A super easy, hoisin dipping sauce that only uses 3 ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes to make! A great dipping sauce for Vietnamese rice paper rolls, Chinese rice noodle rolls (cheung fun) and more!
Table of Contents
Hoisin is very flavorful on its own, so it doesn't take much tweaking to make it a delicious dipping sauce, which is why I only use 2 ingredients (plus the hoisin).
I still wanted to retain the wonderful flavor from the hoisin sauce, so I didn't want to overdo it by adding too many ingredients to this dipping sauce. Fewer ingredients also meant I could get it out faster as well.
This is actually one of my most-used recipes at home. It's weird, right? An easy dipping sauce recipe of all things?
I eat a lot of Vietnamese rice paper rolls, I mean a lot. It's my 'clean the fridge' meal that requires no cooking, so I can have a meal out on the table in less than 10 minutes, and this hoisin dipping sauce, and my Easy Thai Peanut Satay Sauce is what makes summer rolls delicious.
That being said, this versatile hoisin dipping sauce is definitely not limited to just fresh rice paper spring rolls. Don't believe me? Then check out what I use it on from the list below!
What to Use This Hoisin Dipping Sauce On
When it comes to using this delicious sauce, the ideas are endless because it goes so well with almost everything! Here are a few ways I like to use them at home!
- Peking Duck Sauce - I never get enough sauce when I have this so I whip up a huge batch of this and drizzle it like crazy. Alternatively, I also use this hoisin dipping sauce on my Peking chicken recipe instead of the recommended ginger scallion sauce I normally use.
- Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Goi Cuon, Salad Rolls) - This is actually my go-to sauce whenever I make rice wraps. If I want something a bit creamier, I will add a bit of peanut butter as well. I also love using Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese fish dipping sauce) on these fresh spring rolls as well.
- Hot Pot - Dipping sauces for hot pot are fun to make, the more sauces you have to pick from, the more fun it is. Sometimes, I like to make this hoisin dipping sauce on the side to dip my meats in.
- Chinese Roast Pork Belly (Siu Yuk) - Whenever I buy Chinese roasted pork belly from the store, I never get enough sauce. I usually whip this up with a little less water so that it's thicker and I only add toasted sesame oil to keep the flavor more simple and traditional.
- Wings - Deep-fried (or oven-roasted) wings are delicious when tossed in this dipping sauce. I add a touch more chili oil than what the recipe calls for and I thin it out a bit more as well so that it coats the wings better without being too thick and gloopy.
- Potstickers/Dumplings - I usually make my dumpling dipping sauces with soy sauce mixed with chili oil and some maple syrup, but if I am feeling like a thicker dipping sauce (especially for the deep-fried gyozas) I will use this hoisin dipping sauce instead. It uses almost the same ingredients, but it also has a spiced flavor as well. I would thin this out as well so that it doesn't overpower the gyozas or dumplings.
- Lettuce Wraps - Similar to Peking duck, you're basically wrapping some meat with some veggies! This hoisin dipping sauce is what makes them delicious and is a must for any lettuce wrap you make.
- Spring Rolls - This is great with traditional crispy spring rolls as well, but you will need to thin the sauce out a lot more to prevent it from being too salty and overpowering.
- Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Bowls - This hoisin dipping sauce (when thinned out) goes amazing with any type of grilled meat vermicelli bowl. Especially when combined with a peanut satay sauce and some nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce)
What Is Hoisin Sauce?
Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet, and savory sauce that is used a lot in Cantonese cooking. It is also used a lot as a dipping sauce in Chinese-American and Vietnamese cuisine as well.
The word 'hoisin' literally translates to 'seafood' in Chinese, even though the sauce itself does not contain any seafood, and it is not commonly used with seafood as well.
Some believe that it has a seafood flavor, which is why it is called 'seafood sauce', but everyone's tastebuds are different, so I'll let you be the judge of that. 🙂
Hoisin is most commonly used in marinades for dishes like Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), it is also used to make sauces for easy vegetable and noodle stir-fries, but the easiest way to use them is to make dipping sauces for dishes like Crispy Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun), Vietnamese spring rolls (rice paper rolls) and Chinese Hot Pot.
It's a must-have sauce for your kitchen if you like to make Asian food at home.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Hoisin Sauce - This is the main star of this dipping sauce and should not be substituted.
- Sesame Oil - Toasted sesame oil adds a lot of nutty flavor to this dipping sauce and gives a richer flavor.
- Chili Oil - I like adding chili oil to this dipping sauce for a bit more flavor and spiciness. My favorite chili oil to use is Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp. If you don't have any chili oil at home, you can also use Sriracha chili sauce instead to give it a spicy kick and some garlic flavors to it. If you don't want your dipping sauce spicy, omit the chili oil and Sriracha.
