Sriracha sauce has been a global culinary hit over the past decade. Spice lovers love Sriracha sauce and drizzle it over everything, from eggs to avocado toast. Some accessories allow you to take your mini bottle everywhere with you.
Sriracha is not the only spicy sauce that you can use to add heat and flavour. You have options if you run out of Sriracha and panic, or you want to spice up your condiments and give it a new twist. You can find many substitutes for Sriracha, which will produce a delicious end product. It doesn’t matter what elements of Sriracha are being substituted, but it does matter how you mix them and the ratios.
1. Sambal Oelek
Sambal Oelek, a paste made from fresh ground chilis, is a great alternative to Sriracha. It has a similar taste and consistency to Sriracha. If you’re looking for something more specific about Sriracha, the same company that makes Sriracha has a Sambal Oelek product (via Huy Fong Foods).
This condiment is Indonesian-derived and has the same heat level as Sriracha. It is also thicker and paste-like, making it suitable for Sriracha as a dipping condiment or any sauce or marinade. One thing to remember is that Sambal Oelek doesn’t have the same garlic flavour as Sriracha. If you want to get a close match, you might need to add minced garlic or garlic powder to your recipe.
You can substitute equal amounts for the best results. For example, a Sriracha-based recipe would call for a tablespoon of Sambal Oelek.
2. Gochujang
This substitute might not be known to everyone. However, if you are Korean and love food and make your bibimbap, there may be a container of gochujang. This paste is made from fermented soybeans, red chilli powder and water. It’s rich in flavour. Both gochujang and Sriracha have similar heat levels. They add spice to the dish but are not too hot. The fermentation in gochujang can be used to replace the mildly vinegary taste of Sriracha.
You must be mindful of consistency. Sriracha is thick, but gochujang can be thinned with water. If Sriracha is only one ingredient in a stew or sauce, gochujang will dissolve fine.
3. Tabasco
Tabasco is a staple ingredient in spicy cocktails. In certain situations, it can be used as a substitute for Sriracha. Tabasco is a very common ingredient found in most grocery stores.
Tabasco’s heat level is the most important thing to consider when switching to Tabasco. Sriracha is spicy, but Tabasco is much more potent. To avoid over-heating, you should only add Tabasco to the Sriracha.
4. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper can be used as a substitute for Sriracha, but it works best when you want to replicate the heat in your dish. Cayenne pepper’s neutral flavour will not alter the overall flavour of your dish, aside from its spice. The Sriracha substitute should be used in recipes where the texture of the Sriracha doesn’t matter. This swap won’t produce any garlicky or tangy flavour notes. You may have to add a few other ingredients to get the same profile.
Cayenne pepper is a powerful heat source, so you need to avoid overpowering the flavours in your dish. Start small, using only half of the recipe’s amount. Then adjust as needed. If your sauce calls for Sriracha, you can start by adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to a quarter of a cup.
5. Peri-Peri Sauce
The mouthwatering Peri-Peri sauce is not only available at Nando’s restaurants. However, if you live somewhere where this chain is well-known, you may have first tasted the delicious condiment.
Periperi is a Portuguese hot sauce made from Piri Piri chilli peppers. For a touch of tang, it may also have some lemon or apple cider vinegar added to it. This substitute has a slightly sweeter taste due to the addition of red peppers and mild heat from the Piri Piri peppers. It can be used as a substitute for Sriracha in sandwiches, marinade, or rub for meats. You can get the flavour profile closer to Sriracha by adding garlic and hotter chilli peppers.
You can swap the sauce for the substitute in a 1:1 ratio, as long as the heat level is not too high.
