By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 1
512 cal · 30 min
Thai-Style Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
Recipe GLPRa3e7dbc8230cf8
A vibrant, spicy-sweet Southeast Asian condiment featuring fresh red Thai bird chilies, garlic, and a balance of tangy vinegar and lime juice sweetened with palm sugar. Perfect for dipping spring rolls, grilled meats, or vegetables. The sauce develops deeper flavor as it sits and keeps refrigerated for up to three weeks.
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Ingredients
10 to 12 red Thai bird chilies, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Directions
Add the minced red Thai chilies and garlic to a small sealable container.
Pour in the fish sauce, vinegar, and fresh lime juice, then add the palm sugar.
Seal the container and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to combine all ingredients.
Set the container aside at room temperature. Shake the mixture every 10 minutes for about 30 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce is smooth.
Transfer the sauce to the refrigerator and store until ready to serve. The sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. Shake before serving if separation occurs.
Comments
Thai bird chilies and palm sugar will force a special trip to an Asian market—Harris Teeter and Food Lion don't stock these reliably, and it's a real cost in time on a weeknight. Fish sauce is similarly specialized, though some Kroger and Walmart locations carry it. The sauce itself is cheap once you have the ingredients (maybe $3 total), but the first-time setup means budgeting a second stop. The stated 30 minutes is honest for a quick condiment, and the sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for weeks. Note that this serves 1 as written, which means you're making an appetizer-quantity batch for a single dipping occasion—great if you're serving spring rolls or summer rolls, less useful if you're cooking for a family dinner.
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