Oyster sauce

蠔油 háoyóu

Flavor and role

A thick sauce made from oyster extract with sugar and starch. It adds salty-sweet savoury flavour and gloss.

Typical dishes and uses

Pad kra pao, beef and broccoli stir-fry, bok choy with oyster sauce, stir-fried noodles

Substitutes

1 tbsp oyster sauce = 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tsp sugar + a little starch slurry. For a vegetarian version, use the same amount of mushroom (shiitake) sauce.

Storage

Unopened: 1-2 years at room temperature. Once opened, always refrigerate and use within 3-6 months.

Main countries

China · HK · Thailand

Used in this book

Pad Kra Pao with Fried EggBeef and BroccoliChar kway teowChar SiuChow Mein (Chinese Chicken Fried Noodles)Jjajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)Jjamppong (Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)Pancit CantonVelvet Beef with Charred BroccoliBeef and Broccoli Garlic Butter SpaghettiCrispy Beef and Broccoli Rice-Paper DumplingsCrispy char kway teow noodle cakeBarbecue-Shop Char Siu with Maltose GlazeHong Kong Crispy Noodle Cake with Shrimp and ChickenKimchi Pork Belly Chow Mein (Korean x Chinese)Chow Mein Noodle Nest Egg CupsEgg Drop Gravy Rice Bowl with Garlic Chilli CrunchJuicy Crisp-Lattice Gyoza (Hanetsuki)Unwrapped Gyoza Rice BowlSlow-poached Hainanese chicken riceHand-Rolled Three-Treasure Jiaozi with Sizzling Chili DipGanjjajang with Pork Shoulder and Crispy Fried EggJjajang Cheese Rice GratinSmoky Seafood Jjamppong with Homemade Chili OilFiery Jjamppong Seafood Fried RiceRestaurant-Style Juicy Karaage with Spring Onion PonzuPisco-Flambéed Tenderloin Lomo Saltado with Double-Fried PotatoesDouble-Fried Pork and Shrimp Lumpia with Sweet-and-Sour SauceCrispy Lumpia Rice BowlSeafood Mix Okonomiyaki with Homemade SauceHand-Chopped Pork Kra Pao with Crispy Fried BasilKra Pao Garlic-Butter SpaghettiKra Pao Cheese ToastieCrispy Pork Pancit Canton-BihonCrispy Pancit Nests with Garlic ShrimpChino-Cubano Ropa Vieja Lo MeinThick-Cut Rosu Katsu, Double-FriedCrispy-Noodle Yakisoba with Homemade Sauce

Updated 2026-10-10