General Tso Sauce

Name: General Tso Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 3 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1 tbsp grated ginger; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

6 servings5 min prep10 min cookEasy

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of General Tso Sauce

Story updated September 18, 2026

General Tso's sauce was created by Chinese chef Peng Chang-kuei, first in Taiwan and later refined in New York City in the 1970s. Despite bearing the name of a 19th-century Qing dynasty general, the dish has no historical connection to him and remains largely unknown in mainland China.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

Instructions

1Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, hoisin, ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes in a saucepan.
2Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 2-3 minutes, until thickened and glossy.

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