Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is a sweet, savory, and spicy Asian condiment from Thai cuisine. This homemade sweet sauce is usually made with chili flakes, brown sugar, rice vinegar, mirin sauce, fish sauce, and basic aromatics. The recipe I have shared here shows you How to make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe below to make the cooking process visually clear. This Asian Sweet Chilli Sauce is one of the best homemade sauces that taste great with Thai starters, snacks, or for grilling, or stir-frying the chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
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What is Sweet Chili Sauce?
Sweet Chili Sauce is a sweet, savory, and flavor-loaded Thai condiment. It is also popularly known as Nam Chim Kai in the Thai language. This Asian Chili Sauce is usually made with chili flakes, brown sugar, Tamari, rice vinegar, mirin sauce, fish sauce, and basic aromatics. It is usually served as a dipping sauce or to grill, or stir-fry chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce usually tastes sweet and spicy from the brown sugar and chili flakes respectively. You may also feel the authentic umami flavor from the Tamari, fish sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar. Also not to mention the fresh ginger and garlic that adds much fresh flavor to your sauce.
Even though you can easily find this sweet sauce from most Asian grocery stores in bottles, making a homemade sauce is always healthy. Because you can choose healthy low sodium soy sauce, with no preservatives, and no added artificial colors to the sauce. The recipe shared here yields up to 1 cup which is good enough for 4 servings of chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Whether it is for stir-frying, grilling, or for dipping your starters.
Overall, if you are looking for a perfect Thai sauce to enhance the taste profile of your dishes or to create some Thai-style dishes at home, this Sweet Chilli Sauce is one of the best options to start with. And it is one of the popular recipes similar to Thai Red Curry, Thai Yellow Curry, Thai Green Curry, Thai Panang Curry, and Pad Thai, from Thai cuisine.
So without further delay, let's see how to make this Sweet Chili Sauce below.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce are basic Asian pantry elements. You can find most ingredients easily in Asian grocery stores or in the Asian aisles in Gourmet grocery stores around. So let's see what are they below.
- Ginger and Garlic - Delivers the fresh aroma, flavor, and taste to your sauce
- Brown Sugar - I love to use brown sugar in most Asian stir fry sauces but you can also use white sugar if that's handy for you
- Sauces - Tamari sauce, mirin sauce, and fish sauce. If you are looking for a vegan-friendly sauce then skip the fish sauce from the ingredient list
- Vinegar - I have used rice vinegar here but normal vinegar works fine too
- Chili Flakes and Paste - I have used both chili flakes and chili paste for this sauce. But you use either one or both based on availability. You can also use sambal oelek instead of chili paste and it delivers the same results
- Cornstarch - To thicken the sauce
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce?
The recipe I have shared here is traditional Thai Sweet chili Sauce. This Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce yields up to 4 servings as a dipping sauce. It is one of the quick and easy-to-make sauces that delivers a sweet and moderately spicy sauce filled with bold flavors.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below
- Add the ingredients - In a medium heat saucepan, add brown sugar, water, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, Tamari, Mirin Sauce, fish sauce, chili flakes, and chili paste. Give everything a good mix
- Boil - Allow the mixture to boil for 2 to 3 minutes
- Thicken the sauce - Now simmer the heat and add the cornstarch slurry and give it a mix
- Simmer - Allow the mixture to simmer until it turns glossy, slightly thick, and saucy consistency
- Remove - Once it turns thick, remove the sauce from the heat and it is now ready for you to use in your recipes or to enjoy your dishes
- Serve - Serve this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce as a dipping sauce with chicken wings, fried chicken, wraps, fish cakes, or burgers or to enhance the taste of most Thai dishes
Substitute for Sweet Chili Sauce
Even though making a fresh batch of Sweet Chili Sauce always delivers authentic taste and flavor, you can also substitute with fewer ingredients. Mixing any hot sauce with honey, brown sugar or sugar can replicate the similar flavor of the authentic sauce. You can also use minced red chilies, chili sauce, or paste to mix in with honey or brown sugar. Adding a dash of vinegar also delivers a sour taste to your substitute sauce.
