If you enjoy the spicer things in life then you’ve almost certainly made your way through a bottle or two of Huy Fong Foods’ popular Sriracha hot sauce. You also understand why Sriracha has earned and maintained a top spot in the hearts (or mouths) of the public for years now. Sriracha is a common addition to everything from pho and ramen to sandwiches and morning eggs, this one-of-a-kind spicy sauce can be added to literally anything, so the current national Sriracha shortage has left a culinary void for those who crave a splash of that familiar scorch.
Much to the dismay of fans, the producers of Sriracha last year announced a supply shortage of this cult-favorite hot sauce, and limited inventory appears to be ongoing in 2023, though perhaps not to the same extent. The shortage is due to a particularly meager spring harvest of chili peppers used in making the Thai-inspired condiment, Huy Fong told CBS in April.
Sriracha and Sambal Oelek rations have become depleted on store shelves and on online retailers. While the great Sriracha shortage is still ongoing, there are a plethora of exciting substitutes out there that can deliver mouth-watering flavor to saddened Sriracha lovers.
From knockoff Srirachas to spins on the original and even a few similar-but-different condiments to try on your soups, sandwiches and stir-fries, these are the best Sriracha substitutes for when you can’t have the real thing.
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The best Sriracha alternatives to try
Melinda’s makes over a dozen substitutes for Sriracha that every spice lover can buy online. The closest to Sriracha is the tasty Thai Sweet Chili, but don’t sleep on others, including the
Fly by Jing also makes an excellent chili crisp for topping sandwiches, ramen, stir-fries, and dipping your dumplings and other dim sum favorites into. This Sriracha substitute sports a harmony of sweet, spicy and salty flavors, but with a bit more of umami punch courtesy of sesame oil, mushroom and fermented black bean.
A jar of this addictive condiment will run you $17 or you can nab them at a discount if you buy The Spicy Duo, which features one jar of Chili Crisp and a jar of the Zhong Sauce.
While we’re trying new sauces, Fly by Jing’s Zhong sauce is equally excellent, although perhaps not as close in flavor to Sriracha as chili crisp. This dipping sauce gets a rich sweetness from brown sugar and aromatic soy sauce.
David Chang and Momofuku make an equally delicious chili crunch condiment. This version has a healthy dose of sesame seeds and will keep your food sufficiently spiced until Sriracha comes back in stock.
As you might expect, the popularity of Sriracha has spawned some knockoff creations. Bushwick Kitchen makes the Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha sauce. It’s made from most of the same ingredients as Hoy Fung’s sizzling sauce and appears to be in stock (for now).
The Sriracha shortage is as good a time as any to experiment with twists on the sauce. Bushwick Kitchen also makes a curry Sriracha that’s in stock and selling for $12 a bottle.
Heartbeat makes a full lineup of incredible hot sauces. While none of them are a perfect imitation of Sriracha, the shiitake Szechuan is closest. If you like a little sweetness from fruit with your spicy — as I do — the mango habanero and pineapple habanero are also both positively addicting.
Try a four-pack on
Chili crisp isn’t an exact Sriracha replacement, but it has a lot of the same flavors: heat, sweet and umami. Lao Gan Ma’s chili crisp is another cult-favorite condiment and can add some nice pop to your foods when Sriracha isn’t an option.
This is one I haven’t tested yet, but the recipe is similar to Hoy Fung’s Sriracha and this Thai-made chili sauce gets enthusiastic reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. A pack of six bottles will run you $23 on Amazon.
