BEST Sweet Chili Sauce
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This homemade sweet chili sauce recipe is guaranteed to become a favorite staple in your home! This Thai sweet chili sauce is versatile, quick and easy to make, is free of additives, and tastes WAY better than the store-bought stuff!
Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce
As with most everything, nothing beats homemade and Sweet Chili Sauce is no exception. Not only is it super quick and easy to make, it’s cheaper, is made without additives or preservatives, you know exactly where the ingredients come from, it’s fully customizable, AND it tastes better than the bottled stuff. That’s a win-win! This homemade sweet chili sauce recipe is sure to become your go-to from now on!
What is Sweet Chili Sauce?
Sometimes also referred to as Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or Asian Sweet Chili Sauce, it’s a simultaneously sweet, savory, tangy and spicy sauce incorporating red chilies, garlic, ginger, sugar and vinegar.
You can find bottled sweet chili sauce in most grocery stores but if you’re like me once you open the bottle it ends up sitting in the fridge forever and forgotten about until it’s time to toss it. One of the several advantages of making you’re own (besides no junk ingredients, fresher, tastier) is that you can regulate how much you make. This recipe makes about 1 cup which is usually enough for whatever you have in mind and if you need more you can simply double it. As quick and easy as it is to make there’s simply NO excuse to buy it!
One of the ingredients used in sweet chili sauce is pickled red chili. I’ve found that between using a chili paste like sambal oelek and adding some vinegar that same flavor is fully replicated. Most grocery stores carry sambal oelek but if you cannot find it you can use dried red chili flakes. Chili flakes are considerably spicier than sambal oelek so be sure to cut back on them unless you like it really hot.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Ingredients
Sweet chili sauce often has all the “high notes” of sugar and white vinegar without the “low notes” of umami for balance. While this sauce does have garlic (a umami ingredient), we’re also going to add a splash of tamari (or soy sauce), which is a fermented product simply oozing umami. It adds depth and makes the overall flavor more interesting. If you’re gluten-free be sure to use tamari.
If you’re using a chili sauce like sambal oelek that will give your sauce a nice red color. Without it your sauce will not be as red. Is there another way to give it that aesthetically attractive red color? Yes, if you want a little red color boost you can use food coloring but if you’re going to I strongly recommend using natural red coloring (usually made from beet or paprika extract). You can find natural food coloring here.
Sugar Free Sweet Chili Sauce
You can easily make sugar free Thai sweet chili sauce by swapping out the sugar for a powdered/granulated sweetener of your choice, such as Swerve or erythritol.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring regularly. Once the sugar is dissolved stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring continually.
Continue stirring for about a minute until the sauce is thickened.
Let the sauce cool completely then pour into an airtight jar and store it in the fridge.
How to Store It
You can store the sauce in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for two to three months. The sauce will congeal if you freeze it. But if you gently heat it up (on the stovetop or in the microwave) and stir it, its texture will return to normal.
Enjoy!
How to Use Sweet Chili Sauce
Here are a few things you can enjoy with your homemade sauce – either as a dip, marinade or added to it:
- Wontons, Steamed dumplings, and potstickers
- Spring rolls and egg rolls
- Chicken wings and chicken tenders
- Grilled, baked or fried chicken or salmon
- Grilled or battered shrimp or fried calamari
- Steamed or grilled vegetables
- Meatballs
- Fried or baked tofu nuggets
- Chicken/meat/seafood kabobs
- Mozzarella sticks
- Stir fries, fried rice and noodles
- Mixed with cream cheese and served with crackers
Be sure to try these other delicious homemade sauces!
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Srircha Mayo
- Plum Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Black Bean Sauce
- Cherry Barbecue Sauce
- Kecap Manis
- Big Mac Sauce
- Ponzu Sauce
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BEST Sweet Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- sugar free alternative: use granular sweetener of choice (e.g. erythritol)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (can substitute dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (use more or less according to taste)
- OR 1-2 teaspoons dried red chili flakes (these are very hot, start with less and add more if desired)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce (use tamari for gluten free)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (the sauce will thicken more once cooled)
- 1-2 drops natural red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring regularly. Once the sugar is dissolved stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring continually until thickened, about 1 minute. Let the sauce cool completely, pour into an airtight jar and store in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to a week. Makes about 1 cup.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 17, 2019
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This sounds great. Can’t wait to try it. No Preservatives.
