How To Use All The Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce?

September 15, 2024 12:14 PM

Each of my family members bought, and opened, a giant sweet chili garlic sauce container. We have a small fridge and I only have one solid recipe. My partner is a foodie. What else can I make that uses this up?

I will cook anything and don’t mind how complicated the recipe is. We have a lot of spices and meats. However, the food must be interesting and be able to be kept for leftovers. I am only looking for things you have personally tried and enjoyed.

posted by corb to Food & Drink (22 answers total)

Thai Salmon in Foil - uses 1/2 cup of sweet chili sauce.

Thai Cucumber Salad - 1/4 cup. Since the chili sauce itself is already sweet, my personal recommendation is to reduce or leave out the extra sugar.

Assuming it's the kind of sauce I'm thinking of (like this), the bottle may say to refrigerate after opening but it will be fine sitting out at room temperature. It's more of a condiment than a cooking component, as far as I know, or at least, these are the only two recipes I've ever made using it. The rest of the time I use it for making dips & sauces. It's great with fried anything, and mixes well with ketchup or mayo.
posted by automatic cabinet at 12:40 PM on September 15

came in to rec the Thai Cucumber Salad!! its really simple and so good. very refreshing in warm weather. (I use honey instead of sugar to make the dressing).
posted by supermedusa at 12:51 PM on September 15

Sounds great for dipping spring rolls.
Rice paper wraps, vermicelli noodles, fresh mint, red pepper/napa cabbage/julienned veg of your choice, sliced baked tofu (optional). One of the few things I make consistently, if not frequently. Would do more often if they were slightly less onerous though honestly it’s not too bad.

Good the next day if I manage to have any left. You can get both the noodles and wraps at nuts.com.
posted by Glinn at 1:08 PM on September 15

It is EXACTLY the sauce that automatic cabinet suggests.
posted by corb at 1:09 PM on September 15

I use it occasionally and it's been fine in the drawer for the six months or so it takes me to use it up. It's great on any roast vegetables especially brassicas. I add it to kakegohan to punch it up too, and any and all noodle dishes.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 1:20 PM on September 15

Fry pork chops in it. That is, start with a frying pan and some oil, and brown one side of the chops. After turning it over, cover the browned side in sauce. Once the other side is browned, turn over again, and cover the other side in sauce. As soon as it looks like any part of the pork chops is not covered in sauce, add more sauce.
posted by demi-octopus at 1:54 PM on September 15

asian-twist nachos.

omelet with mushrooms, scallions, pork.
posted by j_curiouser at 1:58 PM on September 15

It's consuming, not cooking, but I love to absolutely drown chicken dumplings in that sauce!
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 2:42 PM on September 15

I put a generous swirl of it on 3 minute microwave frozen rice.
posted by at at 2:52 PM on September 15

Mix with mayo for a great dipping sauce. I like it on tater tots.
posted by kathrynm at 3:12 PM on September 15

I dip my steamed broccoli in that stuff.
posted by umbú at 3:29 PM on September 15

I add it to a little bit of neutral oil, spices (whatever sounds good) and toss broccoli in it, then roast the broccoli. It's also good thrown on rice or as part of a stir fry sauce when you want some heat (I've added it to peanut sauce ). Also good on dumplings or in ramen. Also good to throw on ginger garlic stir fried green beans.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 3:58 PM on September 15

Not recipes, but in the spirit of using it up, I dip a lot of things in it, including but not limited to: vegetables - including baby carrots, cucumbers, roasted sweet potatoes, blanched green beans, and roasted broccoli or cauliflower - marinated baked tofu and tempeh, and socca/any variations on chickpea flour pancake. If you find you're getting tired of it as-is, try mixing in some lime juice to cut the sweetness a bit.

To use it in larger quantities, I often use it in marinades and sauces where I would otherwise think of using some sweet soy sauce or sugar. Or just dump a bunch of it on cubes of tofu while I'm frying them. I don't have recipes for these because I tend not to use it when I'm cooking for real and just rely on it for quick meals I'm making for myself.
posted by snaw at 3:59 PM on September 15

Make pan fried chicken wings (or oven fried, or deep fried, whatever) and toss it all in this sauce. Boneless chicken wings? Popcorn chicken?
posted by yueliang at 4:14 PM on September 15

I have a bottle of that sauce sitting on my counter right now, and it never even occurred to me that might need to be refrigerated, FWIW. Have never refrigerated that particular sauce. Has always tasted great and has not made us sick.
posted by joycehealy at 7:17 PM on September 15

That kind of sauce is great in a dressing. Do equal parts soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, the sweet chilli sauce. It's great on a salad with roast sweet potato, red onion, chickpeas, arugula.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 9:09 PM on September 15

Mix with sour cream and dip potato wedges in it! One can (ahem) consume a surprising amount of it that way.
posted by Cimrmanova at 10:54 PM on September 15

Also a variant on a PBJ: peanut butter & sweet chili sauce sandwich, ideally on lightly toasted whole wheat bread.
posted by Cimrmanova at 10:55 PM on September 15

I like all kinds of chilli sauce on cheese sandwiches. The sweetness of this particular sauce makes a nice contrast with salty cheeses like feta.
posted by confluency at 4:35 AM on September 16

nthing roasted vegetables. A fairly easy templatized meal is a base layer of rice or lentils or ramen noodles topped with roasted vegetables, tossed with a sauce and then garnished e.g. sesame seeds, scallions, peanuts, etc.)

this reheats well as long as you keep the sauce separate from the other things.
posted by mmascolino at 7:46 AM on September 16

I second the idea of using it as an addition to stir fry sauce. I just discovered that mixed with ssamjang, rice vinegar and sesame oil, it's perfection.
posted by kitcat at 8:01 AM on September 16

DIY cold sichuan noodles! I eat this a lot (it's from the Famous Moosewood Daily Special cookbook) and is easy as all hell and keeps well.

half pound linguine, or soba or udon noodles
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar (rice, cider or white)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste with garlic

Start cooking the noodles according to package directions until al dente. While they're boiling, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Drain the noodles and toss with the dressing. Serve with some sliced cucumber and garnish with chopped scallions.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:13 PM on September 16