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 EggArroz Chaufa (Peruvian-Chinese Fried Rice)Bai Cha (Cambodian Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage)Bak Chor MeeBeef and BroccoliBeef Lok Lak (Cambodian Stir-Fried Beef)Bò Lúc Lắc (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)Char kway teowChar SiuChow Mein (Chinese Chicken Fried Noodles)Egg Foo YoungGai Yang (Isan-Style Thai Grilled Chicken)Jjajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)Jjamppong (Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)Mee Goreng MamakNikuman (Japanese Steamed Pork Buns)Pad See Ew (Thai Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Soy)Pancit CantonChaufa Especial with Shrimp, Chicken and Scallion OilChaufa Spring Rolls with Sweet Chilli-Lime DipPrawn Bai Cha with Crispy Garlic and Tuk Trey Dipping SauceCrispy Rice-Paper Bai Cha Parcels with Lime-Chilli DipCharcoal Bai Sach Chrouk with Crispy Egg and Scallion OilHouse Sambal Bak Chor Mee with Lard CrispsBak Chor Mee Potstickers with Black Vinegar Chilli DipVelvet Beef with Charred BroccoliBeef and Broccoli Garlic Butter SpaghettiCrispy Beef and Broccoli Rice-Paper DumplingsWok-Hei Beef Chow Fun with Velveted Beef and Garlic ChivesKampot Pepper Lok Lak with Butter Pan SauceLok Lak Steak Frites with Kampot Pepper-Lime ButterLok Lak Crispy Rice Salad with Lime-Pepper DressingFillet Bò Lúc Lắc with Tomato Butter Rice (Cơm Đỏ)Shaking Beef Steak Frites with Lime-Pepper Butter (Vietnamese × French)Shaking Beef Garlic Butter Rice Bowl with Jammy EggCrispy char kway teow noodle cakeBarbecue-Shop Char Siu with Maltose GlazeThai Garlic-Pepper Chicken Vesuvio (Chicago × Thai)Hong 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 CrunchRestaurant-Style Puffy Egg Foo Young with Char Siu and ShrimpGai Yang Pita with Jaew Yogurt (Thai × Greek)Gai Yang Wings with Khao Khua 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 PonzuKhao Pad Pu (Thai Crab Fried Rice)Lechon Kawali Pad Kra Pao (Filipino × Thai)Pisco-Flambéed Tenderloin Lomo Saltado with Double-Fried PotatoesDouble-Fried Pork and Shrimp Lumpia with Sweet-and-Sour SauceCrispy Lumpia Rice BowlSeafood Mee Goreng Mamak with Homemade Chili PasteExtra-Juicy Hand-Chopped Pork NikumanCrispy Nikuman Pork Toast with Karashi MayoSeafood Mix Okonomiyaki with Homemade SaucePad Kra Pao Omurice (Thai × Japanese)Pad Kra Pao Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe (Italian × Thai)Hand-Chopped Pork Kra Pao with Crispy Fried BasilKra Pao Garlic-Butter SpaghettiKra Pao Cheese ToastieVelvet Pork Pad See Ew with Wok-Charred NoodlesPad See Ew Brown Butter PappardellePad See Ew Sticky Soy WingsCrispy Pork Pancit Canton-BihonCrispy Pancit Nests with Garlic ShrimpJapanese-Style Panko Piroshki with Glass Noodles and Egg (Russian × Japanese)Chino-Cubano Ropa Vieja Lo MeinOsaka-Style Takoyaki with Fresh Dashi and Homemade SauceThick-Cut Rosu Katsu, Double-FriedCrispy-Noodle Yakisoba with Homemade Sauce

Updated 2026-10-10