Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce
Heat: 4/10 · Style: Sweet-spicy Southeast Asian table sauce · Vinegar level: Medium · Best for: Spring rolls, dipping, glazing chicken wings, stir-fry finisher
Sweet chili garlic sauce is the gateway swicy sauce — mostly sweet, lightly tangy, with a clean garlic backbone and a friendly chili warmth that lingers without ever scorching. It’s the bottle you keep on the counter rather than in the fridge door.
Flavor profile
Sweet up front, then garlic and rice vinegar, then a slow Thai-bird or fresno warmth that fades. Glossy texture from a light cornstarch slurry. Pairs with fried foods, grilled chicken, and crisp tofu.
Suggested build
- 60 g fresno or red Thai bird chilies, seeded
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 150 g sugar
- 120 ml rice vinegar
- 120 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water)
Blend the chili and garlic with vinegar and water. Simmer with sugar and salt until reduced by a third, then stir in the slurry and cook one more minute until glossy. Cool fully before bottling.
Kitchen gear we like
A heavy-bottomed saucepan keeps the sugar from scorching. Check price on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Refrigerate after opening; this is not a tested shelf-stable canning recipe.