Name: Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe (Better Than Store-Bought)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons cold water; ½ cup granulated sugar; ⅓ cup rice vinegar; ½ to 2 tablespoons sambal oelek; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 cloves garlic (finely minced); 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (finely grated)

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My homemade sweet chili sauce is sticky-sweet, mildly spicy, and ready in about 15 minutes. Use it as a dip, glaze, or drizzle on all your favorite foods.

You may also love my hot honey and hatch chile sauce recipes!

Best Sweet Chili Sauce

Sweet chili sauce is a sweet-heat sauce that I use on everything. It’s glossy, a little bit sticky, and has just enough kick to balance the sweetness without making it feel like your mouth is on fire.

I started making my own because I wanted something quick that didn’t require a special trip to the store. Plus, when you make it at home, you get to decide if it’s “barely spicy” or “okay, that’s really spicy.”

This homemade version is fast and straightforward. It’s great as a dipping sauce, a glaze for chicken or shrimp, or a drizzle over bowls and roasted veggies.

What this sweet chili sauce tastes like

Think sweet first then mild heat. If you’ve ever had sweet chili sauce and thought, “I love it…but I wish it was a little more (or less) spicy,” this is exactly the recipe you need.

Ingredients you’ll need

Water
Granulated sugar
Rice vinegar
Sambal oelek (use less for mild, more for spicy)
Soy sauce
Garlic, finely minced
Fresh ginger, finely grated
Cornstarch + cold water (slurry)

Note: I use garlic paste and ginger paste sometimes because they whisk in smoothly and keep the texture nice and even.

How to make sweet chili sauce

Make a quick cornstarch slurry, and set it aside.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, rice vinegar, sambal oelek, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Sauce simmering with ginger and garlic paste.

Chili sauce, garlic, and ginger simmering in a pot.

Whisk the cornstarch slurry again (it separates some as it sits), then slowly whisk it into the simmering sauce.

Simmer 30–60 seconds until the sauce looks glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Remove from heat and let it cool for 5–10 minutes. It will thicken a little more as it sits.

How to get the perfect amount of heat

I always start with a small amount of sambal oelek and work my way up. You can whisk in a little more if needed. Also,this chili sauce is always spicier the next day so keep that in mind.

Mild: start with ½ tablespoon sambal oelek.
Medium: 1 tablespoon is the sweet spot for a lot of people.
Spicy: go up to 2 tablespoons.

Using garlic paste and ginger paste

I’ll be honest: I use paste instead of fresh because it blends in so easily. If you decide to use paste, just add it the same way you would fresh. The goal is that the flavor is there and that the sauce stays smooth.

How to use sweet chili sauce

Dip for egg rolls, fried fish, potstickers, fries, or chicken tenders.
Glaze for chicken thighs, wings, shrimp, salmon, or meatballs.
Stir into a quick stir-fry at the very end.
Drizzle over rice bowls, roasted broccoli, or grilled veggies.

Storage

Pour the cooled sauce into a jar or airtight container and refrigerate. It keeps well for about 1–2 weeks. It will thicken when chilled, so let it sit at room temp for a few minutes or warm it briefly to loosen it back up.

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