We discovered 17 effective chili sauce substitutes.

Chili sauce is a versatile condiment that may be used in a variety of dishes. But, there are situations when you just run out of it or want to try a new replacement.

Here are some solutions you may try right now in your kitchen.

1. Typical spicy sauce
2. African Chili Sauce
3. Anchos or Pasillas Spicy Sauce
4. Garlic with chili paste
5. Sriracha hot sauce
6. Harissa paste
7. Tomato sauce with a kick
8. Ketchup with a Kick
9. Chili sweet sauce

There are several options available on the market nowadays, such as mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, and so forth. If you’re looking for a complete list of the finest chili sauce substitutes, keep reading.

17 Best Chili Sauce Chili Sauce

Regular Hot Sauce

 

Regular hot sauce is the most widely used replacement for chili sauce. At supermarket shops, you’ll discover a wide variety of ready-made spicy sauces. They often range in heat intensity from moderate to high.

Before selecting one that meets your needs, read the labeling.

There are numerous kinds of spicy sauce. The Louisiana variety, prepared with fermented or fresh peppers, vinegar, and salt, is one of the most popular.

Scotch Bonnet peppers or scorching habanero peppers are used to make the Caribbean-style hot sauce. The Hawaiian-style hot sauce is made from local chili peppers, garlic, ginger, water, and vinegar.

The American Southwest style is distinguished by its earthy ingredients, which include New Mexico chiles and vinegar.

African Hot Sauce

 

The African spicy sauce, sometimes known as peri-peri sauce, is produced using African Birds eye chili peppers.

It is generally thick and has a moderate amount of heat. The superhot variety is prepared from chili peppers with 1 million Scoville Heat Units or more.

Scorpion peppers, ghost peppers, and Carolina Reaper are examples of these (the hottest chili pepper in the world).

Chili peppers and liquid are the fundamental hot sauce components (like citrus juice, vinegar, or water). Chili peppers come in a variety of varieties, including jalapeos, cayenne, habaneros, scorpions, and Thai peppers.

7 pots, scorpions, and Carolina Reapers are all considered very spicy peppers. Any dried chili pepper, chopped or powdered, will do.

Pasillas Or Anchos Hot Sauce

 

Mexican types like as pasillas and anchos have strong, powerful tastes. Vinegar is an excellent addition to spicy sauce since it balances out the heat of the peppers.

Fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes for their variety and carrots for their sweetness, are also often utilized.

Citrus fruits such as pineapple may also be included. Nonetheless, you may always experiment with other combinations.

Chili Garlic Paste

You may create your own chili garlic paste if you have garlic and additional red chilis. To prepare the paste, all you need is a mortar and pestle.

You may use fresh chilis, but if you want a more flavorful chili garlic paste, roast or dry the chilis first. Place the roasted chilis in a mortar and pestle and pound them.

Next, pound in a fair number of garlic cloves until the mixture thickens and forms a paste. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a food processor or blender will suffice. Keep in a tightly sealed container.

To enhance flavor, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. The shelf life is about one week.

Chili garlic paste may be used as a rice bowl topping or as a coating for fried chicken wings.

Sriracha Sauce

 

Sriracha is a popular substitute for chili sauce. In the 1930s, Thailand invented this thick and creamy spicy sauce. Sriracha was historically employed for its medicinal powers by ancient Chinese doctors and Buddhist monks.

Red jalapeos, garlic, sugar, and vinegar are the main components of sriracha. It has a particular flavor that is sweet, peppery, and tangy.

Sriracha may be used as a dipping sauce for chips, to add flavor to soups, or as a substitute for spicy sauce in pizza or sandwiches.

Sriracha sauce is widely available in supermarkets.

Harissa Sauce

 

Harissa sauce, famous for its scent and taste, originates in North Africa.

Roast coriander and cumin seeds to produce harissa sauce. Red chilis should be soaked in boiling water. In a mixing dish, combine the toasted coriander and cumin seeds with the red chilis.

Then stir in the paprika and lemon juice. To enhance flavor and crunch, add toasted sesame or caraway seeds. After soaking the red chilis in water, dry them to enhance flavor and spiciness.

Harissa sauce may be used in stews and soups, as well as as a marinade or dipping sauce for chips.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

 

Spicy tomato sauce is simple to create. You may use any brand of canned tomato sauce in a mixing bowl. Afterwards, either fresh chopped chilis or chili powder may be added.

After fully mixing, you will have your spicy tomato sauce. Utilizing tomato sauce allows you to create a spicy sauce that suits your tastes.

The majority of chefs use this to add heat to pasta recipes.

Spicy Ketchup

 

Hot ketchup works on the same basis as spicy tomato sauce. If you are unable to stomach highly intense hot sauces or chili sauces, you may substitute store-bought ordinary ketchup with chopped chili peppers.

