what is hoisin sauce made of

Hoisin sauce is usually made from fermented soybeans or soybean paste, sugar, garlic, vinegar, chili, sesame, and spices. Many versions also include starches like sweet potato, wheat, or rice to thicken it.

Quick Scoop

It’s a thick, dark, sweet-savory Chinese condiment. The exact recipe varies by brand, but the flavor usually comes from a mix of sweet, salty, umami, and mild heat.

Common ingredients

• Fermented soybean paste or soybeans.

• Sugar or another sweetener.

• Garlic.

• Vinegar.

• Chili peppers or chili paste.

• Sesame seeds or sesame oil.

• Thickening starches such as sweet potato, wheat, or rice.

Flavor note

Despite sometimes being called “Chinese barbecue sauce,” hoisin is not smoky in the way many barbecue sauces are. It’s more sweet, salty, and savory, with a little spice.

Homemade version idea

A simple homemade version often combines soy sauce, peanut butter or sesame paste, sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and a little hot sauce. That won’t be identical to store-bought hoisin, but it gets close in a pinch.

TL;DR: hoisin sauce is mainly a sweet-savory sauce made from fermented soybeans, sugar, garlic, vinegar, chili, and sesame, with the exact mix varying by brand.