Garlic Chili Sauce
by Quick and easy, homemade Garlic Chili Sauce ready in 15 minutes! With a perfect blend of garlic, spice, and a touch of smokey sweetness, Chinese food lovers, rejoice! You will find a lot of Huy Fong chili garlic sauce recipes on the internet; my version of this popular sauce blows them away!
Homemade chili garlic sauce is terrific on EVERYTHING, and I highly recommend you pair it with my 15-minute Garlic Chili Noodles and Spicy Cucumber Salad!
Why this recipe is the best
A staple in Asian countries, from street food vendors to home kitchens, no one is without chili garlic.sauce. For good reason, it’s delicious and will make any dish next level. If you want a few more reasons to make this homemade chili garlic sauce:
- Simple to make: Ready in 15 minutes.
- Perfect condiment: Pair it with noodles, dumplings, and even ice cream (Yes!). The sky is the limit!
- Flavor explosion: Aromatic garlic and ginger combine with the perfect amount of heat, ensuring this chili-garlic sauce will make your taste buds scream!
Ingredients
You may need to make a trip to your favorite Asian markets or source a few specialty online stores for chili garlic paste ingredients. Using fresh ingredients gives you the most garlicky smokey excellent Asian chili garlic paste imaginable.
The ingredients for chili paste sauce are grouped into 3 categories:
- Aromatics: garlic cloves and ginger
- Dry Spices: Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), toasted sesame seeds, and optional Sichuan peppercorn powder.
- Seasonings: Coarse sea salt, coconut brown sugar, sesame oil, coconut aminos, aged balsamic vinegar, and avocado oil (or light olive oil).
Ingredient substitutions
This recipe for spicy garlic sauce is addicting as is, but if you want to experiment, I have listed a few ideas below to try.
- Kick up the spice: Want a spicy chili garlic sauce? Use Chinese dried red chilis or Sichuan chili flakes for some extra heat.
- Vinegar: Use Chinese black vinegar instead of balsamic for a more traditional flavor.
- Keto sugar: Looking for a low-carb chili garlic sauce? Substitute your favorite keto brown sugar instead of the coconut variety.
What type of chili pepper to use
You can buy chili garlic sauce; trader joe’s carries it, and the rooster garlic chili sauce (Huy Fong Foods) can be found in most stores. The problem is that they use red jalapenos, red chili peppers, or Thai chili peppers that can be so spicy they overpower the aromatic taste of the sauce.
I choose to use Gochuganu (Korean red pepper flakes) for a hint of sweet and smokey flavor that doesn’t upset the balance of flavor.
How to make chili garlic sauce
All you need is a heavy-bottomed saucepan, your collection of ingredients, and 15 minutes until this fantastic sauce is drizzled over everything in sight. Follow my simple step-by-step instructions below to become a master at making garlic chilli sauce!
Be sure to finely mince your garlic and grate your ginger (keep them separate)
- Add to your cold saucepan: Avocado oil and minced garlic. Turn heat on to low to infuse the oil with garlic flavor. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Continue to bloom your oil: Now add ginger and salt to the pan and gently stir; cook for 2 minutes.
- Initial seasoning: Now it’s time to add your Chili flakes, sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and 1Tbsp of avocado oil. Continue to stir and simmer for 3 more minutes.
- Additional seasoning: Add the coconut aminos, vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorn powder (if you are using them) now. Gently stir everything together, bring the sauce back to a simmer and turn off the heat.
- Cool to room temperature: Your chilly garlic sauce is now ready to be devoured. Grab some paleo egg rolls, and start dipping or pour your sauce into glass jars and seal. Store in the fridge for up to a month.
Slow and low heat
For outstanding flavor, it is essential to use slow and low heat to infuse (bloom) the oil with the flavor of garlic and ginger. High heat could burn the spices and result in an off taste.
Variations
Now that you can make chilly garlic sauce, you can start experimenting with your own homemade chili garlic sauce recipe ideas and variations.
- Vietnamese chili garlic sauce: Add a small splash of fish sauce for a salty and umami kick.
- Thai chili garlic paste: Adding extra spicy Thai chiles brings the heat. You should also try my Thai chili dipping sauce if spicy food is your thing.
