What Is Plum sauce and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with plum sauce? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it — with 30 recipes to put it to work.

Nutrition

Food group

Plum sauce is a member of the Soups, Sauces, and Gravies US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does plum sauce weigh?

Related

Soups, Sauces, and Gravies

Recipes using plum sauce

There are 30 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Baked Illawarra Plum Cheesecake

Baked Cheesecake made with Australian Illawarra Plum Sauce.

Pigs' Ears Salad

Pigs' ears salad simmers the ears with star anise and ginger until tender, then slivers them cold with carrots, cucumber, and plum sauce. A classic Chinese cold appetizer with gelatinous crunch.

Mahi Mahi with Spicy Papaya Salsa

Grilled mahi mahi with a spicy Asian pear salsa of plum sauce, serrano chili, cilantro, and honey. A Pacific Rim fish dinner in 40 minutes.

Mahogany Chicken Wings with Green Papaya Salad

Mahogany chicken wings lacquered with hoisin, plum sauce, and soy until glossy dark brown, paired with bright Thai-style green papaya salad. Bold sweet-salty-tangy contrast for a party platter.

Mu Shui Tofu

Vegetarian mu shu tofu with shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, five spice, and plum sauce, rolled in whole wheat chapatis. A plant-based spin on mu shu pork.

Plum-Orange Glazed Chicken

Low-fat plum-orange glazed chicken breasts marinated in Chinese plum sauce, fresh ginger, orange juice, and Dijon mustard, then pan-seared until golden.

Classic Barbecued Spareribs

Chinese-style oven-roasted spareribs glazed with hoisin, plum sauce, honey, and soy. Marinated for hours and hung vertically for crispy, lacquered edges you'd swear came from a Chinatown window.

Chinese Plum Sauce Chicken Stir-Fry with Vegetables

Tender chicken pieces stir-fried with carrots and celery in tangy plum sauce, finished with ginger, sherry, and Chinese pickles. Glossy cornstarch gravy coats every bite.

Egg Pancake Rolls with Pork Filling

Chinese egg pancake rolls stuffed with seasoned pork, mushrooms, and scallions, steamed then sliced and drizzled with oyster-plum dipping sauce.

Kowloon Duckling

Kowloon duckling: a whole duck stuffed with scallion and garlic, slow-smoked over hickory and basted with a soy, honey, and lemon glaze until lacquered. Served with plum sauce. A smoky, Chinese-style barbecued duck.

Five Spice Game Hens (Siu Yeah Gai)

Cornish game hens rubbed with Chinese five spice and a hoisin-plum-sherry marinade overnight, then roasted to a lacquered mahogany finish glazed with soy and maple syrup.

Mahogany Wings

Mahogany wings marinated overnight in a glossy plum sauce and teriyaki glaze with brown sugar, Worcestershire, garlic, and ginger. Baked crispy at high heat for a sticky, lacquered finish.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Homemade Thai sweet chili sauce with rice vinegar, fish sauce, plum sauce, and serrano chilies. Sweet, tangy, and spicy dipping sauce ready in 30 minutes. Better than store-bought.

Steamed Mushrooms

Chinese dried and button mushrooms stuffed with seasoned pork shoulder filling, steamed and served with plum sauce and hot mustard dipping sauces. A classic dim sum appetizer with rich umami flavor.

Center Club Chicken Wings

Oven-roasted chicken wings marinated overnight in hoisin, plum sauce, soy, honey, and garlic. Sticky, glossy, and packed with sweet-savory Asian-inspired flavor.

Lavender Angel Food Cake

Lavender angel food cake with 12 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks and dried lavender folded into the batter. Light, fragrant, and fat-free. Ready in about an hour.

Duck with Plum Sauce

Chinese-style roast duck lacquered with plum and black bean sauce, rubbed with garlic and ginger, then chilled overnight for easy slicing. Serve with Chinese pancakes for a Peking-style feast.

Duck with Plum Sauce

Chinese-style roast duck lacquered with plum and black bean sauce, rubbed with garlic and ginger, then chilled overnight for easy slicing. Serve with Chinese pancakes for a Peking-style feast.

Thai-Style, Spicy Eggplant-Mushroom Sauce

Eggplant, mushrooms, asparagus, and red bell pepper simmered in a spicy Thai chili paste and rice milk sauce with fresh basil. A hearty vegan stew for rice or grilled polenta.

Plum Wonderful Chicken

Baked chicken in plum sauce with ginger, soy sauce, chili sauce, and lemon. A sweet-savory Asian-inspired glaze that caramelizes as it bakes over browned chicken pieces.

Basmati Rice with Nuts & Dried Fruit

Fragrant basmati rice cooked with garam masala, ginger, garlic, and chiles, then topped with toasted walnuts, cashews, dried apricots, prunes, and coconut. An Indian-inspired pilaf served with plum sauce.

Teriyaki Slow-Cook Sandwiches

Beef chuck slow-cooked in soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic until fall-apart tender, then piled onto toasted French rolls with napa cabbage and pineapple. Set it and forget it.

Chicken in Plum Sauce

Chinese-style chicken in plum sauce with fresh ginger, sherry, carrots, and celery. Bite-sized chicken simmered in a glossy, sweet-tangy plum gravy thickened with cornstarch.

Tea Smoked Duck with Smoked Walnuts

Tea smoked duck marinated in soy sauce, Szechuan peppercorns, and five-spice powder, then slow-smoked with Chinese black tea and hickory chips. Served with plum sauce, scallions, and mandarin pancakes.

Miso Barbequed Tofu

Miso barbecued tofu with grilled Japanese eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions basted in a sweet miso-plum sauce glaze. A plant-based Japanese-inspired grilled dinner in 30 minutes.

All 30 recipes