Sassy Chopsticks

  • Flavorful Asian-inspired Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • How-To
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • How-To
  • About
  • Subscribe

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • How-To
  • About
  • Subscribe

×
  • Colorful stir-fried kung pao chicken with vegetables in a glossy sauce, served on a plate with chopsticks on the side.
    Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken: Easy Copycat Recipe
  • Cantaloupe slices on a cutting board.
    How to Cut a Cantaloupe: Simple Step-by-Step Guide
  • Baking soda in a clear glass with a silver spoon resting inside, ready for use in cooking or baking.
    Top 6 Baking Soda Substitutes for Easy Baking
  • Berries and pound cake skewers on a cutting board.
    Easy Red, White, and Blue Kabobs for July 4th Fun
  • A bowl of fresh blueberries.
    How to Freeze Blueberries to Keep Them Fresh
  • Flavorful Korean chicken wings sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions.
    Easy Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Wings Recipe
  • Baked cabbage with bacon 11.
    Baked Cabbage with Bacon: Simple and Delicious
  • 2 glasses of flavored water.
    Stay Hydrated with These Flavored Water Ideas
  • Mixed sesame seeds in bowls.
    Sesame Seeds: Best Ways to Cook and Store Them
  • A vibrant bowl of purple yam soup with a wood spoon.
    Purple Yam Soup: The Ultimate Comfort Food Recipe
  • A colorful assortment of rice varieties displayed in bowls.
    Types of Rice: How to Choose the Right One for Any Dish
  • A plate of onigiri tuna, garnished with rice seasoning on the top.
    Tuna Onigiri Recipe – A Quick and Tasty Japanese Snack
Home » How-To

How To Thicken Soy Sauce - 6 Easy Ways

Published: Apr 17, 2023 by Yuan

49 shares
  • Facebook1
  • Flipboard
  • X

Soy sauce is a critical ingredient in Asian cuisines and can make or break a dish. But when this sauce is too thin in consistency, it can disrupt the texture, moisture, and taste of your favorite recipes. The good news is that there are several ways to thicken soy sauce using pantry staples like corn starch, sugar, or flour, or you can do so without adding any optional ingredient by simply reducing the liquid.

how to thicken soy sauce
Jump To
  • The Spoon Test
  • Recommended Methods
  • Conclusion
  • YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

The Spoon Test

Before you choose a method to thicken your soy sauce, the first step is to test its consistency. The spoon test is a foolproof method to test the thickness of any spice. Test the soy sauce with a spoon. If the soy sauce coats the back of a spoon, it will cover other ingredients. The spoon test is also recommended because its temperature will cool the light soy sauce a bit, giving an accurate impression of how thick it will be once it cools down to room temperature and becomes ready to serve.

Recommended Methods

If your soy sauce isn’t thick enough for your liking, there are several methods you can use to add more thickness. These include the following:

Reducing Liquid

Reducing soy sauce on the stove is an excellent way to naturally thicken it without adding thickening agents or ingredients. Apart from thickening the sauce, this method also concentrates its intense flavor. Follow these instructions:

1. Pour your dark soy sauce into a pot and heat it to medium-high on the stove. Be sure to stir it while it’s heating.

2. As the sauce heats, it will start to boil. The heat will thicken the sauce. As the bubbles in the pot become larger, watch the soy sauce. You don’t want the bubbles to become too large because they will boil over if they do. So, reduce the heat when the bubbles enlarge and continue to cook the soy sauce further to strengthen and deepen its umami flavor.

3. When the soy sauce has reached your desired taste and thickness, it has completed cooking.

4. Test the thicker sauce with a spoon.

Add Cornstarch

Corn starch is one of the best ways to thicken soy sauce, and it’s not surprising why. It’s inexpensive, always available at a grocery store, tasteless, and highly effective at thickening, even if you use small amounts. Not to mention it also makes a translucent mixture when you heat it. When you mix cornstarch with liquid and heat it, it becomes thick and gelatinous. Follow these instructions to thicken your soy sauce with cornstarch:

1. Mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with one teaspoon of cold water.

2. Create a slurry by whisking water and cornstarch together.

3. Pour the slurry into your soy sauce and heat the mixture on medium heat.

4. Bring the soy sauce to a boil for one minute.

5. Use the spoon test to check the thickness/consistency of the soy sauce.

Add Sugar

A great way to thicken the thin soy sauce a little bit and give it a sweet finish is to add sugar to it. You can use white or brown sugar, but brown sugar is better. Creating a thick, sweet sticky sauce is essential to get the ratio right, as you don’t want the soy sauce to sweeten too much. Follow these instructions:

1. Pour two teaspoons of sugar and ¼ cup of water into a small bowl to create a mixture. Mix well and make sure the sugar completely dissolves in the water. To make the process easier and faster, using hot water is recommended.