- Water - Hoisin on its own is a very thick sauce and will always require a bit of thinning out before using it as a dipping sauce.
- (Optional) Peanut Butter - If you're using this for Vietnamese rice rolls, you can also add peanut butter to it as well. Just make sure you add a bit more water to it to thin it out.
Tips
- If you want to make this a spicy hoisin dipping sauce, use Sriracha chili sauce instead of chili oil.
- How thick or thin you like your dipping sauce is always a personal preference so the amount will vary. Always add the water last, after the dipping sauce is all mixed with the other ingredients. Once the sauce is completely mixed, add ½ teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the consistency you like.
- Always check how much sodium is in the chili oil you are using. If there is a lot of sodium, you may need to either put less or increase the water so that the sauce is not overly salty.
How to Make Hoisin Dipping Sauce
- In a small bowl, add the hoisin sauce, chili oil, peanut butter (optional), and toasted sesame, and mix well.
- Add in ½ teaspoon of water until you get the consistency you like.
- (Optional) Garnish! You can use crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, or finely chopped cilantro, chives, or green onions!
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Yes, you definitely can! Since it stores quite well, you can make this ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week. If there is peanut butter in it, it might get thicker when it gets cold so leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it.
How Do I Store It?
Once made, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week in a well-sealed jar or a small bowl wrapped in plastic wrap.
FAQs
Hoisin sauce is made with fermented soybean paste, garlic, spices, sugar, and thickeners and does not contain any seafood in it, even if the literal Cantonese translation of hoisin sauce is 'seafood sauce'.
Most hoisin sauces are thickened with wheat flour, which makes them not gluten-free.
However, there are brands that do use xanthan gum, soy flour, and corn starch as a thickener, so there are gluten-free hoisin sauces out there, but they are harder to find.
The only similarity between these 2 sauces is the consistency. They both have completely different flavor profiles (oyster sauce is saltier, and hoisin sauce is a sweeter sauce with hints of spice) so I would not substitute these sauces with each other.
Hoisin sauce is a thick and rich sauce that tastes sweet and savory with hints of spice.
Hoisin sauce is a thicker sauce that has a sweet and savory flavor with hints of spice (garlic and five-spice). Soy sauce, on the other hand, has a thinner viscosity and is much saltier.
Once opened, you should always keep your hoisin sauce in the fridge. Make sure the lid is tight so that it doesn't dry out in the fridge. It will keep for about a year.
More Sauce Recipes You May Like
- Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Easy Thai Peanut Satay Sauce
- Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Thai Peanut Sauce (From Scratch)
- Miso Garlic Chili Oil
- Spicy Sriracha Mayo
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Recipe Card
Easy Hoisin Dipping Sauce (3 Ingredients)
Recipe Notes
- Always check how much sodium is in the chili oil you are using. If there is a lot of sodium, you may need to either put less or increase the water so that the sauce is not overly salty.
- You can also add peanut butter to this dipping sauce as well to make it a hoisin peanut dipping sauce for Vietnamese rice rolls. Make sure you add a bit more water to it to thin it out.
- If you want to make this a spicy hoisin dipping sauce, use Sriracha chili sauce instead of chili oil.
- How thick or thin you like your dipping sauce is always a personal preference so the amount will vary. Always add the water last, after the dipping sauce is all mixed with the other ingredients. Once the sauce is completely mixed, add in ½ teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the consistency you like.
- Once made, it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep it well sealed in a jar or a small bowl wrapped in plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons chili oil
- 6 tablespoons water
- 3 ½ tablespoons peanut butter (Optional, you will need to add more water to thin out the sauce)
Garnish (Optional, Pick One)
- finely crushed peanuts
- toasted sesame seeds
- finely chopped cilantro, chives, or green onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the hoisin sauce, chili oil, and toasted sesame and mix well.(Optional) If you are adding peanut butter to this sauce, mix it in now.
- Add in ½ teaspoon of water until you get the consistency you like. I like to add about 6 tablespoons of water, but it will vary depending on how thin or thick I want the sauce based on what I am serving it with.
- (Optional) Garnish! You can use crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, or finely chopped cilantro, chives, or green onions!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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Tayler says
I made this sauce over the weekend and everyone raved about it! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Joyce Lee says
Hi Tayler!
I'm so happy you liked it and very happy to be able to share it with you!
Holley says
I never realized how easy this sauce is to make! It's one of my new favorites, now!
Joyce Lee says
Hi Holley!
I'm so happy you liked it!!
Dana says
This sauce is incredible and the flavor profile suggests way more than 3 ingredients, it's just so tasty!
Joyce Lee says
Hi Dana!
I'm so happy you liked it! The secret is the chili oil, that stuff is magic! 🙂