet and savory spice blend with a quick and easy sauce recipe that only requires ten ingredients! This simple sauce is perfect for topping chicken, shrimp, or seafood. I use this sauce frequently for my favorite Chinese recipes and it only takes fifteen minutes to make. So next time you are craving Asian flavors you have to try this easy savory sauce. Full recipe card below.

A jar of spicy Kung Pao sauce with a spoon on a black tray, surrounded by peanuts, a red pepper, and an orange habanero. In the background, a bowl of peanuts, cilantro, and green limes. Text on the image reads, "Homemade Spicy Kung Pao Sauce Easy Recipe.

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What is Kung Pao Sauce?

Kung pao sauce is a common sauce in Chinese food recipes that typically has a sweet and sour yet earthy and spicy taste. It is often served over chicken pieces or shrimp and rice or noodles and garnished with green onions and crunchy peanuts. Authentic recipes often use expensive and hard to find ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese black vinegar, or Shaoxing wine aka Chinese cooking wine. But my easy recipe simplifies the ingredient list with common pantry staples used in Asian cooking.

I am a big fan of kung pao in general, but I am a true fan of the Pei Wei kung pao shrimp. So when ours closed several years back I had to come up with a homemade version. While I could buy a pre-packaged sauce at the grocery store they often contain questionable ingredients that sound more like chemicals than food.

A jar of spicy homemade kung pao peanut sauce with a spoon on a black slate board. Peanuts are scattered around the jar. In the background, there's a bowl of peanuts, a red pepper, and cilantro leaves.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

If you love a good kung pao chicken recipe at Chinese restaurants like I do, you will love this recipe. It brings all the bold flavor you would expect but without leaving your house! The best part is, it is ready in just 15 minutes and uses easy to find ingredients.

Sauce Ingredients

Making your own kung pao sauce is easier than you think! This homemade kung pao sauce recipe is a simple recipe that anyone can make. I have made this sauce more times than I can count, so I will give you my notes and suggestions based on what gives me the best results.

A selection of ingredients on a countertop includes sesame oil, creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochujang, ginger root, a bowl of brown sugar, and a jar of red pepper flakes.

Soy Sauce – This simple ingredient is a staple in my pantry and I use it frequently. It is a very thin sauce with a high salt content. Because of this I always use the low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce to avoid an overly salty dish. You can use regular soy sauce if that is all you have or you can substitute it with Ponzu sauce.

Peanut Butter – Not all kung pao sauce is made with peanut butter but I think it adds a creamy texture as well as an earthy note. And bonus, most of us stock it in the pantry since it has a relatively long shelf life. I use good old fashioned Skippy in the creamy version because I think it is easier to make the sauce than with crunchy peanut butter.

Rice Vinegar  Another common ingredient in Asian dishes is rice vinegar. It has an acidic taste but unlike white vinegar, rice vinegar is made from fermented rice and white vinegar is made from fermented grain alcohol. Rice vinegar is not quite as offensive and has a slightly sweet taste. This can be found at your regular grocery store in the international food section or near the vinegars depending on your store setup.

Sesame Oil  – Sesame oil is frequently used in Asian cooking as a way of adding flavor to a dish. As the name suggests, it is oil derived from sesame seeds and has a nutty flavor.

Gochujang – This is a Korean chili paste that is not overly spicy. It is most similar to a sweet fermented tomato paste with a little bit of spice. Note, this is not the same as Sambal Oelek chili paste which is MUCH spicier. I regularly use both, but gochujang is much milder.

A jar of spicy homemade kung pao sauce with a black spoon on a slate board, surrounded by peanuts, fresh cilantro, a red chili pepper, and a small orange habanero. A bowl of peanuts and limes are in the background.

Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? While these two can be substituted for one another they will not yield the exact same flavor. For this recipe I think dark brown sugar is the better option because it is a little sweeter but either will work.

Ginger – For this recipe I used grated ginger root because it has a fresh taste with slightly spicy notes and definitely gives it something extra. You can find whole ginger in the produce section in grocery stores. While it is technically classified as a spice it looks similar to a root vegetable. The best way to use fresh ginger is to grate it. I find this works best if you store it in the freezer and grate it frozen.

Red Pepper Flakes – Normally kung pao sauce gets its spicy flavor from Sichuan chili peppers, but to make this an easy recipe I used crushed red pepper instead. Depending on your taste buds you can add more or less heat. I personally think somewhere between a half and a whole teaspoon is the right amount of heat that doesn’t overpower the sauce. Feel free to add as much as you like.

Water – I add a little bit of water when mixing this sauce in noodle or rice dishes but skip it when I make this sauce for pizza. If you prefer a thick kung pao sauce, feel free to skip it.

Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce even more you can add some cornstarch and simmer for a few minutes.

* Note to my readers. I strive to bring home cooks reliable recipes you can count on. Every recipe on this site is tested and made by me personally in my own kitchen and given to my harshest recipe tester critics for invaluable feedback. This site does not review its own recipes or participate in paid reviews nor does it purchase recipes and photos from third parties. Photos are taken of each recipe and not artificially generated. All reviews are real trustworthy reviews and if you make a recipe and have feedback, please feel free to contact me.

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A hand holding a spoon drizzling a jar of spicy homemade kung pao sauce on a black slate board. Surrounding the jar are peanuts, a red bell pepper, an orange pepper, cilantro, lime, and red pepper flakes. A black bowl and cloth are in the background.

Easy 10 ingredient Homemade Spicy Kung Pao Sauce


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  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/4 cup 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Kung pao sauce is a favorite of spicy Asian food lovers and a staple in Chinese cuisine. This easy 10 ingredient homemade kung pao sauce recipe can be made in fifteen minutes and brings bold flavor to your kitchen. It’s the perfect sauce for an easy kung pao chicken, shrimp, or even as a stir fry sauce. It combines a traditional sweet and savory sauce blend with a quick and easy recipe for weeknight meals. So next time you are craving Chinese food, you have to try this simple sauce.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
  • 2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 2 tbsp Gochujang
  • 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 3 tbsp Water
  • 1/2 tsp Cornstarch

Instructions

  1. In a medium size bowl, blend all the ingredients except the cornstarch with an immersion blender until fully combined.
  2. Once fully mixed, heat the sauce mixture over medium heat whisking in the cornstarch slowly. Let simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce but do not boil.

Notes

  • Note, when I make this I use 1 tsp of chili flakes instead of a half but I love spicy food. If you like a lot of heat you can always add more but you can’t take it away.
  • For easy meal prep this sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Sauces
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Looking for more sauce recipes try my homemade Caribbean jerk sauce, chipotle aioli, teriyaki sauce, curry lime sauce, or green goddess dressing.

A jar of spicy homemade kung pao sauce with a spoon on a slate board, surrounded by peanuts, cilantro, a red chili pepper, and a small bowl of peanuts. Limes and a red habanero pepper are visible in the background.

Storage

The best way to store leftover kung pao sauce is in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Heat in a small saucepan with rice, noodles, or coat cooked chicken, pork, or seafood with it.

When to Make Kung Pao Sauce

This spicy sauce is perfect on chicken thighs or breast, ramen noodles, stir fries, kung pao chicken tacos, shredded chicken, or even on a kung pao chicken pizza (yep, you know I did that!) It also pairs really well with shrimp and ground turkey or it can be used as a dipping sauce or chicken marinade. No matter what kung pao recipes you use this tasty sauce on it adds a ton of complex flavor and can be made in just fifteen minutes! So if spicy food is your style of cooking you have to give this delicious sauce a try!

A hand holding a spoon drizzling a jar of spicy homemade kung pao sauce on a black slate board. Surrounding the jar are peanuts, a red bell pepper, an orange pepper, cilantro, lime, and red pepper flakes. A black bowl and cloth are in the background.

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Top image of a jar of spicy kung pao sauce being spooned. Bottom image features the sauce in a jar surrounded by fresh herbs, peppers, and peanuts. Text reads "Spicy Kung Pao Sauce Recipe" and "www.GarrisonStreetEats.com".

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