This is a very delicious sauce and easy to make. Highly recommend. I use it on grilled shrimp and as a dipping sauce with baked crab rangoon!
Fantastic, Sheryl, thank you so much!
Wow. I usually silently ‘steal’ the recipes from the internet, but for this one felt like I should leave a comment.
This is indeed much better than the restaurant-served or store-bought, esp. here in Switzerland!
I made half-the-recipe which was just enough for one meal for 4-people family. According to the full recipe, I don’t see the reason for longer keeping time (again, for a family).
Thanks Kimberly!
That’s wonderful, KW, I’m so happy you made and enjoyed this and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback – thank you!
Only lasts a week? Seriously? What would I have to do to make it last a more reasonable length of time? Like 3 months.
Add preservatives like the store-bought stuff ;) A week is somewhat conservative, nevertheless this is made with fresh garlic and ginger which are perishable ingredients. If you used dehydrated garlic and ginger instead of fresh you would be able to extend its life much longer. But you’d also be sacrificing flavor. You’ll have to decide which is more important to you.
Very good
Thank you so much, Arja!
love it, changed the chili paste cuz I didn’t have it and used dry jalapenos source with tomato paste and still tasted Asian and amazing 😍
Thank you so much for the feedback, Elizabeth, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
If I wanted to use Thai Chiles from my garden, what ingredients should I omit and/or change?
Hi Rob! I would take the chiles, dehydrate them, then give them a quick blitz in a coffee/spice grinder or small food processor (seeds and all but without the stems of course) to break them up into tiny pieces (resembling the dried chile flakes called for in the recipe) and then use them in place of the dried chile flakes (same quantity as written).
Oh yummy!! I am dreaming up all kinds of recipes just so I can enjoy more of this sauce. This was such a huge hit for the entire family. Definitely a keeper!
Fantastic, thank you so much, Michelle!
I have a question – when do I stop the boil? Before adding the cornstarch mixture, or after adding — it will thicken while boiling?
Hi Carole, yes it will thicken when boiling. You add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce while it’s boiling. Adding the cool mixture will bring the sauce down to a simmer and you’ll simmer it for about a minute or less until you can see that the sauce is thickened.
Great recipe! Thank you!!!
Absolutely delicious! I omitted the food coloring, and used calabrian chili paste instead of sambal oelek because that’s what I had on hand, otherwise I followed the recipe as written and it’s so good. Thank you!
I used some bottled sweet chili sauce- then added some soy, rice vinegar, sugar, granulated garlic, salt, powder pasilla peppers, and cooked in a pan till boiling then added the corn starch. I dropped the coloring ( but mine was a brownish color) and the wine. Your recipe was a great template. The sauce was for homemade veg spring rolls.
Hi Kimberley, just made your magic sauce with my SE Asian friends. We didn’t even give it time to cool down!! Ha ha ha, on to the next batch <3 love it! Thank you.
I’m so glad, Juanca, thank you! :)
Non alcoholic Substitute for wine?
Hi Ak, there is nothing that will compare in flavor but you can simply omit it.
Well as a creator of recipes one should always be mindful of people who have allergies or dietary restrictions and to say in their recipes of substitutes or to omit it. Also brands that have good reviews don’t have alcohol and it’s not like being non alcohol has ruined those sauces
Ak, how can a creator or recipes possibly account for every allergy and dietary restriction out there? You won’t find any recipes online or in cookbooks that list substitutions for every allergen in their list of ingredients, it just isn’t feasible. Rather, if you have known allergies and dietary restrictions, you will seek out recipes that specifically are tailored to those needs (e.g., gluten free recipes, dairy free recipes, etc) or tweak the recipes yourself based on your knowledge of your needs. Or, do as you did and ASK. And I in turn responded. As for the alcohol, where did I say that omitting the alcohol would “ruin” the sauce? I didn’t and it won’t.
Don’t be stupid.
If you have an allergy (to alcohol?) just ignore the recepies that do not suit you but do not try to demand that the whole world should turn around you and your restrictions.
Ummmm Karen, not all recipes are for everyone. You sound like the type of person that would ask for a vegan alternative at BBQ competition.
This was really delicious. We used to buy it all the time but no more.