Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce

🌟 Introduction

This sauce blends tropical pineapple sweetness with a gentle chili kick for the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy. It’s versatile — use it as a dip, glaze, or stir-fry sauce. Store-bought versions are often overly sugary, but this homemade one gives you control over flavor and spice.

🕒 Timing

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12–15 minutes

Total Time: 17–20 minutes

🛒 Ingredients (makes ~2 cups)

1 cup pineapple juice (fresh or canned, unsweetened)

½ cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

½ cup granulated sugar (or honey for natural sweetness)

¼ cup water

2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)

2–3 cloves garlic, minced

1–2 red chili peppers, finely chopped (or 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes)

2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water (slurry for thickening)

1 tbsp pineapple chunks, finely minced (optional, for extra texture)

🍳 Instructions

Combine base ingredients

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, sugar, water, soy sauce, garlic, and chili peppers.

Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.

Simmer

Reduce heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and flavors blend.

Thicken

Stir in cornstarch slurry while whisking constantly.

Cook another 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Finish

Stir in minced pineapple chunks (optional) for texture.

Taste and adjust: add more sugar for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or chili for heat.

Cool & store

Let sauce cool before transferring to a glass jar or airtight container.

Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

As a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, or chicken tenders.

As a glaze for grilled shrimp, salmon, or chicken.

As a stir-fry sauce with veggies and noodles.

Drizzle over rice bowls for a sweet-spicy kick.

Here you go! Let’s add pro tips, a nutrition breakdown, and a Q&A section to make your Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce recipe complete. 🍍🌶️

🔑 Pro Tips for the Best Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce

1. Use fresh pineapple juice – It gives a brighter, more tropical flavor than canned.
2. Balance the heat – Adjust chili quantity to your spice level; red chili flakes are easier to control than fresh chilies.
3. Simmer gently – Don’t boil hard after adding cornstarch, or the sauce can get too thick or cloudy.
4. Texture option – Blend the sauce after cooking for a smooth finish, or leave it chunky with pineapple bits.
5. Make it glossy – Cornstarch slurry is key; always whisk it before adding to avoid clumps.
6. Storage tip – Store in a sterilized glass jar for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
7. Make it a glaze – Reduce a bit longer until thick and sticky — perfect for brushing on grilled meats.
8. Make it vegan/gluten-free – Swap soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.

❓ Q&A: Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce

Q1: Can I make this sugar-free?
✅ Yes! Use a sugar substitute like stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol, but note that texture may change slightly.

Q2: Can I can or freeze it?
✅ Freezing works (up to 3 months). For canning, it needs proper sterilization and acid balance — safest if refrigerated.

Q3: My sauce is too thin. How do I fix it?
✅ Add a little more cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water), simmer, and stir until it thickens.

Q4: Can I make it spicier?
✅ Add Thai bird’s eye chilies, sriracha, or extra red chili flakes.

Q5: Can I use canned pineapple?
✅ Yes. Use unsweetened canned pineapple juice. If using syrup-packed pineapple, reduce added sugar.

Q6: How do I make it smoother?
✅ Blend the finished sauce with an immersion blender for a silky texture.

Q7: What can I use it with besides seafood?
✅ Chicken wings, pork chops, stir-fried veggies, fried rice, dumplings, even as a dip for fries!

🥗 Nutrition (per tablespoon, approx.)

Calories: 22

Carbohydrates: 5.5g

Sugars: 4.5g

Protein: 0g

Fat: 0g

Sodium: 95mg

(Based on ~2 cups yield. Will vary with sugar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice brands.)

👉 Healthier swaps:

Replace half the sugar with honey or maple syrup.

Use reduced-sodium soy sauce.

Add a little grated ginger for extra depth with no calories.