Easy Homemade Hoisin Sauce Recipe

Ingredients
3 tbsp of sugar
5 tbsp of soybean paste; if you don’t have it, use miso paste
1 tsp of sesame butter
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of fine chili powder
1 pieces of red fermented bean curd
1/4 tsp of five spice powder
3 tbsp of water
1 tsp of dark soy sauce

Homemade Hoisin sauce is actually super simple, but the main purpose of this recipe is to show you how I break down the formula and came up with the recipe. Once you understand the “whys” behind the “hows,” you’ll be able to recreate almost any commercial sauce from scratch.

First, let’s see what hoisin sauce is made of. After comparing the ingredient list of the 2 most popular brands on the market, Haitian and Lee Kum Kee, I found that hoisin sauce is basically made with sugar and fermented soybeans, then layered with garlic, sesame, fermented bean curd, and chilies for extra flavor. Ingredients can vary from brand to brand, but it doesn't matter; as long as you know the main ingredients, you can play around and adjust however you like.

Then I compared the ingredients between hoisin sauce and soybean paste. Their main ingredients are almost the same. The difference is that hoisin sauce lists sugar first. As for the soybean paste, it doesn't include garlic, sesame, chilies, or fermented bean curd. So, in other words, Hoisin sauce is essentially a sweeter version of soybean paste with some extra complexity.


I know some of you are probably thinking: “Why bother with seven different ingredients when I can just grab a bottle from the store?” Well, with homemade hoisin sauce, you can adjust the taste based on your preference, such as reducing the sugar amount, increasing the chili spice kick, or the nutty taste. Also, It’s always empowering to know what’s in your sauces and how to make them.