Homemade Black Bean Sauce Recipe (2024)

[heart_this] · Jan 14, 2011 · 27 Comments

Black bean sauce is a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine, particularly Sichuan cuisine. It is a thick black sauce made with douchi, salted fermented soy beans, along with plenty of garlic and it’s just packed with flavour! There are plenty of brands of black bean paste that you can buy at the store but it’s also easy to make your own! Just head down to a local Chinese grocery store and pick up some fermented black beans, they look like small shriveled up black beans coated with white dust (salt), and all you need to do is soak them in water to re-hydrate them and rinse off the excess salt. The rest of the sauce is made by lightly frying the garlic and re-hydrated beans in oil before simmering them in chicken broth to soften and form the sauce. It really only takes 30 minutes to make your own and it’s so much better than from the jar! My favourite dish to enjoy black bean sauce in is beef and peppers in black bean sauce which is so quick and easy to make!

Black Bean Sauce

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 1

ingredients

2 tablespoons fermented black beans
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

directions

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high.
Add the fermented black beans and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds.
Add the broth and simmer to reduce to half, about 2-4 minutes.
Mix the water and cornstarch and then mix it into the sauce along with the soy sauce and sugar and cook until it thickens, about a minute.

Use in:
Black Bean Sauce Beef and Peppers
Mapo Tofu
Brussels Sprouts in Black Bean Sauce
Zha Jiang Mian on Spaghetti

Similar Recipes:
Sweet Chilli Sauce

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Anonymous says
January 14, 2011 at 11:21 pm

It tastes better than it looks right ? lol
Reply
Kay Heritage says
January 14, 2011 at 11:23 pm

This looks yummy, Kevin! I grew up in Korea eating noodles with this type of black bean sauce. 🙂
Reply
Jenn @ Cooking Aweigh the Pounds says
January 14, 2011 at 11:40 pm

The thought never occurred to me to make my own black bean sauce before! My family loves black bean chicken. As soon as my jar runs out, I'm going to have to try a batch! How long do you think it would last for in the fridge?
Reply
All Our Fingers in the Pie says
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January 15, 2011 at 12:34 am

I want to make a simple black bean sauce but where in the world do I find fermented balck beans? There was a place in Calgary that made the absolute best black bean sauce and they no longer do it. It was very simple and so good with scallops.
Reply
Susan @ SGCC says
January 15, 2011 at 3:08 am

Very cool, Kevin! I make several dishes with black bean paste. I will definitely have to try this.
Reply
Denise says
January 15, 2011 at 3:37 am

I think it looks great. (I'm not a picky eater at all) Thanks!
Reply
Karen from Globetrotter Diaries says
January 15, 2011 at 6:05 am

Wow great idea! I never thought to make my own. I usually have a jar laying around, so maybe I'll also have to do the Pepsi challenge!
Reply
Design Elements says
January 15, 2011 at 7:50 am

looks yummy! have a wonderful delicous weekend 🙂
Reply
Joanne says
January 15, 2011 at 11:43 am

I KNEW I should have bought that bag of fermented black beans at whole foods yesterday! Maybe they'll still be there this week… Sounds awesome!
Reply
Anonymous says
January 15, 2011 at 1:13 pm

I haven't black bean sauce anything since going gluten-free 3 years ago and it's been a major disappointment ever since. I don't know why I hadn't thought of learning how to make it myself. Thanks for the inspiration!
Reply
Theresa says
January 15, 2011 at 2:45 pm

Try this: Soak the fermented beans for about 10 mins. then rinse, then mash with a fork. Saute garlic in oil, then add beans, then veggies (eggplant). Saute 2 mins. to coat with flavored oil. Add broth, and if you like, corn starch, red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until soft. No need to make sauce, that's just a marketing thing.
Reply
Shelby says
January 17, 2011 at 1:58 am

Kevin, you are such an awesome resource for those of us who love too cook! I will definitely be on the look out for fermented black beans now! lol. Thank you so much!
See Also
62 Easy Soup Recipes To Cozy Up To This Fall
Reply
Kevin says
January 19, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Theresa: Excellent tip. I use that method as well fairly frequently.
Reply
Kevin says
January 19, 2011 at 1:03 pm

Jenn @ Cooking Aweigh the Pounds: This will last in the fridge for a good while, at least a week.
Reply
Kevin says
January 19, 2011 at 1:28 pm

All Our Fingers in the Pie: You should be able to find the fermented black beans at a local Asian grocery store.
Reply
Ninja Annie says
June 16, 2011 at 2:31 pm

