General Tso Sauce Recipe

This homemade General Tso sauce comes together in minutes and gives chicken, shrimp, vegetables, or stir fries that classic sweet, tangy, and spicy flavor. It thickens into a glossy sauce that coats every bite and tastes fresher and more balanced than most takeout versions. Since it’s made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s an easy sauce to keep in your regular dinner rotation.

Why This General Tso Sauce Recipe Works

The best General Tso sauce needs the right balance of sweetness, acidity, heat, and savory flavor. Brown sugar gives this version its familiar sweetness, while soy sauce and hoisin add depth. Vinegar keeps the sauce from tasting heavy, and chili garlic paste and red chilies bring enough heat to balance the sugar.

The step that makes the biggest difference is cooking the garlic, ginger, and chilies briefly in oil before adding the sauce. I found that this brings out much more flavor than simply whisking everything together and heating it at once. It only takes about 30 seconds, but it gives the finished sauce a deeper, fresher taste.

Cornstarch gives the sauce its smooth, glossy texture, which makes it ideal for General Tso chicken because it clings to every piece instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. This recipe makes enough to coat 1 to 1½ pounds of cooked chicken, and you can easily adjust the brown sugar or chili garlic paste to make it sweeter or spicier.

General Tso Sauce Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ ginger, minced
• 3 to 4 red chilies, dried or fresh
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 ½ soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar or 1 and a half tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Ingredient Notes

• Brown sugar: Start with 3 tablespoons for a balanced sweet and tangy sauce. Use the full 4 tablespoons if you prefer a sweeter takeout-style General Tso sauce.
• Hoisin sauce: This adds sweetness, body, and a deeper savory flavor than soy sauce alone. Since brands vary in saltiness and sweetness, taste the finished sauce before making adjustments.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a milder, more rounded acidity than white vinegar and gives the sauce the best overall balance. If you’re using regular vinegar, use the smaller amount listed in the recipe.
• Chili garlic paste: This brings both heat and concentrated chili flavor. Sambal oelek works as a substitute, but you may want to add a little extra garlic since it usually contains less.
• Red chilies: Fresh or dried chilies both work. Dried chilies give the sauce a deeper, sharper heat, while fresh chilies taste brighter. Use fewer for a mild sauce or leave them whole for more controlled heat.
• Cornstarch: Whisk it completely into the cold sauce mixture before adding it to the pan. If it isn’t fully dissolved, the finished sauce can turn lumpy instead of smooth and glossy.

How to Make General Tso Sauce

Step 1: Mix the sauce

In a small bowl whisk together the water, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic paste, sesame oil, and cornstarch until completely smooth and the sugar has fully dissolved. Make sure there are no cornstarch lumps since they will not cook out later. Set aside.

Step 2: Bloom the aromatics

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic, minced ginger, and red chilies. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Do not walk away from the pan during this step since garlic burns fast and burned garlic will make the whole sauce bitter.

Step 3: Add the sauce and thicken

Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and stir continuously as it heats. The sauce will start to thicken and turn glossy after 1 to 2 minutes as the cornstarch activates. Keep stirring so it heats evenly and does not catch on the bottom of the pan.

Step 4: Use or store the sauce

For General Tso chicken, add 1 to 1 ½ pounds of cooked chicken to the pan and toss until every piece is coated in the hot, glossy sauce. Serve immediately for the best texture.

You can also spoon the sauce over shrimp, tofu, vegetables, rice, or stir fries. To save it for later, let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight glass jar and refrigerate.

My Tips for the Best General Tso Sauce

Don’t let the garlic brown. Garlic cooks quickly and can turn bitter before the ginger and chilies are ready. Keep the heat at medium and add the sauce mixture as soon as the aromatics smell fragrant.

Remove the sauce before it looks overly thick. The sauce will continue thickening as it cools and once it coats the chicken. I take it off the heat when it coats the back of a spoon but still pours easily.

Thin the sauce with water if needed. If it becomes too thick or sticky, whisk in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. This loosens the consistency without throwing off the sweet, tangy, and savory balance.

Taste the sauce after it thickens. It may taste overly sweet, salty, or acidic while it’s still cold. Let it simmer first, then adjust it with more vinegar for tang, brown sugar for sweetness, or chili garlic paste for heat.

