Is your food feeling a little bland lately? Looking for something to give it that extra kick in the Pants? Then allow me to introduce you to your new best frenemy: Sriracha sauce. A decade ago, if you uttered the word “sriracha” to anyone on the street, you would likely be met with blank stares and suggestions about what you really meant. Nowadays, it’s one of the more common additions to just about any dish. Let’s face it, ketchup and mustard can get old after 15-20 years. Sriracha can go great with just about anything, from noodles to pizza and even pancakes. It is one of the most versatile condiments you can find. Get ready to forget about ketchup for good.
Overview & Health
Also known as rooster sauce in some circles, sriracha is a variety of hot sauce named after the coastal city of Si Racha, located in the Chonburi Province of Eastern Thailand, where it was first served at local seafood restaurants. It is a paste made from distilled vinegar, sun-ripened chili peppers, garlic, salt, and sugar, and boasts a heat rating of 2,000 scoville units, making it less than half as hot as a jalapeño pepper, which can range from 2,500 to 10,000 units. In Thailand, the sauce is sometimes known assot Sriracha and other times only known asnam phrik (“fluid chili”) Sriracha. Traditional Thai sauce is usually sweeter, tangier, and runnier in texture than non-Thai sauces, which often differ in flavor, texture, and even color.
Here in the United States, we know of only one brand of sriracha sauce, that of Huy Fong Foods. The Los Angeles-based company, started by a Vietnamese immigrant named David Tran, has been bottling it since the early 1980s in that familiar plastic bottle with the green cap. Sriracha has grown so much in popularity over the last several years that there are counterfeit products popping up, and it has been used for potato chips and in sub sandwiches. It was also celebrated in a comic by The Oatmeal.
In addition to being a sweet, tangy, delicious variety of hot sauce, sriracha also boasts many different benefits for your health. The red chili peppers it is made from contain capsaicin which is known to help boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. Additionally, eating chili peppers is said to boost your endorphins, helping you feel happier and promoting serotonin, which can enhance mood and memory. The garlic helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If that’s not enough, sriracha can also aid in the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots, fight inflammation, improve circulation, and help you fight a cold by acting as an expectorant.
How To Enjoy Sriracha
- Straight out of the bottle: Sriracha’s original use is as a dipping sauce. Squeeze a little bit into a bowl or squirt it right onto some of your favorite foods.
- Soups/Stews: Sriracha is often served with pho in Vietnamese restaurants, but it goes great with just about any kind of soup or stew. Try adding it to ramen, tomato soup, or gazpacho.
- Mac & “Cheese”: Sriracha’s spicy, tangy flavor goes with almost anything that is creamy. Try it with vegan mac and cheese or a tofu scramble.
- Vegan Meats: Use sriracha with tempeh, seitan, or any other meat alternative.
How To Make Your Own
Serves 1 1/2 cups
- 1/2 pound coarsely chopped red fresno chilies
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar
Preparation:
- Place ingredients (hold the sugar!) in a jar overnight to soften the heat of the peppers.
- Place the mixture and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and let that go for about five minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temp.
- Place in a blender and puree for around five more minutes until you have a smooth, orange-red mixture. Run though a strainer and mash out as much juice as you can get.
- Once cooled in arefrigerator, the sauce should have a similar consistency and texture as store-bought sriracha, but with less salt and a fresher taste.
- (Optional) Spice up this recipe with a 1/2 cup of vegenaise, 1/8 cup of your fresh sriracha, and a tablespoon of your favorite non-dairy milk. Great for anything you use vegenaise on, but with an added kick!
Recipes
- Cajun Quinoa Cakes + Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade
- Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato and Sriracha Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Falafel Tacos
- Smoky Chickpea and Watercress Salad with Mango and Avocado
Enjoy! Last but not least, if, after reading this, you decide to try this stuff for the first time, take a little at a time! It is quite hot and may cause your eyes to well up and shed many heat tears. Have lots of water handy!
FAQs
This sauce, also known as “rooster sauce,” is named after a town in Thailand called “Sri Racha.” The red chili peppers contain capsaicin which is known to help boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. The garlic in sriracha sauce also helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
What health benefits does Sriracha have? ›
The garlic in sriracha may also be beneficial to heart health. One study on garlic suggests that consuming the ingredient may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This effect is thought to help people who are already at risk of cardiovascular disease.