2. Heat the Chinese soy sauce in a saucepan on the stove. Use low heat. Once the simple sauce is simmering, pour in the water and sugar mixture and stir it in.

3. Continue stirring the sugar mixture and soy sauce as it simmers so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

4. Once the sweet soy sauce has thickened enough, remove it from the stove and let it cool before using it.

Add Flour

Adding wheat flour is another excellent option to thicken soy sauce if you are not gluten-free. When added to the soy sauce, the starches in the flour expand and help reduce the sauce. There are two different methods to use flour to thicken soy sauce: making a roux or slurry.

Making a Roux With Flour

A roux is a famous thickening agent that contains equal parts flour and fat by weight. Usually, people prefer to use butter. Follow these instructions:

1. Use medium heat to heat the butter. When a sprinkle of flour causes the butter to bubble, you can add the rest.

2. Add the rest of the flour and whisk the mixture until it turns into a thick paste and changes its color to a golden brown.

3. Add roux to stir-fry sauce and whisk to mix it thoroughly.

4. Use the spoon test to check the thickness of the sauce.

Using Flour and Water

This method of thickening soy sauce is also very straightforward. Follow these instructions:

1. Combine two tablespoons of flour with each ¼ cup of cold water and mix until the paste becomes smooth.

2. Heat the mixture to your low-sodium soy sauce on medium stove heat. Be sure to keep stirring while the mixture is heating up.

3. Cook until the desired thickness is reached.

4. Use the spoon test to check the consistency of the sauce.

thick soy sauce

Conclusion

There are several different methods to thicken regular soy sauce. Most methods listed above include heating the sauce on a stove, which is the best way to reduce it to the perfect consistency. When choosing a method for thickening, it is essential to consider whether or not you would want to add any other ingredients to the sauce or change its sour flavor.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

  • A colorful dish featuring chicken and rice, with chopsticks ready for a tasty meal.
    Soy Sauce Braised Chicken Drumsticks: Flavorful One-Pot
  • A collection of baking tools and utensils neatly arranged on a table.
    Bake Like a Pro: Must-Have Baking Pans for Every Baker
  • Lemon slices and peel arranged on a wooden cutting board.
    12 Lemon Juice Substitutes to Brighten Your Recipes
  • Watermelon slices arranged on a rustic wooden cutting board.
    How to Pick a Watermelon: Easy Tips for Sweet Fruit

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




me

Hey there! Welcome to SassyChopsticks.com!

I'm Yuan, a writer, world traveler, web developer, and photographer based in the U.S. My journey has taken me across multiple countries, from Malaysia to England, before I settled in Tennessee, where I've called home for nearly two decades.

More about me →

Popular

  • A colorful plate of fresh vietnamese salad featuring vibrant carrots, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy papaya.
    Vegan Vietnamese Papaya Salad Recipe: Crisp & Tangy

  • A pieces of salmon with a slice of lemon on a cutting board.
    The Truth About Wild Salmon: What You Need to Know

  • Hot honey in a jar on a white plate.
    What Is Hot Honey? A Sweet and Spicy Must-Try Condiment

  • A few shrimps on a black plate.
    Types of Shrimp: A Guide to Popular Varieties

Trending recipes

  • rolls
    Chinese Egg Rolls

  • stir fry Taiwanese spinach
    Stir Fry Taiwanese Spinach with Garlic

  • Creamy coconut shrimp buffet style
    Creamy Coconut Shrimp Buffet Style- Quick and Easy

  • Chinese sponge cake
    Chinese Sponge Cake Recipe (Chiffon Cake)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT