Homemade easy sweet chilli sauce recipe, it is a sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy dipping sauce made from fresh red chillies, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. It's the best spicy-sweet dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, fried chicken, and crispy appetisers.
This sweet chilli sauce recipe video became a great hit when I published it on my social media. It went viral on Facebook, reaching over 8 million views in just two weeks, and the numbers continue to grow. So many of you have tried it and loved it!
Nothing beats a good homemade sweet chilli sauce recipe. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare and tastes miles better and fresher than the store-bought sweet chilli sauce. Whether you’re dipping Vegetable Spring Rolls, making Sweet Chilli Chicken, or drizzling over Sweet Chilli Salmon, this sauce is always a crowd-pleaser.
Jump to:
Here is the full recipe, complete with detailed step-by-step instructions, storage and cooking tips, and answers to all your frequently asked questions.
What Chillies to Use
For the best flavour and colour, use fresh red chillies. You can opt for long, red mild chillies like Jalapeño, Fresno, Serrano, Cayenne for a milder heat, or add some Thai bird’s eye chillies for extra spice.
You can also mix both mild and hot chilli types. If you don’t have fresh chillies, dried, crushed red chilli flakes can be used as a substitute; however, fresh chillies give the sauce its signature brightness and fruitiness.
Main Ingredients
- Red chillies: Use fresh for a bright, sharp heat or dried for a deeper, smoky flavour.
- White vinegar: a distilled white vinegar that adds a tangy taste and helps preserve the sauce well.
- Minced garlic
- White sugar
- Water
- Salt: You need a bit of saltiness to balance out the sweet and spicy flavour.
- Cornstarch slurry ( cornstarch and water mixture ) to thicken the sauce a bit.
Optional extras:
- A splash of fish sauce for that authentic Thai-style umami flavour.
- A spoonful of ketchup for added colour and a slight tomato tanginess.
See recipe card for measurements.
Substitutes
- Red Chillies: If fresh or dried red chillies are unavailable, you can use crushed red pepper flakes as a quick substitute. Adjust the amount to control heat. Be aware that dried, crushed chilli flakes are spicier than regular fresh chillies. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the blog page for the detailed recipe, including a dried chilli option.
- Dried garlic flakes can be used if fresh garlic isn’t on hand. Rehydrate flakes in warm water first for better texture.
- Brown sugar or palm sugar is a perfect option for a sugar substitute.
- Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar are milder alternatives to white vinegar.
Making Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Blend ingredients: Blend chillies, garlic, and water in a food processor until roughly chopped but not too smooth.
- Simmer: Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Add sugar, vinegar, and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Thicken the sauce: Once the sugar has dissolved, add the cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously and let the sauce simmer for 1–2 more minutes until thickened.
- Cool & Store: Let it cool slightly, then pour into a clean glass jar.
Make with Dried Chilli Flakes
You can skip the blending chilli step if you are using dried chilli flakes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and chilli flakes. Follow the instructions in steps 2 to 4 above.
Quick heads-up!
You might start coughing when simmering the chilli sauce, especially if you're using spicy ones. Make sure your windows are open and the extractor is on full blast!
How to fix if the sauce becomes too thick? If your sweet chilli sauce has thickened to a jelly-like consistency after cooling, it’s easy to adjust. Gently heat the sauce and add a small amount of water, stirring constantly until the desired consistency is reached.
Cornstarch or Corn Flour for thickening the sauce?
Use cornstarch, which is made from the starchy part of the corn kernel. It is naturally gluten-free and the texture is fine and white in colour. Starchy flour is great for creating a clear, glossy sauce.
Do not recommend corn flour or all-purpose flour. Although it is also a finely ground powder, corn flour is made from whole corn kernels and contains protein and fibre. A bit yellowish in colour. It can create a cloudy texture in the sauce.
Where do I find cornstarch?
It’s available in Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Oriental Asian grocery stores.
Instead of cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot starch or potato starch can be used for thickening. They’ll give a similar glossy finish.
Store It to Last Longer
Store the cool, sweet chilli sauce in a sterilised jar with a tight lid. Keep it in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place; it can last up to 3-4 weeks. Use a clean spoon each time to avoid contamination. If properly stored, it may last even longer!
FAQs
Not quite! While both are sweet and spicy, English sweet chilli jam is thicker, stickier, sweeter, fruitier, and more jelly-like, and is ideal for a spread or topping. This Asian sweet chilli sauce is thinner, pourable, and ideal for dipping.
Wash jars with hot, soapy water, rinse well, and then boil them for 10 minutes or heat in a 110°C (230°F) oven for 10-15 minutes before use.
Yes, if you're familiar with proper water-bath canning techniques and ensure the pH is safe (below 4.6). Use sterilised jars and lids.
You can, but it may affect the sauce’s texture and thickness. Stevia won't provide the same viscosity or shelf-life as sugar.
Use sterilised, airtight glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Mason jars are a great option.
Store in the fridge for freshness. It’ll last 3-4 weeks easily. Only keep it at room temperature if it’s been properly canned and sealed. Always use a clean jar and a dry spoon to prevent spoilage.
Pairing Suggestions
These are my favourite appetisers to serve with sweet chilli sauce:
More Asian Sauces
Looking for more Asian dipping sauces and condiments like this? Try these popular recipes:
- Homemade Chilli Oil
- Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Chicken Skewers with Peanut Satay Sauce
- Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Sriracha Sauce
- Chinese Plum Sauce
- Chilli Garlic Sauce
- Sha Cha Sauce
- Sambal Sauce
If you enjoyed this sweet chilli sauce recipe, share feedback in the comments below and leave a 🌟 rating! I’d love to hear your thoughts!
For more delicious recipes and kitchen inspiration, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.
I post fresh updates daily, so don’t miss out! Subscribe to my newsletter, hit the follow button and stay tuned for more tasty ideas! 🔔
📖 Recipe
Sweet Chilli Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 80 grams Red chilli pepper About 2.8oz/½ cup ( Or 2-3 tbsp dried crushed chilli flakes )
- 120 ml Distilled white vinegar About ½ cup
- 100 grams Sugar About ½ cup
- 120 ml Water About ½ cup
- 2 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch ( Mix it with 2 tbsp water )
Instructions
Sweet Chilli Sauce with Fresh Chillies
- Step 1: Blend chillies, garlic and water in a food processor until roughly chopped.
- Step 2: Transfer to a pot, add sugar, vinegar, and salt. Bring it to a simmer until the sugar dissolves for 4- 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook for another few minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Let it cool completely and store in a clean jar.
With Dried Chillies
- You can skip the blending chilli step if you are using dried chilli flakes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and chilli flakes. And follow the above steps 2 to 4 instructions.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 300-350 ml of sweet chilli sauce, depending on how much it reduces while simmering. If you're storing it for later, you'll need a jar that holds at least 350ml.
Comments
No Comments