Homemade Chili Sauce

By Ann Fulton
41 Replies
Forgot to buy chili sauce at the store? No problem, because great chili sauce is quick and easy to make at home!
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Forgot to buy chili sauce at the store? No problem, because great chili sauce is quick and easy to make at home!

 

Chili sauce is a condiment I use occasionally, but not often. Needing some for a shrimp recipe I planned to make this weekend, I added it to my grocery list.  

Or, at least, I thought I did!

I decided to make my own version with what I had on hand, using a combination of recipes, and was quite pleased. The sauce took just a few minutes to mix together — definitely less time than it would have taken to return to the store — and it turned out quite well. I thought it was worth sharing in advance of this weekend’s casual shrimp recipe.

If you have any favorite recipes using chili sauce, feel free to share. Now that I have this tasty homemade batch, I should really think of more ways to enjoy it!

Beer Boiled Peel & Eat Shrimp bring the fun factor to dinner, and if you keep a bag of shrimp in your freezer, you can have this festive meal anytime--in about five minutes!

The addition of horseradish and a squeeze of lemon juice makes a great cocktail sauce for Beer Boiled Peel & Eat Shrimp!

Homemade Chili Sauce
Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 5 min
Chili sauce has an inherent sweetness to it. If you would prefer yours a little less sweet, start by adding one tablespoon of brown sugar and then taste after the remaining ingredients have been mixed in, adding the additional brown sugar as desired.
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Ingredients
  • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar (I used white vinegar; cider vinegar would be good, too)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I used ancho chili powder; regular would be fine)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Tabasco to taste (I used 5-6 dashes)
  • Dash each of cloves and allspice (my “dash” equals about half of my 1/8 measuring spoon)
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until full blended.
  2. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator. Flavors will develop as the chili sauce sits so make a few hours or a day in advance, if possible.
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Comments

  3. Kelly

    Thanks so much for the great recipe. I can’t eat fructose and just try to find a commercially made chili sauce without it – impossible! Yours worked out great for my recipe.

    Reply ↓
        1. Ann Post author

          Fabulous news, Noah! And for other readers who may be wondering, the sauce won’t be spicy if a standard mild chili powder is used (like McCormick’s). Chipotle chili powder or a pinch or three of cayenne could be used to increase the heat.

          Reply ↓
  4. Linda
    (5/5)

    Tastes as good as the Heinz chili sauce I usually buy. Ran out making stuffed green peppers. Thank goodness I found your recipe to supplement what I had.

    Reply ↓
  5. Jamie
    (5/5)

    You’re a dinner saver! I appreciate this recipe being true to most good chili sauces I am used to. Sometimes food bloggers take a lot of liberties with an original without stating so. I didn’t have time to let this rest at all… I whipped it up and threw it in the skillet and it was still great for what I needed, only I could taste a bit more tomato perhaps mind trickery after reading it needed to rest lol. No one else noticed.

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Such great news, Jamie! I’m glad the chili sauce came to the rescue and appreciate your thoughtful feedback.

      Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      So happy you liked! I love adding horseradish to make cocktail sauce – and yum on your use of harissa in place of Tabasco.

      Reply ↓
  7. kathleen allen
    (5/5)

    I needed chili sauce for a pork chop recipe I got many years ago at a B&B in Seward, Ma. We came into a dining room smelling heavenly after a day of shopping and sightseeing. I asked for the recipe and they said it was in our cookbook. Of course, I bought the book and make this recipe about once or twice a year. I never remember to buy chili sauce and don’t use it for anything else. I’ll use it in your recipe tonight with the other ingredients. It tasted good when I just sampled it. Thank you for sharing it.

    Kathy

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Kathleen, I’m so happy this recipe came to the rescue. I bet the pork chops are delicious, and how fun to enjoy vacation memories every time you make them.

      Reply ↓
  8. Liz

    Has anyone made this recipe but first heated it up in a saucepan? Would that work well or is it better to just mix it all up without heat?

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Liz, I haven’t, although you could. It would likely deepen the flavors somewhat, especially if you cooked the tomato paste and sauce for any length of time, and/or bloomed the spices.

      Reply ↓
  9. Ralph
    (5/5)

    Better than any brand store bought. I let mine set 24 hours before using and the flavor was awesome.
    Thanks for this wonderful recipe

    Reply ↓
  11. sandra main

    I make chili sauce every year and I pressure it the same as tomatoes 5 lb for 10 minutes seems to work. ps once open I have had it last for a year or longer in the fridge
    Sandy

    Reply ↓
  13. Gwen Freeman

    You once had a Chili sauce recipe in a magazine and once I made it we never wanted another kind. It was my husbands absolute favourite. Somehow I can’t find it and am anxious to make again. It started out with 30 tomatoes. Thank you!

    Reply ↓
  14. Sally B

    Thank you Ann! I had a recipe I was cooking for Honolulu style ribs and was in need of a 1/4 cup of chili sauce. You saved me from running to grocery store! I had some left over pizza sauce in fridge so I used that w rest of ingredients on your list. It came out great!

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Great news, Sally, and I must say that Honolulu style ribs sound very appealing! So happy this allowed you to work with what you had on hand and turned out well.

      Reply ↓

  15. Pingback: Foodie Friday: Superbowl Meatballs – Health Buddy Melissa

  17. AnnMc

    I made it because I forgot to buy a bottle of chili sauce to add to my meatballs for Super Bowl game day snacks. I used this in place of the bottled chili sauce which the recipe calls for. It was a hit with everyone who tried It.

    The chili sauce turned out very well. It was quick, easy and used ingredients I have on hand in my pantry. Very flavorful! This recipe is a keeper. Also, I really like to know what’s in the food I eat. If I make from scratch, I can avoid all the preservatives and extra additives. I don’t think I’ll be buying any more bottled sauce, this recipe hits the mark.

    Reply ↓
  18. Dorothy

    Wow. Really glad I came across this recipe. I saw the bottled brand in the store for almost $4.oo and decided I would try making it. I have all these ingredients on head. Yeah!

    Reply ↓
      1. Alicia

        Ladies,
        I’m making chili for tomorrow’s Super Bowl, today, with the chili sauce I made yesterday. I’m curious to know how long it’ll keep in the fridge and can I frezze it?

        Reply ↓
        1. Ann Post author

          Hi Alicia, The chili sauce should keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. I’ve never frozen it, although I’ve frozen tomato sauce, paste, etc., so I think it would be fine.

          Reply ↓
        2. Gordon

          I make a big batch and add a few other ingredients but use canning jars and it helps keeping them for longer periods of time. But once open shelf life can be 14-21 days.

          Reply ↓