The Best Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe That Will Change Your Dipping Game Forever

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Key Takeaways:

• Master restaurant-quality sweet chili sauce in 25 minutes
• Uses simple ingredients with no artificial additives
• Keeps fresh for up to 3 weeks
• Perfectly balanced sweet and spicy flavor

Tired of store-bought sweet chili sauce loaded with preservatives? This homemade Thai sweet chili sauce recipe delivers authentic flavor in just 25 minutes. Perfect for egg rolls, chicken, or as a versatile dipping sauce.

Equipment Needed

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Glass jar for storage

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Thai red chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional Substitutions:

• Red chili flakes for fresh chilies (1 tablespoon)
• Apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar
• Honey for sugar (reduce to 1/3 cup)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparation Phase

1. Gather all ingredients and equipment before starting
2. Peel garlic cloves:

• Gently press each clove with the flat side of knife
• Remove papery skin
• Mince finely (pieces should be smaller than a grain of rice)

1. Prepare Thai chilies:

• Put on disposable gloves
• Cut off stems
• Slice chilies lengthwise
• Remove seeds with spoon for less heat
• Chop very finely (should look like small flakes)

1. Make cornstarch slurry:

• Measure 1 tablespoon cornstarch into small bowl
• Add 2 tablespoons cold water
• Mix with spoon until smooth, no lumps
• Set aside

1. Pre-measure all other ingredients:

• Use separate small bowls
• Level measurements for accuracy
• Keep organized on counter in order of use

Cooking Phase

1. Start the base (5 minutes):

• Pour vinegar, sugar, water into saucepan
• Add minced garlic and chilies
• Set heat to medium
• Do not stir yet

1. Dissolve sugar (3-4 minutes):

• Stir gently with whisk
• Watch for sugar crystals to disappear completely
• Look for steam starting to rise

1. Bring to first boil (4-5 minutes):

• Keep heat at medium
• Watch for small bubbles around edge
• When bubbles appear across surface, start timer
• Maintain gentle boil for 5 minutes
• Stir occasionally

1. Add cornstarch mixture (1 minute):

• Stir cornstarch mixture again
• Pour in very slowly while whisking
• Keep whisking constantly
• Sauce will start to thicken

1. Final cooking (2-3 minutes):

• Watch for sauce to coat back of spoon
• Should be thick enough to leave clear line when you run finger across spoon
• Remove from heat immediately when thickened
• Sauce will thicken more as it cools

1. Cooling process:

• Leave in pan 5 minutes
• Transfer to heat-safe bowl
• Cool 30 minutes at room temperature
• Test thickness by dipping spoon

Troubleshooting

• Too Thin: Add more cornstarch mixture (1 teaspoon at a time)
• Too Thick: Stir in hot water (1 tablespoon at a time)
• Too Spicy: Add more sugar (1 tablespoon at a time)
• Too Sweet: Add more vinegar (1 teaspoon at a time)

Storage & Reheating

Store in airtight jar in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. No reheating needed – serve at room temperature.

Safety Notes

• Handle chilies with gloves
• Keep sauce refrigerated
• Watch for oil splatter when cooking
• Let cool completely before storing