Best Chinese Pantry Essentials in 2026

The 10-Item Chinese Pantry

For making Chinese noodle dishes at home:

1. Light soy sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
2. Dark soy sauce — for caramelization in lo mein, chow mein
3. Oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
4. Shaoxing wine — Chinese rice cooking wine
5. Sichuan peppercorns — whole, freshly toasted
6. Chili crisp (Lao Gan Ma)
7. Chinkiang black vinegar
8. Chinese sesame paste — NOT tahini
9. Fermented yellow bean paste — for zhajiangmian
10. Hoisin sauce (Lee Kum Kee)

The picks above cover items 1-5 plus Chinkiang vinegar (#7). Add Shaoxing wine (sold at Chinese groceries), sesame paste, and yellow bean paste as you cook more regional Chinese.

Lao Gan Ma — The Cult Chili Crisp

"Lao Gan Ma" (Old Godmother) is a Chinese chili crisp brand that became a global cult product around 2020. It's crispy fried garlic + chili + Sichuan peppercorn in oil, with deep umami. Spoonable, addictive, used on everything from dumplings to eggs to ramen.

It's the single Chinese product most Americans would benefit from buying. Available at any Asian grocery and most US supermarkets now.

Read Next

• Dan Dan Noodles Type Guide
• Best Chinese Wheat Noodles
• Best Chinese Wok

All Picks

1. #1

   Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce (1L)

   Pros

   • Hong Kong sauce reference brand
   • Naturally brewed, used by every Cantonese restaurant
   • Multi-purpose

   Cons

   • Saltier than Japanese soy
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2. #2

   Lee Kum Kee Oyster Sauce (Premium, 30 oz)

   Pros

   • Hong Kong oyster sauce reference
   • Essential for lo mein, chow mein, stir-fries
   • Long shelf life refrigerated

   Cons

   • Single-purpose
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3. #3

   Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp (Original)

   Pros

   • The famous 'Old Godmother' Chinese chili crisp
   • Crunchy fried garlic + chili + Sichuan peppercorn
   • Use on everything

   Cons

   • Cult product; sometimes out of stock
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4. #4

   Sichuan Peppercorns (Red, Whole)

   Pros

   • Essential for dan dan, mapo tofu, real Sichuan cooking
   • Toast in dry pan, then grind fresh
   • Lasts months in airtight container

   Cons

   • Some Western 'Sichuan peppercorn' is actually husk-only; buy whole
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5. #5

   Chinkiang Black Vinegar (Chinese, 6 oz)

   Pros

   • Chinkiang vinegar — essential for Chinese stir-fries, dumpling dipping
   • Smoky-sweet acidity, more complex than rice vinegar
   • Cheap, lasts forever

   Cons

   • Strong flavor — use sparingly
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