You can regulate the amount of spiciness this way. You may also add one tablespoon of chili flakes or chili powder to one cup of ketchup.

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

Those who do not like highly hot dishes and sauces choose sweet chili sauce instead of chili sauce. It has a distinct sweet, spicy, savory, and tangy flavor.

Sweet chili sauce is made with red chili peppers, ginger, garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Bottled sweet chili sauce is available at grocery shops and online.

Black Bean Sauce

 

Because of its fermented flavor and deep earthy taste, black bean sauce is a particular component in every Sichuan meal. Its roots may be traced all the way back to ancient China.

Doubanjiang is another name for black bean sauce. Soybean, chile, water, oil, and salt are used to make it.

Gochujang Sauce

 

Gochujang sauce is a common ingredient in Korean recipes. The extremely spicy taste of this renowned Korean sauce is well-known. It is prepared with fermented Korean red peppers and fermented soybeans.

You may marinate chicken, pig, or beef in them. It tastes well with garlic, ginger, and wine.

You may get it from a Korean supermarket or a regular grocery shop.

Chili Powder / Flakes

 

Chili powder and flakes are obvious replacements for chili sauce. They are widely available at grocery stores and supermarkets. You may, however, produce your own chili flakes by roasting or drying red chili peppers.

The taste is the same whether you use ready-made chili powder or handmade chili flakes. Just change the settings to suit your needs. They’re fantastic for sauces, dips, and adding flavor to meat meals.

Mustard

 

Many people prefer sriracha in their meals, but it can be extremely costly. If you want to use mustard as a replacement for chili sauce but don’t like or can’t afford sriracha sauce, you may use it instead.

It has a distinct sour and spicy flavor.

Barbecue Sauce

 

In addition to your standard store-bought barbecue sauce, you’ll discover hickory barbecue sauce, which has just the proper amount of flavor to give your pig or chicken barbecue a little kick.

If you want to produce your own barbecue sauce, prepare it in small amounts to avoid spoiling. Apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, tomato puree, green peppers, onions, garlic cloves, onions, carrots, brown sugar (muscovado also works), celery powder or celery salt, and powdered nutmeg or crushed allspice berries may all be combined.

A decent barbecue sauce may also be found in your local grocery shop, but bear in mind that once the bottle is opened, the sauce deteriorate quicker.

Balsamic Vinegar

If you want to make your hot noodles or soup a little less spicy, try substituting Balsamic Vinegar for the Chili sauce.

Balsamic vinegar may be used to provide a spicy and tangy flavor to salad dressings or pasta meals without altering the taste.

Lemon Zest

Chili sauce may be substituted with lemon zest. You may simply add a dash to your marinade or sauce for a quick flavor boost, and to your finishing sauce for the ultimate punch.

Lemon zest adds a flare of flavor with just the proper amount of heat to any cuisine preparation that requires some zest but not too much spice.

Substitute For Chili Sauce Related FAQs

What exactly is chili sauce?

Chili sauce, a popular spicy condiment prepared from red hot chilis, spices, and vinegar, is a popular condiment.

It enhances the taste of basic foods such as hamburgers, hotdogs, and French fries.

Is chili sauce healthy?

If taken in moderation, all types of chili sauce or spicy sauce are healthful. The majority of them have little to no fat or sugar. It’s fair to say it’s one of the healthiest condiments on the market right now.

As compared to other goods such as ketchup, sweet chili sauce, or mayonnaise, chili sauce does not include saturates or sugar.

What dishes can I eat with hot sauce?

The most versatile condiments are chili sauce and its counterpart, hot sauce. It’s great for hamburgers, hotdogs, pasta, curry meals, and soups.

Hot sauce may be used on anything. Experiment; you’ll be astonished at what you can learn.

What is the better way to use chili sauce, as a table sauce or in cooking?

Most store-bought chili sauces are meant for table usage, which means you may add it to your meal to add flavor and to make your cuisine hotter.

Chili sauces are often served at the dinner table since not everyone enjoys spicy meals. As a result, you should use it sparingly while cooking.

Should chili sauce be refrigerated?

Chili sauces, in general, should be kept in a cold, dry area. But, you must ensure that the sauce is not continually cooked or exposed to direct sunlight.

Check the label before using items like tomato sauce. If it says refrigerate after opening, always keep it in the refrigerator after use.

Is Sriracha the same as hot sauce?

Hot sauce has a more intense taste than Sriracha, which is milder.

Sriracha is often used to improve the taste of noodles in Thailand, Laos, and portions of India.

How is ketchup different from chili sauce?

Ketchup, which is generally red and composed mostly of tomatoes, has a sweet flavor, while chili sauce is derived from peppers and spices.

Chili sauce is thinner in consistency than ketchup and has a spicy flavor.