Keep the chicken and sauce separate until serving. Crispy chicken softens quickly once it’s coated. Toss everything together immediately before serving so the sauce stays glossy and the breading keeps more of its crunch.

Use a wide pan for coating chicken. A skillet gives you more room to toss the chicken without breaking the pieces or leaving some of them uncoated. Add the sauce first, then fold the chicken through it gently.

Scale the sauce based on what you’re serving. One batch generously coats 1 to 1½ pounds of chicken. For rice bowls, vegetables, or stir fries, you may want to reserve a few spoonfuls for drizzling over the finished dish.

How to Use General Tso Sauce

• General Tso chicken
• Shrimp or salmon
• Crispy tofu
• Stir-fried vegetables
• Rice or noodle bowls
• Chicken wings or meatballs
• A dipping sauce for fried chicken, egg rolls, or dumplings

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat General Tso Sauce

Store the sauce: Let the sauce cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. It will thicken as it chills, so reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk until it’s smooth and pourable again.

Store the chicken: Store General Tso chicken in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot. The coating won’t be as crisp as it was freshly made, but dry heat gives it a better texture than the microwave.

Freeze the sauce: You can freeze the sauce by itself for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it over low heat while whisking. Add a splash of water if the sauce looks separated or overly thick. I don’t recommend freezing chicken after it has been coated because the breading becomes soft once thawed.

Make the sauce ahead: To prepare the sauce ahead, whisk together the water, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin, brown sugar, chili garlic paste, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Refrigerate the mixture in a sealed container for up to 3 days, then whisk it again before pouring it into the pan with the cooked garlic, ginger, and chilies.

General Tso Sauce FAQs

What is General Tso sauce made of?

General Tso sauce is typically made with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, chilies, sesame oil, and a thickener such as cornstarch. This version also uses hoisin sauce and chili garlic paste to give it a deeper savory flavor and more balanced heat.

What does General Tso sauce taste like?

General Tso sauce tastes sweet, savory, tangy, garlicky, and mildly spicy. The brown sugar provides sweetness, the vinegar adds acidity, and the soy sauce and hoisin give it a rich, salty depth. The finished sauce is thick and glossy rather than thin or watery.

Is General Tso sauce spicy?

This recipe has a moderate kick from the chili garlic paste and red chilies, but you can easily control the heat. Use fewer chilies or leave them whole for a milder sauce. For more spice, slice the chilies or add extra chili garlic paste.

Is General Tso sauce the same as orange sauce?

No. Both sauces are sweet, savory, and commonly served with crispy chicken, but orange sauce gets its distinctive flavor from orange juice, zest, or peel. General Tso sauce has a deeper garlic, ginger, vinegar, and chili flavor without the strong citrus taste.

Is General Tso sauce gluten-free?

Not automatically. Regular soy sauce is commonly brewed with wheat, and many brands of hoisin sauce also contain wheat flour. To make this recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free tamari or soy sauce and a gluten-free hoisin sauce. Check the chili garlic paste label as well.

Can I make General Tso sauce without hoisin sauce?

Yes, but the flavor will be slightly different. Hoisin adds sweetness, body, and fermented soybean flavor. In a pinch, replace it with an equal amount of oyster sauce, garlic teriyaki sauce, or a mixture of soy sauce and a little extra brown sugar. Add substitutions gradually and taste before adding more salt or sugar.

Is General Tso sauce vegan?

The sauce can be vegan as long as the hoisin sauce, chili garlic paste, and other packaged ingredients don’t contain animal products. The sauce itself doesn’t require chicken and works well with tofu, cauliflower, vegetables, or plant-based chicken.

Can General Tso sauce be used as a marinade?

You can use a small portion of the sauce mixture to flavor chicken before cooking, but reserve it before adding the cornstarch and before it touches raw meat. Don’t reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken unless it’s brought to a safe boil. For the best glossy coating, make a separate batch of cooked sauce to toss with the food after cooking.

More Asian Inspired Sauces

• Yum Yum Sauce
• Japanese BBQ Sauce
• Chili Crisp
• Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
• Hibachi Ginger Sauce