Substitutions

What can I use instead of sriracha?

A smooth, garlicky chilli sauce of fermented red jalapeño-type chillies with sugar, salt, garlic and vinegar. Moderately hot, distinctly sweet and thick enough to squeeze rather than pour.

What it does in a recipe: Medium heat with garlic, sugar and vinegar built in - it seasons and sweetens as much as it burns. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.

Also called: Rooster sauce, Sriracha chilli sauce

4substitutes

2close matches

Condiments & saucescategory

Quick answer

Sambal oelek + sugar + garlic

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp sambal oelek + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp grated garlic + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar

All substitutes, best first

4 ways to replace sriracha

Sambal oelek + sugar + garlic

Closest match

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp sambal oelek + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp grated garlic + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar

Sambal is the same chilli-and-salt base without the sugar, garlic or added vinegar, so putting those three back reconstructs sriracha almost exactly.

MethodBlend or mash it smooth if the coarse seeds of sambal would show in the finished dish.

Trade-offSlightly coarser and hotter, since sambal carries more seed and less dilution.

CookingSaucesRaw / no-cookVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Chilli garlic sauce

Closest match

1 tbsp sriracha = 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce + 1/4 tsp sugar

Nearly the same ingredient list at a coarser grind; only the sugar level differs meaningfully between the two.

Trade-offChunkier and more garlic-forward, which is a texture change in a smooth dip but invisible in a stir-fry.

CookingSaucesRaw / no-cookVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Gochujang, thinned

Reliable

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp gochujang + 1 tsp water + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar

Gochujang covers the sweet-hot axis with fermented depth on top, and thinning brings its paste consistency down toward sriracha's.

Trade-offDeeper, funkier and less garlicky, with a much darker red colour that will show in a pale sauce.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free

Allergen checkGochujang is soy-based and most brands contain wheat or barley malt, so it is neither soy-free nor gluten-free. Check the tub if either matters.

Cayenne hot sauce + sugar + garlic powder

In a pinch

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp Louisiana-style hot sauce + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Thin cayenne sauces already supply the chilli and vinegar; the sugar and garlic are what separate them from sriracha.

Trade-offMuch thinner, so it will not cling to a wing or sit on a bowl of noodles the way sriracha does. Sharper and more vinegary too.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Worth knowing

Sriracha brands vary widely in heat and sugar. Add half the amount a recipe calls for, taste, and then decide.

At a glance

Sriracha in summary

Sriracha at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Category	Condiments & sauces
Job in a recipe	Medium heat with garlic, sugar and vinegar built in - it seasons and sweetens as much as it burns
Suits	Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free
Swaps available for	Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Nut-free Soy-free Vegan Vegetarian
Number of substitutes	4

Questions

Swapping sriracha: quick answers

Can I use sambal oelek + sugar + garlic instead of sriracha?

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp sambal oelek + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp grated garlic + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar. Sambal is the same chilli-and-salt base without the sugar, garlic or added vinegar, so putting those three back reconstructs sriracha almost exactly. Slightly coarser and hotter, since sambal carries more seed and less dilution.

Can I use chilli garlic sauce instead of sriracha?

1 tbsp sriracha = 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce + 1/4 tsp sugar. Nearly the same ingredient list at a coarser grind; only the sugar level differs meaningfully between the two. Chunkier and more garlic-forward, which is a texture change in a smooth dip but invisible in a stir-fry.

Can I use gochujang, thinned instead of sriracha?

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp gochujang + 1 tsp water + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar. Gochujang covers the sweet-hot axis with fermented depth on top, and thinning brings its paste consistency down toward sriracha's. Deeper, funkier and less garlicky, with a much darker red colour that will show in a pale sauce.

Can I use cayenne hot sauce + sugar + garlic powder instead of sriracha?

1 tbsp sriracha = 2 tsp Louisiana-style hot sauce + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/8 tsp garlic powder. Thin cayenne sauces already supply the chilli and vinegar; the sugar and garlic are what separate them from sriracha. Much thinner, so it will not cling to a wing or sit on a bowl of noodles the way sriracha does. Sharper and more vinegary too.

More condiments & sauces

Anchovy paste4 substitutes Capers4 substitutes Dijon mustard4 substitutes Fish sauce4 substitutes Gochujang4 substitutes Harissa4 substitutes

Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.