Do you use specific soy sauces for you recipes, or do you have one reliable brand/type you use consistently?
I am a little bit of a soy sauce geek and own almost 10 different kinds. Yes I am a little crazy.
Anyhoo . . . your black bean sauce looks delicious and since soy sauce plays a fairly prominent theme I was wondering what kind you used.
Reply
Kevin says
June 18, 2011 at 9:47 am

Ninja Annie: Wow, that is a lot is soy sauce! Though, I must confess that I have at least three: Pearl River Bridge: Light, Dark and Kikkoman. I tend to use the Chinese soy sauces in Chinese recipes and the Japanese in Japanese recipes. For these black beans I use the Pearl River Bridge: Light.
I would love to hear you opinions on different soy sauces and brands!
Reply
Mary @ Fit and Fed says
July 27, 2012 at 4:30 pm

Now my curiosity is piqued, fermented black beans will be on my list next time I hit up the Asian grocery store. Other really good chefs think along the same lines as you: according to Wikipedia "most Chinese restaurant chefs prefer to use actual douchi to prepare such sauces rather than using commercially available black bean paste."
Reply
Anonymous says
August 5, 2013 at 6:46 pm

Would this be good in making korean bean paste noodles?
Reply
kevin says
August 11, 2013 at 6:44 pm

Anonymous: You could use this in a tasty black bean pasta dish but the flavour would be different than an authentic Korean version.
Reply
- Aimée says
  July 22, 2022 at 12:19 am
  
  Do you know how to make the Korean version?
  Reply
Stephanie, The Recipe Renovator says
November 8, 2013 at 11:44 pm

Thanks for the inspiration, I love this taste and made a gluten-free, lower-sodium version today. Yummy!
Reply
Anonymous says
February 15, 2014 at 10:42 pm

Hi there,
Can MCT oil or coconut oil be used?
Can almond be used instead of the cornstarch?
Thanks
Reply
kevin says
February 23, 2014 at 10:53 pm

Anonymous: Those should both work. I have never used almond (starch?) but if it thickens things like cornstarch then it should work.
Reply
Anonymous says
April 10, 2014 at 7:11 am

thanks, this worked perfectly, tasted exactly like the bought stuff – in fact I'd say even better.
Reply
Isabella says
April 10, 2021 at 12:33 am

hanks for the amazing and delicious recipe my husband gonna like it.
Reply

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FAQs

What is black bean sauce made of? ›

What is black bean sauce made of? Homemade black bean sauce is full of only the good stuff, and our black bean sauce recipe has got no nasties. It features fermented black beans (which you can get from your Asian grocer), a whole lot of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and Chinese vinegar.

What is a good substitute for black bean sauce? ›

Soy sauce: A combination of soy sauce, sugar, and garlic can be used as a substitute for black bean sauce in some recipes. Hoisin sauce: This sweet and savory sauce is made with soybeans, sugar, and spices and can be used as a substitute for black bean sauce in some stir-fries and marinades.

Read On ›

Is Chinese black bean sauce healthy? ›

Cooking with black bean sauce adds 65 calories and 6 g fat to each individual portion. Despite the fat, this remains a heart-healthy addition because it contains no cholesterol and no saturated fats.

What is the name of the Chinese black bean sauce? ›

A condiment called black bean paste, black bean sauce (豆豉醬), or black bean garlic sauce (蒜蓉豆豉酱), Tochidjan (豆豉醬), prepared from douchi, garlic, and soy sauce, is popular in Chinese cuisine.

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Why is black bean sauce so good? ›

Combining flavors of spicy, salty, sweet, and savory, this fermented black bean sauce will often include ginger, chiles, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and spices. So we're talking big, big flavor. A little goes a long way to invigorate stir-fries, fish, vegetable, and meat dishes.

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Why is black bean sauce healthy? ›

The fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and phytonutrient content of black beans, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. This fiber helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Find Out More ›

Is hoisin sauce the same as black bean? ›

Is Hoisin Sauce the Same as Black Bean Sauce? To be sure, there are more similarities between these two sauces than differences. They're both salty, savory and slightly sweet fermented soybean condiments, but hoisin sauce is smooth like a thick paste and does have some distinctive characteristics.

Tell Me More ›

Is Korean and Chinese black bean sauce the same? ›

Korean Jajangmyun: The Korean version of black bean noodles, Jajangmyun, is made with a black bean sauce that is typically less salty and sweet than its Chinese counterpart.

Learn More Now ›

What tastes like black beans? ›

Kidney beans have a similar texture to black beans and provide a creaminess to dishes. Their flavor is slightly different, but they make for a great substitute. Where to find it: You can get them canned or dried at. nearly any grocery store or find kidney beans on Amazon.

Discover More Details ›

What is the healthiest Chinese food to eat? ›

14 Healthiest Chinese Food Dishes, According to Registered...