This homemade chili-garlic sauce recipe is much like Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, but freshly made, no preservatives, super easy to make and so versatile.
My Favorite Chili-Garlic Sauce Recipe
Walking through your typical grocery store, most likely you aren't going to find many chili-garlic sauces available to you. You'll probably find "Huy Fong" chili garlic sauce in the Asian aisle, maybe one other competing brand, but that's about it.
Unless you're in a specialty store, your choices are fairly limited, and specialty stores are few and far between unless you're living within a fair sized city.
Lucky for us, we know how to make our own Chili-Garlic Sauce at home on our own.
The recipe is simple. It uses only 4 main ingredients, aside from salt and pepper - chili peppers, garlic, sugar and vinegar. And, it's ready in well under 30 minutes!
Chili-Garlic Sauce is something I use regularly. Unlike Sriracha, it is a freshly made sauce, unfermented, and is meant more for cooking rather than a condiment, though it can be used for both purposes.
Let's talk about how to make chili garlic sauce!
Chili-Garlic Sauce Ingredients
- Chili Peppers. This works for any peppers you like to work with. I used a bunch of Fresno peppers. Ideally, use colorful red chilies for appearance, if you prefer your chili garlic sauce to look more like the store bought product, but you really can use any peppers. Consider using a variety. See the Recipe Notes for further discussion.
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic is ideal.
- Sugar. If desired, for a touch of sweetness.
- Vinegar. I use white vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
How to Make Chili-Garlic Sauce
Select Your Chilies. First, select and measure out your chili peppers by weight. Four ounces is good. You can choose any type of pepper to make a good chili-garlic paste, though Thai chiles are traditional in some regions.
Red, fresh, vibrant peppers are ideal. Consider cayennes, red jalapenos, red serranos, or Fresno peppers to make this sauce, though you can make the recipe with many types of chili peppers.
Add Ingredients to a Food Processor. Add the peppers to a food processor along with 4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and a bit of salt and pepper.
Process Until Smooth. Next, process to form your sauce.
Simmer the Chili Garlic Sauce. Pour all of the ingredients into a pot and simmer them for 10 minutes at medium heat to meld the flavors.
Refrigerate Until Ready to Use. Finally, cool and adjust with a bit more salt and pepper to your personal tastes. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge until ready to use.
Boom! Done! Your homemade chili-garlic sauce is ready to use. It really is very easy to make, and I like it so much better than anything from the grocery store.
It's absolutely delicious.
Adjusting the Heat Level
I often make this with medium-hot level chili peppers, though realistically you can make this recipe with any type of pepper. Use sweet peppers for a no-heat version that can still be used in many, many recipes.
Go with ghost peppers or above - see my list of superhot chili peppers - for a seriously HOT version. Best case is to use a good variety for both heat and flavor.
Wear gloves if needed when working with very hot peppers.
Sriracha Vs. Chili Garlic Sauce
Many people compare sriracha and chili garlic sauce, and in reality, they are very similar, particularly with commercial brands. However, there are important differences.
Sriracha is fermented, which mellows the balance of tangy and sweet. Chili garlic sauce is made with fresh unfermented peppers, making the flavors bolder, spicier, and more garlic forward.
Sriracha tends to be slightly sweeter than chili garlic sauce. It also tends to be smoother in texture as well.
If you run out of chili-garlic sauce, you CAN use Sriracha as a substitute, but it isn't quite the same in texture and flavor.
Check out my Homemade Sriracha Hot Sauce Recipe (both fermented and unfermented versions).
Recipe Making Tips
The Chili Peppers
It is best to use the freshest chili peppers available to you, so be sure to check the peppers for blemishes or spots. You can, however, make this with frozen chili peppers as well.
Just be sure to thaw them out and dry them a bit with a paper towel before processing.
If using dried chiles to make this recipe, rehydrate them first in hot water.
If you have a larger food processor, it is best to make a larger batch so the ingredients can be properly processed.
Flavor Tweaks
This recipe is ideal on its own for flavor boosts in cooking, but you can add other ingredients to your preference. Consider onion, tomato, or fresh herbs.
Fish sauce is a wonderful addition of umami.
Storage Information
Chili-garlic sauce will last 1-2 months or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The vinegar acts as a preservative, which will let it keep longer.
You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. It freezes nicely. Simply thaw and use as needed.
What Can I Make with Chili-Garlic Sauce?
