In the wide world of spiced condiments, chili sauce substitutes can often provide the same heat that you’re looking for, although the flavor may vary slightly. Chili sauce is a blanket term for condiments made from primarily chili peppers. Some are very hot, some are mild, and there are even some sweet varieties.
Chili Sauce Substitutes
Most chili sauces are made with red peppers and occasionally with tomatoes. Green and yellow varieties exist, but they are less common. Chili sauce is used while cooking sauces, glazes, and marinades, and is usually considered different from ‘hot sauce’ which is thinner and has different flavor profiles. [1]
Commercial varieties of chili sauce include:
- Sriracha sauce – Thick and uniform, bright red, garlicky, and very spicy
- Sambal sauce – Thick with visible seeds, tangy, very spicy
- Thai sweet chili sauce – Thick with visible seeds, balanced sweet and spicy
Spicy ketchup or hot sauce make for great chili sauce substitutes. When choosing between chili sauce substitutes, remember that all chili sauces are dynamic and unique, so your replacement should be as close to the consistency and temperature of the original chili sauce in the recipe.
Only for tantalizing your taste buds! Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Hot Sauce
If all you need is a little heat, grab your favorite hot sauce. There are literally hundreds of varieties available and your grocery store will have plenty of options from major producers. Look for small-batch artisan hot sauces for unique flavors and add a dash (or more!) to spice up noodles, pizza or soups. [2]
Spicy Ketchup
This is a great option if you only want a little heat. It will add back the sweetness that you’re missing from some chili sauces and is great for thickening sauces and glazes. However, regular ketchup might make the flavor lean too far towards tomato, so make sure there is a bit of spice included.
Hot Sauce and Honey
Sweet and spicy is a classic combination that is common in Asian and American Southern cooking. Start with 2 parts hot sauce to 1 part honey and adjust to your taste. [3]
Fiery Tobasco sauce. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Make Your Own
Do you like lots of heat? Or barely any at all? You can simply make your own chili sauce to get the perfect spice level for you. Blend red chilies, garlic, vinegar, and salt, then cook with shallots to make homemade sriracha. Add lemongrass, tamarind, or lime zest to make sambal sauce. For a sweet chili sauce, add sugar or plum sauce. Adjust the number of hot chilies to your taste and enjoy a creation that’s perfect for you.
