What is hoisin sauce? How the Chinese condiment spread from Asia to Trader Joe’s

Originating in southern China, hoisin sauce is now found in supermarkets from the US to Japan and is even used in cocktails and desserts

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Jars of Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce from Hong Kong. The Cantonese condiment has gone global in recent decades and is found in everything from Vietnamese pho to weird-and-wonderful drinks and desserts. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 5:15pm, 25 Jul 2025

Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant condiment that originated in southern China’s Guangdong province.

Its name hints at its origin – hoisin means “seafood” in Cantonese – yet the sauce contains no seafood. It is entirely vegan, made from fermented soybeans, sugar, vinegar, garlic and spices. The resulting umami flavour is savoury, slightly sweet and spicy.

Hoisin sauce resembles oyster sauce in colour and texture, but their flavours differ.

Oyster sauce lacks the prominent sweetness of hoisin, and while hoisin serves as both a cooking ingredient and a dipping sauce, oyster sauce is primarily used for cooking and only rarely as a condiment.

One of the most famous applications of hoisin sauce is with Peking duck. Photo: Shutterstock

In Cantonese cuisine, hoisin sauce is used to glaze meats and enhance stir-fries, and is essential for making the marinade for char siu barbecue pork. It also accompanies cheung fun – steamed rice noodle rolls found in dim sum restaurants and street stalls – as a dipping sauce.

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