Chili-Garlic Sauce typically lends itself to Asian dishes and stir fries, though you can use it in numerous dishes. Here are some recipes to get you started.
Try These Other Popular Sauce Recipes
- Sweet Garlic Chili Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Garlic-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Chili Sauce
- General Tso Sauce
- Sambal Oelek
- Homemade Chili Oil
Enjoy!
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Homemade Chili-Garlic Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces spicy chili peppers – This works for any pepper of choosing. I used a bunch of Fresno peppers. Use a variety.
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a small pot and heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Cool and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper to your tastes.
- Store in a sealable jar in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
This recipe was updated on 9/9/22 to include a video and updated information. Originally published on 5/31/2017.
Shayna says
Hey! Could you use a water bath to seal Mason Jars of this sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Shayna, yes, you can do that. You might check the acidity, though. Shoot for a pH of 4.0 or lower for home canning. I recommend 3.5 or lower when measured with a pH meter.
Nanajee Travels says
Very nice and easy to follow
thanks for the effort!!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Nanajee!
Charlotte Johnson says
Awesome & Delicious
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Charlotte! Definitely one of my GO-TO recipes for flavor building. I need another batch!
Yura says
It is a simple and tasty recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Yura!
Calogero says
I just tried this recipe with a blend of Cayenne orange and Thai Chili. Delicious! And a good heat too... :o)
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! I love it, Calogero. Perfect with a blend of chilies. Thanks!
Lori says
Long story... I had saved your peanut sauce recipe and that calls for chili garlic sauce so I made this recipe in order to make your other recipe. I had a bunch of those little red Thai chilies in my fridge that I needed to use up and figured I could use them for this recipe. Ohhhh boyyyy. These peppers were spicy! And, I only had 2.9 oz of them vs the 4 oz it calls for! I ended up using a teeny amount of the chili garlic sauce for the peanut sauce so that my children would be able to eat it haha. All in all great recipe but next time I'll use a milder pepper! Love your site and your recipes!
Mike H. says
Haha, yeah, those are pretty spicy, so be careful with them =) Milder peppers will work, too - enjoy!
Paul says
Mike, Patty,
Hi again,
I made a new batch yesterday.
When my other half finally gets home with some root ginger and coriander herb it’ll be going in a quick Partridge curry along with a pre made spice mix from a wonderful Indian lady who now lives in Singapore.
Thanks again for the recipe
Paul
P.S. It’s almost 22.00 here lol
Mike H. says
Haha, thank you, Paul. Hope you had a great meal!
Jim "Da Coach" says
Fresno peppers worked great, thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Coach! =)
Sissy says
I have only green jalapeno peppers. Should they be seeded? How do I compensate for green vs red peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
Sissy, you can use the same amount of green vs red. You can removed the seeds/innards if you want, though removing the innards removes much of the heat. Enjoy!
Paul says
Hi Mike and Patty,
I made this tonight to use in your homemade Szechuan sauce and have a feeling that next time I make it I’ll be doubling or trebling the ingredients. I don’t think what I have left will last long!
I used the only “Red Chilli” available at my local supermarket this evening which turned out to be Chilli Serenade. Very nice heat. I love garlic so did 7 fat cloves and added a very small onion. Oh, and live apple cider vinegar too.
Definitely a go to recipe for the future.
Thanks.
Paul
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Paul. Glad you enjoyed it. This is a staple in my kitchen for sure. =)
Gillie says
A unexpected frost came to Arizona leaving me with two jalapeño plants and a habanero plant that got nipped by frost. I added one very small habanero to my mix of green jalapeños. So, while its green instead of red its delicious, and HOT!
Mike H. says
Awesome, Gillie!
Stan Jones says
I'm not sure red peppers will be available in SW Washington in December, but I'm about to find out. Maybe our produce market can order some in. In any event, is there any reason rice vinegar couldn't be used? Possibly with some lemon juice to adjust tartness and pH?
Huy Fong seems to be a thing of the past these days. And you know "I use that s**t on everything...."
Thanks for another great recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
You can use rice vinegar, Stan. No problem. Enjoy!
Pat says
I love this recipe!
I made it with Fresno peppers I grew and smoked and threw in a red ripe smoked Hatch chili too. Also used a TON of garlic.
Used half white wine vinegar and half regular white vinegar.
Also seasoned with smoked salt and pepper along with not quite a full teaspoon of sugar.
It was perfect in my sweet and spicy noodle dish!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Pat! Very happy you're enjoying it!