- Filipino chili oil: For an entirely different experience, infuse the oil with star anise and add some homemade hoisin sauce.
How to use the sauce
Need to know how to use chili paste with garlic? Your gorgeous red chili garlic sauce pairs perfectly with Vietnamese cuisine, especially my Vietnamese pizza. It is also a perfect addition to Asian dishes such as my chili oil ramen or stir fry dishes. You can make a spicy dipping sauce for hot pot!
Amazing drizzled-over air fryer corn ribs or grab a big bowl for dipping gluten-free wontons or crispy rice sushi.
How to store the sauce
This is a good sauce to keep on hand at all times! Below are some storage tips for keeping your sweet chili sauce fresh and delicious for future use.
- Cool first: Ensure your sauce is at room temperature before storing it.
- Refrigerate: Use an airtight container to store your sauce, and use a clean spoon each time you serve. Good for a month.
Common FAQs
Chili garlic sauce is an iconic Chinese condiment. Regional variations are available throughout Asia.
Depending on the peppers used, it can range from mild to flaming hot. My homemade version has the perfect medium heat profile.
Chili oil has a higher ratio of oil to pepper flakes. Chili garlic sauce has the opposite, more pepper flakes and less oil (source).
No. Sriracha sauce uses more vinegar and has a tangier taste. Chili garlic sauce uses less vinegar and is more garlicky, smokey, and sweet.
Related recipes
If you love this mildly spicy sauce, you might also want to try similar sauces like; sambal garlic sauce or my shacha sauce, a super tasty Taiwanese BBQ sauce that goes great with a variety of Asian cuisine.
My homemade chili sauce makes a quick and simple stir-fry sauce. Mix it with Bok choy stir-fry for a quick weeknight dinner, or try the great recipe ideas I’ve listed below.
- Konjac rice recipe – add the sauce to fried rice!
- Chinese garlic green beans – extra tasty green beans with the sauce!
- Vietnamese garlic shrimp.
Umami Tips
- Start with cold oil.
- Low and slow: Use low heat to infuse the oil.
- Gochugaru: Do not skip the Korean red pepper powder.
- Experiment: Try different spices (star anise, bay leaves, etc.).
Garlic chili sauce recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz garlic clove, finely minced
- 0.8 oz ginger, grated
- 5 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
- 2.5 tbsp gochugaru, Korean chili pepper flakes, not power
- 1 tbsp coconut brown sugar, or keto brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder, optional
Instructions
- Finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Separate them into 2 separate piles.
- In a heavy-bottom small saucepan, start the pan cold with 4 tbsp avocado oil. Add the minced garlic and simmer over low heat to infuse the oil with garlic flavor. Stir with a wooden spoon until the garlic turns in light golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger and salt and continue to gently bloom and infuse the oil over low heat for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chili flakes, sugar, sesame seeds, the remaining 1 tbsp avocado oil, and sesame oil, and continue to stir the sauce and simmer for another 3 minutes.
- Add the coconut aminos, vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorn powder, if using. Stir and taste to adjust with more salt or sugar.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer then turn off the heat.
- Once the sauce is cool to room temperature, transfer it into a glass jar to pack and seal. Store the sauce in the fridge. Good for a month.
Notes
- Keep the heat low the whole time as you infuse the oil and bloom the spices. Slow and steady low heat to bring out the flavor and take care not to burn the aromatics otherwise it’ll have a bitter flavor.
- The chili garlic sauce should taste a little spicy-savory-sweet-tangy and with a hint of sweet smokey flavor.
- I use a 0.75 liter/3 cup/25 oz. milk pan. You can also use a butter warmer.
- The nutritional label is estimated with coconut brown sugar.
- How to use the sauce? Try it with my Garlic Chili Noodles, Vietnamese pizza, or gluten-free wonton soup!
Nutrition
Made a dish and love it? Please remember to rate the recipe and leave a comment in the comment section below! It helps my blog grow organically so I can continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
I just freaking love this sauce!
My boyfriend and I went to Asia for a month (mainly Singapore and Indonesia) and loved the food there. This sauce reminds us of the one Din Tai Fung serves its‘ cucumber salad with 😍
Can’t recommend it enough, try it!!!
