Name: Sweet Chili Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 25
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch); 1 ½ tbsp water; 125ml (1/2 cup) dark Chinese rice wine vinegar; 375ml (3/4 cup) water; 115g (generous ½ cup) sugar; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp Sichuan chili flakes; 3 tbsp sambal oelek; 1/2 tsp red food colouring (optional)

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This homemade Sweet Chili Sauce is so much better than shop-bought!

Sweet chili sauce is a must with so many Chinese recipes. Especially starters like spring rolls, shrimp toast and shrimp rangoon or crab rangoon. The flavours just seem to go together so well. Most of the sweet chili sauce you find at the shop in jars are okay and probably what is used at most Chinese takeaways but when you make your own, you will be over the moon with the results.

One good thing about making your own sweet chili sauce is that you can easily adjust the hot and sweet flavours to taste. All is explained in the recipe card below and in the step by step photographs.

What is Chinese sweet chili sauce?

Chinese sweet chili sauce is a popular condiment in Chinese cuisine. It is a versatile sauce that combines sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess, making it a favourite for dipping, glazing, or marinating.

It’s commonly used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, and other appetizers and can also be used as a glaze for grilled or roasted meats, or as a flavorful addition to stir-fries. Due to its sweet and spicy profile, it has become hugely popular at Chinese takeouts around the world.

What ingredients go into a sweet chili sauce?

The sauce typically includes ingredients like:

Chili Peppers: These provide the heat and spiciness to the sauce. In my recipe, both shop-bought or homemade sambal oelek along with Sichuan chili flakes. All should be added to taste.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the heat.
Vinegar: Contributes a tangy flavor.
Garlic: Often included for its aromatic and savory qualities.
Soy sauce: This adds a savoury flavour to the hot sauce.
Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
Red Food Colouring: Food colouring is completely optional and adds no flavour. If you want your sweet chili sauce to be a glowing red like you find at takeaways, food colouring is how it’s done.

How do you make this sweet chili sauce?

You start by making a slurry by mixing the water and cornflour (cornstarch) together. Set aside. Then you pour the rice wine vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over a medium heat. Stir the sugar in until it dissolves and the add the chopped garlic, soy sauce and the chili flakes.

Then you stir in the sambal oelek. If you are not sure about the spiciness of the sambal oelek, just add one tablespoon. You can always add more to taste later in cooking.

Continue simmering until until the sauce has reduced by about 1/3 and is much thicker than when you started. Then pour in half the slurry and simmer for another 30 seconds. The chili sauce should literally ooze off your spoon. That’s it!

Can you adjust this chili sauce recipe to taste?

Yes. When your sweet chili sauce is about ready, you should taste it and decide if it is spicy or sweet enough. Adjust by adding more sugar or sambal oelek.

This sweet chili sauce should be quite thick. Think ketchup here. You can adjust the thickness by adding more slurry if too thin or cooking it down more. If it becomes too thick, stir in a little water.

How long can you store this sauce in the fridge?

It will keep for about 2 weeks and much longer if you know how to properly can sauces. Mine never lasts two weeks anyway because we eat it.

It is worth noting that this sweet chili sauce recipe can easily be upscaled or downscaled if you want to make more or less. Normally this would be to simply halve or double the ingredients but with sauces like this, I recommend using the recipe as a guide but really taste as you go. You want to ensure it does not become to spicy or sweet for your taste preferences.

Step by step photographs.

Get all your ingredients prepared and ready before starting. Make the slurry by stirring the cornflour (cornstarch) and water together.

The vinegar, water and sugar in a sauce pan.

Pour the rice wine vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over a medium heat. Simmer until the sugar dissolves.

Adding the garlic, soy sauce and chili flakes to the sauce.

Add the chopped garlic, soy sauce and the chili flakes.

Stir in the sambal oelek and continue simmering until until the sauce has reduced by about 1/3 and is much thicker than when you started.

Adding the slurry to thicken the sauce and also food colouring.

Add about half of the slurry to thicken and continue simmering for 30 seconds. Add the rest if the sauce is still too runny. Stir in the food colouring if using.

Your sweet chili sauce is ready when it is thick but still pourable.

Homemade sweet chili sauce in a serving bowl.

You can pour your sweet chili sauce into bottles or serve it at the table in a bowl.

If you like this recipe for sweet chili sauce, you might like to try some of these Chinese takeaway favourites too:

I am currently updating my blog with the most popular Chinese takeaway recipes so be sure to check back often for new recipes. There are a lot on the way!

Have you tried this recipe for sweet chili sauce?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

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Yield: 25