How can I u003ca href=u0022https://mittengirl.com/meal-prep-makes-dinner-easy/u0022u003emeal prepu003c/au003e with this recipe?

During your weekend u003ca href=u0022https://mittengirl.com/meal-prep-makes-dinner-easy/u0022u003emeal prepu003c/au003e time, mix up the sauce, chop your veggies, and make the rice (if using). Store everything in separate containers in the refrigerator until the night you want to make this recipe.

Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce

Name: Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: ½ of a large orange; ⅓ cup brown sugar; ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce; 2 tsp sesame oil; ¼ cup rice wine vinegar; 6-7 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh grated ginger; 2-3 Tbsp grated onion (about ½ a small onion); 1 lb protein of choice - chicken, steak, shrimp, extra firm tofu; 1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 cup thinly sliced veggies - broccoli, carrots, pea pods, etc.; 3 green onions, sliced - white and green parts; 2 tsp cornstarch; 2 tsp water; Cooked rice or udon noodles

Published: Aug 24, 2021 · Updated: Nov 14, 2022 by Katy McAvoy

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This delicious, Asian-inspired, Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce is great to mix up ahead of time, then pop into the refrigerator until the night you want to cook. You’ll have dinner on the table in no time!

Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce lets you create a tasty dinner based on what you have on hand. Use any protein you want - chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, tofu - it all works. Choose whatever veggies you have and serve it over white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, or udon noodles. Any combination is delicious when cooked together in this sauce.

With a surprising amount of produce on the ingredients list, fresh win for this dish. Squeeze an orange instead of using bottled juice. Grate an onion instead of using onion powder. And while you may not keep fresh ginger on hand, go buy some for this recipe! (Tip: Store leftover ginger root in the freezer.)

What You Need

For the Sauce:

A board with an orange, Brown sugar, Soy sauce, Sesame oil, Rice wine vinegar, Garlic, Fresh ginger, and an Onion on it.

A large orange
Brown sugar
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Rice wine vinegar
Garlic
Fresh ginger
Onion

For Cooking:

Ingredients for stir fry using citrus garlic sauce

Protein of choice - chicken, steak, shrimp, extra firm tofu
Yellow or white onion
Veggies - broccoli, carrots, pea pods, etc.
Green onions
Cornstarch
Water
Cooked rice, rice noodles or udon noodles

How to Make Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce

Mix up the Sauce:

Juice the orange into a medium bowl. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and grated onion. Whisk everything together until well combined.

Cook with the Sauce:

Prepare your protein of choice - Thinly slice chicken or steak OR peel and devein shrimp OR pat tofu dry and cut into 1” cubes. Set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Pour the sauce into the pan. Bring to a bubble.

Add onions, veggies, and protein. Cook for 4-6 minutes until veggies are crisp-tender and protein is cooked through.

Adding meat and veggies to a pan of sauce.

Whisk together the cornstarch and water. Slowly mix into the sauce, stirring until incorporated. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Cornstarch slurry being poured into a pan of meat and veggies.

Serve over cooked rice, rice noodles, or udon noodles. Enjoy!

Bowl full of meat and veggies cooked in citrus garlic sauce

Tips for Sweet and Citrus Garlic Sauce

Can I use ground ginger instead of fresh?

Freshly grated ginger makes a big difference in flavor, so make the effort to buy fresh ginger. If all you have in the house is ground ginger, use 1 teaspoon in place of the fresh ginger.

Be sure to thinly slice the meat.

This meal comes together quickly once you start cooking. If you’re using chicken, beef or pork for your protein, make sure you’ve thinly sliced the meat. Don’t cut it into cubes. You’re looking for thin strips of meat so it can cook quickly with the veggies.

How can I meal prep with this recipe?

During your weekend meal prep time, mix up the sauce, chop your veggies, and make the rice (if using). Store everything in separate containers in the refrigerator until the night you want to make this recipe.

How else can I serve this sauce?

This Citrus Garlic Sauce is great as a dip for potstickers or egg rolls. Heat the sauce in a small pan over medium heat and cook until the sauce reduces in volume by half. Cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Can I leave out the meat?

Yes! Feel free to skip the protein in this recipe if you want a vegetarian dish.

Cocktail Pairings

Blackberry Vanilla Martinis — Blackberry Vanilla Martini

Rosé Cocktail Recipe with Strawberry and Elderflower — Sparkling Rosé Cocktail

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