A bold and spicy sauce made in less than 10 minutes with everyday pantry staples. Szechuan sauce will take your noodles or stir fry to the next level. Use it as a dip or as a tofu or meat marinade.
Next try this amazing Big mac sauce for your next burger.
This sauce is very adaptable to your heat preferred level, vegan and gluten free adaptable.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- It is very cheap to make plus the simplicity makes it irresistible.
- Great on almost anything, we even use it for eggs and on top of rice.
- Very adaptable to your level of spiciness with some mix and match ingredients in the notes section.
This sauce is for you, my fellow spicy food fanatics out there🔥😍. How to know if you are one? here are some facts:
- You keep checking the store condiments aisle for new hot sauce(s) to try out.✅
- Have a special shelf in your fridge for all your hot sauce, Frank's, Sriracha and Tabasco.✅
- If you go to the Asian store often, even if it is miles away, to try their new varieties.✅
- Have all sorts of dry chilis in your spice cabinet.✅
- You are not excited about any food unless it gets you those little beads of sweat on your forehead.✅
You will also love how easy and adaptable this sauce is besides this sauce is great with almost anything much like this easy homemade Harissa.
📝 Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes
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- Balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar are used to compensate for the sake ( or other alcoholic ingredient) taste that is often times used.
- Use vegetable stock for a vegan sauce.
- Use tamari soy sauce instead of soy sauce for gluten free version but you will need to adjust salt level.
- You can use any chili sauce you like, I prefer the Asian chili sauce.
- Authentic recipe has Sezchuan peppercorn, unfortunately the ones sold at your near by store is not of good quality. So here are your options: 1) do as I did and skip it as it is only ¼ teaspoon or 2) You can use black peppercorn instead or 3) buy the authentic one online here.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of broth and set aside. In a small sauce pan combine the remaining ingredients. Taste to make sure the seasonings are right for you.
- Bring mixture to a low boil. Pour in the cornstarch mixture.
- Whisk ingredients together to mix well.
- Simmer until it thickens.
💡 Amira's Tips
- To make it gluten free, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
- To make it low carb, use your favorite sweetener instead of sugar and xanthan gum instead of cornstarch.
- To make it vegan use vegetable stock.
- To make it less spicy, use a mixture of chili sauce and tomato sauce or skip the chili sauce and use your favorite tomato based sauce.
- You can skip adding the brown sugar if you do not like it or use maple syrup or any sweetener of your choice.
- If you do not have balsamic vinegar substitute with 2 tablespoons more of red wine vinegar + 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Don't have red wine vinegar? substitute it in at a 1:1 ratio with rice vinegar or white wine vinegar. Raspberry vinegar or balsamic vinegar can be used in a 1:1 ratio too but you might want to tone down the sweetener used.
- Using fresh garlic and fresh ginger yields a more flavorful and well balanced sauce. Powder is not recommended.
- If you are going to use the sauce for your stir fri or noodles, there is no need to cook the sauce separately. Just mix sauce ingredients in a measuring cup or bowl and pour it over your stir fri while you are cooking it.
🧺 Storage
Cooled Szechuan sauce can be refrigerated in a jar with tight lid for up to 3 weeks.
🍽️ Serve With
This hot and spicy sauce will jazz up any boring meal. It is perfect for putting a new twist on your favorite chili recipe or stir-fry. Coat Buffalo cauliflower wings with Szechuan Sauce and bake . Spice up your yakisoba noodles or rice bowl, I can imagine it over many dishes. Think Pizza, sandwiches, burgers, shakshouka and even morning scrambled eggs.. a spicy kick in every meal.
💬 FAQs
Szechuan, Szechwan or Sichuan is a province in southwest China. Their cuisine is best described as bold and spicy 🌶 due to their excessive and liberal use of the Szechuan pepper. Authentic szechuan sauce recipe uses Sichuan peppercorn powder and A LOT of red chilies and garlic.
Szechuan sauce is a very well balanced dipping sauce. It carries sweet and savory flavors with loads of heat there. Someone described it as having your sweet-and-sour chicken all mixed up with soy sauce and extra heat😋.
This sauce can be kept in fridge for up to 3 weeks and freezes very well too.
This recipe is vegan friendly as you can use vegetable broth. Just make sure that all the ingredients, like soy sauce, are plant based.
📣 Related Recipes
- A delicious and easy recipe for Big Mac Sauce with the perfect balance to wonderfully upgrade your homemade burger sandwich.
- Chermoula takes just about any dish to the next level a wonderful combination of fresh herbs and spices.
- Easy harissa recipe made with fresh ingredients and adjusted to your heat level.
- This creamy sour cream sauce is delicious, quick and makes and great dip or a base for your enchilada casseroles.
- My cream of chicken soup substitute takes less than 10 minutes and very easy to make. A healthy alternative to your favorite stor bought can.
More Asian Inspired Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is a quick one pot dinner that you'll pit on repeat. An Asian inspired dinner with tender chicken, a blend of vegetables, rice and scrambled egg that is both satisfying and delicious.
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Szechuan Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 large garlic cloves
- 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced.
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Asian chili garlic sauce or any gluten free hot sauce.
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup broth chicken or vegetable, low sodium, divided
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch.
- Optional: Crushed Red pepper flakes or sesame seeds for garnishing.
Instructions
- Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of broth to make a slurry and set aside.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix the remaining ingredients and bring to a light boil.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and whisk until it thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or chili flakes.
Notes
- You can skip adding the brown sugar if you do not like it or use maple syrup or any sweetener of your choice.
- If you are going to use the sauce for your stir fri or noodles there is no need to cook the sauce separately. Just mix sauce ingredients in a measuring cup or so and our it over your stir fri while you are cooking it.
- Use vegetable stock for a vegan sauce.
- Use Tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten free version but use a little less as it might make the sauce too salty.
- You can use any chili sauce you like, I prefer the Asian chili sauce.
- This is a hot sauce recipe, but it is very adjustable to your heat level.
- For more tips and variations check the post above.
Nutrition
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First published March, 2018 . Last updated February 15, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.
Geraldine Rees
Can I make a batch of this and freeze it in portions?
Amira
Geraldine, I've never tried this before.
Xtine C
I cannot wait to make this sauce for my family for our Easter lunch. I will put this sauce over shrimps and sausage..I hope it will taste great when I make it Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Amira
Xtine, thank you so much for trying this recipe. I hope you'll like it, just a side note, this is a hot recipe so watch out if your have kids around. Let me know how it went with you.
Emily
Tried this recipe twice already and We liked it so much. I have a husband who is crazy about spicy food and wants it over everything. Thank you.
Amira
Thank you Emily, so pleased you enjoyed this.
Mason A.
Thank you for this great recipe, Amira! I have one question, though. I’ve been using honey for almost everything as a sweeter. Do you think honey would work, instead of brown sugar or would it lose some of the richness?
Amira
Mason, I do not see why not. The consistency might be a little bit watery than using sugar but I do not see that as a problem. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Cecile M Roy
I have been away from blogging... and even following my favorite bloggers such as yourself, for a while now. This sauce looks wonderful... and does the McDonald sauce. Gonna PIN both of these!! ; O )
Amira
Cecile, Thank you for your sweet comment, I hope you are doing great in Florida now and you'll continue soon sharing your sweet recipes and adventures in the kitchen.