Calling all “sauce-fiends”: this Garlic Honey Soy Sauce is one that is ALWAYS stocked in our kitchen! It’s the perfect mix of sweet, spicy, and savory, all wrapped up in a beautiful sticky sauce that you can use on everything – I promise!

My best friend and I used to have date nights at this Mongolian Stir Fry chain restaurant and it was one of our favorite places to go. You basically build your stir fry bowl from scratch by going down a line and picking proteins, veggies, and starch.
My favorite part: at the very end of the line, you could make your own sauce using a ton of different options and spices. Sadly, our local chain closed down years ago and we had to move on to another BFF date spot. However, this recipe is a PERFECT replica of that sweet and spicy soy sauce I would create each and every time!
Ingredients
- Fresh Garlic – Make sure you mince fresh garlic for that gorgeous pop of flavor that doesn’t seem to shine from the jarred stuff!
- Honey – A bit of honey helps cut into all the savory flavors with a hint of sweetness. Agave syrup is a great substitute for this.
- Soy Sauce – I normally use low-sodium soy sauce just to be a little healthier.
- Red Pepper Flakes – The red pepper flakes help give variety in our visual appeal as well as adding a kick of heat!
What Can I Use Garlic Honey Soy Sauce With?
This garlic honey soy sauce has everything I love – real garlic flavor, a bit of sweetness, some soy taste to cut into the sugar content, and a punch of heat from the red pepper flakes!
Use this on chicken, salmon, shrimp, veggies, or stir fry. I also wouldn’t judge if you just keep it around to drizzle on anything you can think of… it’s that good. The sauce also holds very well in the fridge, although it may not last long in your household!
Other Easy Dips & Sauces!
- Homemade Ranch Dip (High-Protein)
- Zesty Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Easy Blueberry Jam (No pectin needed)

Garlic Honey Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 ct. garlic clove minced (about 1 tbsp.)
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to a pan and cook on medium heat until fragrant.
- Pour the rest of the ingredients into the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the sauce begins to reduce.
- Turn down heat to low and let the sauce simmer until it’s at your desired consistency. I like to make this sauce a little thick but still fluid enough to quickly drizzle on what I'm eating!
- Serve over chicken, veggies, shrimp, or stir fry. Enjoy!
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The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost (a little over 1/2 cup): $0.83
- Those Other Guys: $3.99+ per 1/2 cup
just love it. it is somewhat a homemade sauce not often found on restaurants that serve mainstream Chinese cuisine. I learned a variation of this as a child, I based my homemade and commercial version of “slap your daddy” sauce. Funny thing is the backwards focus of the sweet to heat ending, made my daddys (who both had wives) blush as if slapped. that’s how my sauce got it name in the 70’s. I was just a child so the name seemed sort of “bad girl” to me being only 5ish.
This sauce is so good!! I love to eat it with noodles for a quick meal.