What is a fact about Sriracha? ›
The original Sriracha sauce was first created in the 1940s in a small town called Si Racha on the eastern Gulf coast of Thailand, about two hours south of Bangkok. The sauce was served with fresh seafood dishes offered by a small local restaurant in the now famously-named town.
Is it OK to eat Sriracha everyday? ›
In addition to the amount of sodium, the garlic and chilis in sriracha could trigger heartburn. Or some people might experience gastrointestinal disturbances — like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea — from eating chilis, so it's not for everyone.
Why is sriracha good? ›
Sriracha's taste comes from five main ingredients: ground up red chile peppers, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and sugar. It's so simple you can even make it at home. But only one is responsible for its kick — the peppers. Their sweet burn is what makes us all swoon — quite literally — for the sauce.
Is sriracha good for immune system? ›
Rich in vitamin A and C, the spices present in Sriracha help white blood cells fight germs. It further strengthens the immune system and helps develop flawless skin.
Is sriracha good for diabetics? ›
Research has shown that hot chilli peppers can be highly beneficial for those suffering from diabetes. Hot sauce can help to reduce the amount of insulin needed to digest food, translating into a lowered overall level of blood sugar.
Why is sriracha so addictive? ›
The culprits are capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, two chemical compounds that 'trick' our nervous system into thinking we've touched something extremely hot like boiling water. That's when our brain kicks in releasing endorphins to combat the heat, thus giving us a natural high.
What is sriracha famous for? ›
Sriracha sauce has grown from a cult taste to one of the food industry's most popular condiments. It infuses burgers, sushi, snacks, candy, beverages, and even health products. Tran said he was dissuaded from securing a trademark on the word sriracha since it is difficult to obtain one named after a real-life location.
Does sriracha expire? ›
Generally, an unopened bottle of sriracha can be safely stored in a cool, dark pantry for up to two years, but once opened, it is recommended to refrigerate the sauce to slow down the degradation process, which results in the sauce losing its vibrant red color, spiciness, and overall taste.
Sriracha
One teaspoon of Sriracha sauce only contains 5 calories, but it also contains one gram of sugar, according to the nutritional label on a Sriracha bottle. That might not seem like very much, but few Sriracha enthusiasts will be satisfied with just one teaspoon.
Is ketchup or Sriracha healthier? ›
Unfortunately, one condiment that ranks worse than ketchup on the health scale is Sriracha sauce, Jalali says, mainly because it contains so much sugar. "The label lists the ingredients in teaspoons, but most people are eating closer to a tablespoon with their meals," she says.
Does Sriracha make you sleepy? ›
Dousing your late-night snack in Sriracha might not be the best idea — if you want to get a good night's sleep, anyway. Breus said spicy foods can interfere with your sleep. “Researchers believe capsaicin, a compound found in spicy foods, could be a main culprit,” he said.
Does Sriracha have any health benefits? ›
The one-two punch from the garlic and capsaicin found in Sriracha can actually clear away artery-narrowing lipid deposits. Both have been shown to help dissolve blood clots. If you want to warm your body and improve the flow of blood from the heart to points throughout the body, eat Sriracha.
Is Sriracha good for your stomach? ›
Sriracha is safe to consume for most people. However, if you're trying to limit sodium in your diet, or if you're susceptible to heartburn and acid reflux, it may be best to also limit your intake of any spicy sauces.
Why does everyone love Sriracha? ›
-The spice level is just right for the average person's spice tolerance. It's a hot chilli sauce, but yet mild enough that the average person can taste and enjoy its flavours. -It tastes good. -Thai cuisine in general became popular, and Sriracha rode that wave.
Is sriracha sauce anti inflammatory? ›
The tangy sauce has also been shown to fight inflammation, a factor that could lead to cancer.
Are there any health benefits to hot sauce? ›
You'll find that most hot sauces contain vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, folate, and potassium. The antioxidants found in hot sauce can help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. They also contain anti-aging properties that can help you appear younger.
Why is Sriracha so addictive? ›
The culprits are capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, two chemical compounds that 'trick' our nervous system into thinking we've touched something extremely hot like boiling water. That's when our brain kicks in releasing endorphins to combat the heat, thus giving us a natural high.
