I do not know who the genius was that first discovered the incredibly delicious relationship between sweet and spicy. But, Sweet Chili Sauce is one of the classic examples of this pairing. Now, I have a rather weak mouth when it comes to spicy foods. So, I prefer my Sweet Chili Sauce to be about 60 percent sweet, 30 percent spicy, and 10 percent tangy or sour. I will show you how to make a Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and Dressing from scratch with kitchen staples you probably already have in your pantry.
The Sauce works well on meat, pasta, rice, and other main dishes. The Salad Dressing brings a unique flavor to any green or vegetable salad, and can even be used on cooked vegetables.
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Recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
In a small mixing bowl, combine:
- Maple Syrup: 1/2 cup
- Honey: 1/4 cup
- Apple Cider Vinegar: 1 Tablespoon
In a separate small bowl, stir together:
- Dry Mustard: 1 Tablespoon
- Chili Powder: 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon
Using a Sauce Whisk or other small whisk (like this one), slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use immediately, or store at room temperature until you are ready to use it. If it sits for more than a few minutes before being used, then go ahead and whisk it again.
This Sauce works well for adding at the end of a meal prep, and it also works well when baking. For example, I like to sear my pork chops on the stovetop, then pour the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce over the top and finish baking in the oven. However, I do not recommend cooking with it on the stovetop. It gets very sticky and can be easy to scorch.
Recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Salad Dressing
When mixing the wet ingredients together, add 1 cup of Light Olive Oil.
Except for the addition of the Olive Oil, the Salad Dressing recipe is identical to the Sauce recipe above.
Once everything is whisked together, pour the whole mixture into salad dressing bottle so that it can be shaken before each use. If you do not have a salad dressing bottle, then any bottle with a lid will work (even a water bottle).
I prefer to serve it at room temperature. Drizzle on top of your salad, and enjoy. It goes especially well with the addition of some chopped carrots and cucumbers.
Thai Sweet Chili Sausage and Eggs
This sauce works well as a breakfast addition. Because we raise our own laying hens, we have a continual flow of delicious fresh eggs. We end up eating eggs, in one form or another, for breakfast at least 5 times a week. My 9-month old eats two eggs each morning, and the rest of us eat three each. So, on an average morning, we easily consume close to a dozen eggs. We also use a dozen eggs for most other breakfast staples – including French Toast and quiches.
Eggs can get boring after awhile, especially for the kids. I am always looking for new ways to flavor or present the eggs. Since I created this sauce, Thai Sweet Chili Sausage and Eggs has become a new favorite. It is a simple recipe, but my husband calls it “candied meat” because the flavor is so incredible.
Recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Sausage and Egg Bake
- I cook one pound of our homestead pork sausage in a 12 or 14 inch cast-iron skillet.
- (Optional): Add some veggies and stir fry just until they start to soften. In the summer, I will add whatever I have fresh in the garden at the moment. Sometimes, it may be some fresh chopped greens, onions, leeks, or even tomatoes and peppers. During the winter, I will put in a bag of frozen pepper and onion slices.
- Whip up a batch of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and pour it into the skillet.
- Stir everything together and make sure the meat and veggies are fully coated with the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.
- Crack 10-12 Eggs into a separate mixing bowl.
- Add 1 cup of Milk or Cream (I use Raw Milk from another farm down the road).
- Beat the Eggs and Milk together until fully combined.
- Pour the Egg mixture on top of the Meat and Veggies in the cast-iron skillet.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes
- Remove from the oven and top with 1/2 to 1 cup of Shredded Cheese (I prefer Sharp Cheddar).
- Turn the oven off, and put the skillet back in for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- I like to add a dollop of Sour Cream to the top of each slice, and then use Tortilla Chips to scoop and eat the meal.
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If you do not have sausage on hand, this recipe also works well with either Ground Pork or Ground Beef. You can add 2 tablespoons of Italian Seasoning to the meat as it is cooking to help increase the level of savory flavors.
Breakfast for Infants and Toddlers
As I discuss in my post, How to Keep Babies from Becoming Picky Eaters, I like to introduce my babies to mildly spicy foods by the age of 6 months. This Sausage and Egg Bake with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is a great starting point for that. It has just a hint of spiciness, and the sweetness of the honey and maple syrup masks it. And, it can be easily chopped with scissors or a hand chopper until it is the right consistency for your child’s age and ability. If they handle this recipe well, then you should be okay to start gradually increasing the spiciness of some of the meals.
Keep in mind that it is not recommended to feed Raw Honey to children under the age of 1.
Two other recipes that can also be toddler and infant-friendly are my:
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