Tips
- For Best Flavor - Adding fresh aromatics like ginger and garlic adds so much fresh flavor, aroma, and taste to your sauce, so don't compromise on that
- Fish Sauce - In Authentic Thai dishes, people use fish sauce as one of the ingredients to achieve the best umami flavor to the dish. And you will never feel any fishy funky smell in your sauce or the recipes that call for it. However, if you want a vegan or veg version of this sauce, you can always feel free to skip the sauce
- Alternative for Mirin - Mirin Sauce is nothing but cooking rice wine, but if that's not handy, you can substitute it with dry sherry, or Chinese cooking wine
- Heat Level - The recipe for this Sweet Chili Sauce is moderately spicy due to the addition of chili flakes and chili paste. The sauce feels not too hot and it is usually balanced by the sweetness from the brown sugar. But if you would like to increase the spice level you can adjust either chili flakes or chili paste quantity
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce as a dip for Thai fish cake, chicken wings, fried chicken, and spring rolls, or stir-fry your favorite chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Storage Suggestions
This homemade Sweet Chili Sauce stays good in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a closed airtight container.
Related Recipes
You can also find similar sauce recipes below and more at Thai recipes and Asian recipes.
- Chili Sauce
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Chili Oil
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Stir Fry Sauce
- Kung Pao Sauce
- General Tso Sauce
- Orange Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Szechuan Sauce
- Tamarind Sauce
- Chili Seasoning
Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe Video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe below that I hope will help you to make a Thai-style condiment at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Sweet Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Garlic
- 1 tbsp Ginger
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Tamari, or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Mirin Sauce, or dry sherry
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce, skip for vegan option
- 2 tsp Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp Chili Paste, or sambal oelek
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch, diluted in 3 tbsp water
Instructions
To make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- In a medium-heat saucepan, add brown sugar, water, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, Tamari, Mirin Sauce, fish sauce, chili flakes, and chili paste. Give everything a good mix
- Allow the mixture to boil for 2 to 3 minutes
- Now simmer the heat and add the cornstarch slurry and give it a mix
- Allow the mixture to simmer until it turns glossy, slightly thick, and saucy consistency
- Once it turns thick, remove the sauce from the heat and it is now ready for you to use in your recipes or to enjoy your dishes
To Serve
- Serve this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce as a dipping sauce with chicken wings, fried chicken, wraps, or burgers or to enhance the taste of most Thai dishes
Video
Notes
- For Best Flavor - Adding fresh aromatics like ginger and garlic adds so much fresh flavor, aroma, and taste to your sauce, so don't compromise on that
- Fish Sauce - In Authentic Thai dishes, people use fish sauce as one of the ingredients to achieve the best umami flavor to the dish. And you will never feel any fishy funky smell in your sauce or the recipes that call for it. However, if you want a vegan or veg version of this sauce, you can always feel free to skip the sauce
- Alternative for Mirin - Mirin Sauce is nothing but cooking rice wine, but if that's not handy, you can substitute it with dry sherry, or Chinese cooking wine
- Heat Level - The recipe for this Sweet Chili Sauce is moderately spicy due to the addition of chili flakes and chili paste. The sauce feels not too hot and it is usually balanced by the sweetness from the brown sugar. But if you would like to increase the spice level you can adjust either chili flakes or chili paste quantity
Nutrition
FAQ
Sweet Chili Sauce is a sweet, savory, and flavor-loaded Thai condiment. It is also popularly known as Nam Chim Kai in the Thai language. This Asian Chili Sauce is usually made with chili flakes, brown sugar, Tamari, rice vinegar, mirin sauce, fish sauce, and basic aromatics. It is usually served as a dipping sauce or to grill, or stir-fry chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce usually tastes sweet and spicy from the brown sugar and chili flakes respectively. You may also feel the authentic umami flavor from the Tamari, fish sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar. Also not to mention the fresh ginger and garlic that adds much fresh flavor to your sauce.
Yes, if you want a vegan or veg version of this sauce, you can always feel free to skip the fish sauce.
Even though making a fresh batch of Sweet Chili Sauce always delivers authentic taste and flavor, you can also substitute with fewer ingredients. Mixing any hot sauce with honey, brown sugar or sugar can replicate the similar flavor of the authentic sauce. You can also use minced red chilies, chili sauce, or paste to mix in with honey or brown sugar. Adding a dash of vinegar also delivers a sour taste to your substitute sauce.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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