• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Feels Like Home™ logo

white magnifying glass on a red circle
  • Shop
    • Christianity Downloads
    • Family Downloads
    • Food & Cooking Downloads
    • Hobbies & Crafts Downloads
    • Learning Downloads
  • All Recipes
    • By Course
      • Appetizers
      • Breakfast
      • Condiments & Spices
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Lunches & Dinners
      • Side Dishes
      • Snacks
    • By Method
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • Oven
      • Stove Top
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Copycat Recipes
      • Grill
      • Microwave
      • No Bake
    • By Meat
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Chicken
      • Turkey
      • Seafood
      • Meatless
    • By Cuisine
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mexican
      • Eating after Bariatric Surgery
      • Gluten-Free
      • Vegetarian
      • Copycat Recipes
    • Comfort Food
    • Recipes for Foodie Kids
    • Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals
  • Dinners
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Chicken
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
    • Meatless
    • Pizza
    • Stir Fry
    • Sandwiches
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Soup & Chili
    • Casseroles
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • One Pot
    • Crockpot
    • Instant Pot
    • Grilling
    • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
    • Ice Cream
    • Cakes
    • Cheesecake
    • Pies
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • No Bake Desserts
  • Holidays
    • Super Bowl
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother's Day
    • Memorial Day
    • 4th of July
    • Labor Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • New Year's
    • Birthdays
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Holidays & Celebrations
      • Birthdays
      • Valentine's Day
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Easter
      • Mother's Day
      • Father's Day
      • Summer Picnics
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
      • New Year's Eve
    • Kids activities
      • Kids Crafts
      • Christmas Crafts for Toddlers & Preschoolers
      • Christmas Crafts for Kids
      • Christmas Crafts for Tweens & Teens
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • SHOP
  • RECIPES
  • FAMILY
  • FAITH
  • HEALTH
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    See More:   Comfort Food Condiments & Spices Gluten-Free

    Last Modified: Aug 9, 2022 by Tara Gerner Leave a Comment

    How to Make the Best Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce

    2Facebook120PinterestTwitter
    122
    SHARES
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest Hidden Image

    How to make the best homemade sweet chili sauce recipe. It is simple, quick, and easy to DIY and so tasty! It's sweet and spicy and you will love to put it on everything from chicken to shrimp to salmon and even french fries, kabobs, and stir fry!

    A close up of food on a table, with Sweet chili sauce and hot peppersPin

    We used sambal oelek for this dish. It is an Asian staple made from ground red chili peppers in a vinegar sauce. We have grown to love it ever since using it in a General Tso's Chicken recipe last year. I think it's the perfect pepper source for this sauce. I have heard that you can find this at some bigger grocery stores and at Asian groceries, but we just buy ours on Amazon. It's not too expensive and very easy to find without driving around.

    How to Make the Best Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce

    1. Prepare the sauce. Pour ¾ cup water and all of the vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. (Remaining water will be used later to mix with the cornstarch.) Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes. Simmer means to heat it so that small bubbles form but it doesn't actually boil.
    2. Stir sambal oelek or chili peppers into the sauce. If you are concerned that the sauce might be too spicy for you, use less sambal oelek than I include in the recipe and stir in more after tasting.
    3. Thicken the sauce. Mix the cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup water until they form a thick slurry. Add this to the saucepan a little at a time, continuing to simmer, until the sauce is the thickness you desire. (We use all of it so that the finished sauce is like a dip, but if you want a sauce you can pour on stir fry, you would use less.) Stir until well blended.
    4. Refrigerate. Pour sauce into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed, at least an hour up to overnight. It is a lot better after the flavors meld in the fridge.

    Other homemade sauces and dip recipes

    • Cajun Remoulade Sauce - Loaded with cajun spice in a base of mayo and Miracle Whip (yes, both!)
    • Tzatziki Sauce - Cucumber and garlic sauce in a Greek yogurt base
    • Copycat Burger King Zesty Sauce - Horseradish in a mayonnaise base
    • Lemon Garlic Aioli - Fresh lemon juice and garlic in a mayonnaise base
    • Honey Sriracha Mayo - Just what the name says

    Recipe

    A close up of food on a table, with Sweet chili sauce

    Sweet Chili Sauce

    How to make the best homemade sweet chili sauce recipe. It is simple, quick, and easy to DIY and so tasty! It's sweet and spicy and you will love to put it on everything from chicken to shrimp to salmon and even french fries, kabobs, and stir fry!
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Condiment, Gluten-free

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cups water divided
    • 1 cups rice vinegar
    • ⅔ cups sugar
    • 2 teaspoons ginger
    • 2 cloves garlic or use 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons ketchup
    • ¼ cups sambal oelek or use 2-3 whole red chile peppers, minced
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

    Instructions
     

    • Pour ¾ cup water and all of the vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. (Remaining water will be used later to mix with the cornstarch.) Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Stir sambal oelek or chili peppers into the sauce.
    • Mix cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup water until they form a slurry. Add this to the saucepan a little at a time until the sauce is the thickness you desire. (We use all of it so that the finished sauce is like a dip, but if you want a sauce you can pour, you would use less.) Stir until blended.
    • Pour sauce into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed, at least an hour.

    Notes

    We used sambal oelek for this dish. It is an Asian staple made from ground red chili peppers in a vinegar sauce. We have grown to love it ever since using it in a General Tso's Chicken recipe last year. I think it's the perfect pepper source for this sauce. I have heard that you can find this at some bigger grocery stores and at Asian groceries, but we just buy ours on Amazon. It's not too expensive and very easy to find without driving around.
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!
    A close up of food on a table, with Sweet chili sauce in a bowlPin

    A bowl of Sweet chili sauce on a tablePin

    A bowl of Sweet chili sauce with a spoonPin

    2Facebook120PinterestTwitter
    122
    SHARES

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tara.

    Harrisburg PA mom blogger Tara Ziegmont
    I'm passionate about helping women to care for themselves and their families by offering a combination of easy & delicious recipes, family fun ideas, and Christian inspiration. If you're tired of feeling so weary and uninspired, you're in good company.

    If you don’t like cooking or don’t think you can cook, you're in the right place. Feels Like Home is all about simple recipes, and I promise you, ANYONE can make them! No one will ever question your cooking ability again.

    I'm so glad you're here!

    Read more about me...

    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram LinkedIn email me

    Recent posts:

    Indonesian peanut butter chicken stir fry with green beans over noodles with chopsticks

    Indonesian Peanut Butter Chicken

    a close up of a plate full of Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

    Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

    a scoop of cheese chicken hash brown casserole on a wooden spoon

    Cheesy Chicken Hashbrown Casserole

    a close up of mild Buffalo Chicken Dip with Frank's RedHot Sauce

    Mild Frank's RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

    AS SEEN ON

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Popular Recipes

    BLT salad with croutons on a white plate
    BLT SALAD WITH HOMEMADE DRESSING

    filet mignon with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and lemon butter sauce
    FILET MIGNON WITH GOAT CHEESE, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, AND LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

    homemade Thin Mints on a white plate
    HOMEMADE THIN MINTS

    Fruity Pebbles cake on a wooden cake board
    FRUITY PEBBLES CAKE

    world's best chili with bacon in a white bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped bacon
    WORLD'S BEST CHILI WITH BACON

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility
    • No AI

    As seen on

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Contact Tara


    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy.

    All content provided on Feels Like Home Blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this site makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.

    Copyright © 2007-2023 Feels Like Home Blog  | No content on this site, including text and photos, may be reused in any fashion without written permission.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    SettingsAccept
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT