Description
This **Healthier Sweet Chili Sauce** is a quick and vibrant condiment made with honey instead of refined sugar. It’s tangy, mildly spicy, and naturally sweetened—perfect for dipping, glazing, or drizzling over your favorite meals. With pantry staples like apple cider vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes, this easy homemade sauce is clean-eating approved and ready in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey (or sugar-free alternative)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos (gluten-free option)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum or 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water (slurry)
- Optional: ½ tsp chili paste or chili powder for extra heat
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: In a saucepan, mix water, vinegar, honey, tomato paste, tamari, garlic, and chili flakes. Stir well.
- Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer for 5–7 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Thicken: Reduce heat and whisk in xanthan gum or cornstarch slurry. Stir until the sauce thickens.
- Cool: Remove from heat, let cool, and transfer to a glass jar or bottle.
- Serve: Use as a dip, glaze, or drizzle over meats, veggies, or grain bowls.
Notes
- Simmer gently to avoid burning the honey—don’t boil hard.
- Customize spice by adjusting red pepper flakes.
- For sugar-free, swap honey with monk fruit or allulose syrup.
- Add lime juice for brightness or chipotle powder for a smoky twist.
- Store in the fridge up to 2 weeks or freeze in cubes for 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Condiments, Sauces, Healthy Recipes
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, Clean Eating
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 20
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Sweet Chili Sauce with Honey, Healthy Chili Sauce, Homemade Dipping Sauce, Clean Eating Sauces