Chinese-American Sweet Chili Sauce
Homemade Chinese-American sweet chili sauce with garlic, red pepper flakes, and vinegar, thickened with a cornstarch slurry for restaurant-quality dipping. Fully customizable heat and thickness to your preference.
Homemade Chinese-American sweet chili sauce with garlic, red pepper flakes, and vinegar, thickened with a cornstarch slurry for restaurant-quality dipping. Fully customizable heat and thickness to your preference.
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In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
While the sugar syrup heats, prepare the cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4-5 tablespoons of water until smooth. Set aside.
Once the sugar has dissolved, stir in the white vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, soy sauce, and optional paprika.
To thicken the sauce, re-stir the cornstarch slurry and slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Start with half the slurry and add more as needed to reach your desired thickness.
Continue to cook for another minute until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
Pour the sauce into a jar or airtight container. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Store in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; the sauce will continue to thicken in storage and can be thinned with a little water if needed.
Start with 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes and add more to taste before thickening. You can also reduce or omit the flakes entirely for a milder sauce.
Yes. Add the cornstarch slurry gradually, starting with half and stirring constantly. Add more to thicken further, or skip it entirely for a thinner sauce.
Store in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools and may thicken further in storage.
Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar work as substitutes in equal amounts, though they will slightly alter the flavor profile.
Yes, paprika is optional and only adds mild smokiness. The sauce works fine without it.
