Ran Out Of Red Chilli Sauce? 5 Alternatives You Can Try

Indians love bold and spicy flavours in their food. Be it chillies or varieties of masalas, we add everything in generous amounts. Besides spices and chillies, sauces have also become common in Indian kitchens to enhance the taste of our food. From enjoying as a dip to adding to our fried rice and pasta, these condiments have made cooking fun and easier. 

Tomato sauce, caramel sauce, peanut sauce, soy sauce, schezwan sauce, barbecue sauce, and chilli sauce are some popular types found in Indian kitchens. Talking particularly about red chilli sauce, it is widely used in dishes like sandwiches, frankies, noodles, macaroni, fried rice, and rolls. This spicy sauce is also served as a dip with pakoras, parathas, and rolls. 

However, if you run out of chilli sauce in the middle of your cooking, here are five alternatives you can use in your dishes:

Spicy Tomato Ketchup

Tomato ketchup is a common ingredient in every kitchen. So, you can prepare your own chilli sauce with it. Usually, tomato ketchup is sweeter, so all you need to do is add some chilli powder or chopped whole chillies to the ketchup. It goes well with hotdogs, buns, meats, pizzas, pastas, and noodles. The right ratio to substitute chilli sauce with spicy tomato ketchup is 1:2 (chilli sauce: tomato ketchup). 

Fresh Peppers


As chilli sauce is added to increase the spice level of any dish, what can be a better alternative than the pepper itself? Besides adding flavour, fresh peppers are also healthier as compared to store-bought chilli sauce. All you have to do is chop and puree the peppers and season with your favourite spices. Add a little vinegar and water to it, and it's done. The right ratio is 1:1. It can be added to your chilli chicken or spicy noodles, and it can also be used as a dip with snacks. 

Chilli Garlic Paste

If you have some spare chillies and garlic in your fridge, then you don’t need to worry about anything. These two ingredients can easily substitute for your store-bought chilli sauce. This paste will give you a fresh and spicy flavour. Combine both ingredients in a food processor and thin it out with some vinegar or olive oil. It goes well with chicken and rice bowls, along with the regular noodle, soup, stew, and pasta recipes. You can substitute an equal amount of chilli garlic paste for chilli sauce. 

Chilli Powder Or Flakes

If you don’t want to add any extra effort to preparing a substitute for chilli sauce, then simply add chilli powder or chilli flakes to your dishes. These items are easily available in your pantry and serve as a great alternative to chilli sauce in soups, stews, noodles, and pastas. However, it cannot be served as a dip for your snacks. Use it in the ratio of 1:2 (chilli powder to chilli sauce). 

Homemade Chilli Sauce

If you are ready to spend some extra time in the kitchen, then make your own chilli sauce at home. It is very easy to prepare and can be used for all kinds of dishes like sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, wraps, noodles, and more. To prepare this homemade sauce, you need red chillies, salt, olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of sugar. This homemade chilli sauce can be stored for up to one month in the refrigerator.