Thai-Style Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Jul. 22, 2021
Thai-style sweet chili dipping sauce in a bowl with a spoon

Melissa Hom

A classic sweet, spicy, and savory accompaniment for grilled meats.

Note: Use gloves while chopping chilies and carefully scrub cutting board when finished.

Recipe Facts

5

(2)

Active: 2 mins
Total: 30 mins
Serves: 8 servings
Makes: 1/2 cup

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Ingredients

  • 10 to 12 red Thai bird chiles, finely minced (see notes)

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 4 teaspoons)

  • 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

  • 1/2 cup palm or light brown sugar

  • 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small sealable container. Shake well, set aside, and allow sugar to dissolve, shaking every 10 minutes or so. When sugar is fully dissolved, store in refrigerator until ready to use. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

    close up of thai-style sweet chili dipping sauce

    Melissa Hom
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
59 Calories
0g Fat
15g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 59
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 711mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 95mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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