Thank you, Chi Yu, for creating and sharing it ☺️
OMG that’s awesome! I’m going to try it with cucumbers, too! 😀
This chili garlic sauce is seriously addictive! We pair the sauce with gyoza dumplings with some extra soy sauce added to the sauce for dipping. Omg! You don’t need anything else, if you like it more tart, add a tab more rice vinegar to your liking. So so good! Highly recommend it. It’ll go well with literally anything!
Lovely!
So delicious!!!! I thought it was going to be too spicy but it’s just the right amount of heat
I want to use it on everything
You have to try the Garlic Chili sauce recipe! It is a game changer! My family L.O.V.E.S. this!!! I’m planning to add to a chicken stir fry next! Oh the possibilities!
Thank you! So happy to hear!
This is incredible!! I have a love for spice and this does not disappoint!! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Thank you! Appreciate it!
I really like the balance of flavors in this recipe and laughed at myself when I went out to buy balsamic (almost never use it) but later realized I could have just used my black vinegar (always have it). It pays to read the whole recipe though before grocery shopping! I’ll try more of the suggested variations in the future but this batch is perfect as is. Can’t wait to make the chili noodles with it next!
I’m so happy to hear that, Laura! Good to have both. Vinegar is super useful and it almost never goes expired. Have fun!
Simple to make and extraordinary on flavor!! I love this recipe. I’ve made it so many times already. It’s the perfect balance of spice, salt and a hint of sweet. The sauce is SO great on everything! Saved it in a jar and used it on veggies, eggs, and to jazz up chicken dishes. Thank you for this!!
Oh Wow! I’m so so happy to hear! This is a great chili garlic sauce. I have it in my fridge all the time, too!
I rarely follow a recipe to the T. I did this time and it was amazing. I’ve done many I heart umami s recipes, and this one is PHENOMENAL. Make it, and before you clean up make a second batch. So good!
Thank you so much, Ana. That means a lot to me. Appreciate it!
The smokeyness of the Korean pepper flakes really comes through in the recipe.
I love the ginger, sweet, spicy and smokey flavor 😋 thanks so much for another delicious recipe. Will be making the garlic chili noodles soon ✌️
Wonderful! Thanks so much!
Absolutely delicious! The BEST chili garlic oil ever! And with clean ingredients! Thank you!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear!
I would love to always have this on hand, is this recipe able to be canned(water bath or pressure cooker)
Thanks 😊
Hello Juanita, so great to hear from you. Thank you so much for your kind words. 🙂 I am no expert of canning so I can’t tell you how to do it (or if it’s doable). So sorry about that!
Absolutely amazing chili garlic sauce. Hits all the notes, spicy, sweet, tangy, salty and umami. I can’t wait to make the chili garlic noodles. This will be a regular condiment in my fridge.
Thank you so much. We absolutely love this chili garlic sauce very much, too!
With great anticipation and after gathering all the ingredients I made this today. Let’s just say there is absolutely no disappointment. Followed recipe as written including Sichuan Ground Pepper. I could eat this over EVERYTHING! So So good. Can’t wait to make Chili Garlic Noodles. Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s going to be a staple going forward
You had me at “15 minutes,” lol. I made the Vietnamese version because I love anything with fish sauce and it’s so good! I had some over scrambled eggs and devoured them.
Wow, this sweet & spicy sauce is yummy on just about everything! Better than store-bought sauce for sure.
This sauce is AMAZING! Adds so much delicious flavor! Easy to make too!
Just love the flavor of this sauce!Especially love that it’s made with good ingredients. Thank you
Thank you! Love this chili sauce so much, too!
Yum, this sauce is excellent! Tastes just like (but better!) storebought chili garlic sauce.
Thank you so much!
The garlic in this chili sauce is AMAZING! It comes out so perfect on a weeknight stir fry!
We made it this past weekend and it was SO GOOD! Just the right amount of spice but not too overly spicy. Best of all we use good oil – avocado oil. My husband loves this chili sauce, too! Will be making this regularly! Thank you.
Thank you! So happy to hear!