Schezwan Sauce Recipe
Updated: April 20, 2023, By Swasthi
Schezwan Sauce is a uniquely flavorsome, delicious, hot and spicy sauce made with red chilies, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppers and soy sauce. This homemade sauce is a simple way to spice things up! Add it to noodles, fried rice or grilled chicken for the real zing! You can also serve it as a condiment with any snacks like pakoras, vadas, and sandwiches or just spread it over your toasted bread for a spicy hot treat. You can use it as a marinade for all your grilled dishes like kebabs, tandoori chicken, sizzlers etc.
Indian Chinese cuisine has brought many innovative, unique, mouth-watering and delicious foods that are immensely popular not only in India but also across the world. Foods flavoured with schezwan sauce are one of the most loved.
Dishes like Schezwan Fried Rice, Schezwan Noodles, schezwan paneer, Schezwan Chicken & a lot many are made using this sauce as the base. With unique citrus notes, schezwan sauce has a well-balanced taste of hot, pungent, tangy and mildy sweet flavors.
So this flavoursome sauce also goes well as a condiment with a lot of snacks and appetizers.
About Schezwan Sauce
Schezwan sauce is a popular Indo-Chinese condiment made with red chilies, garlic, soya sauce, vinegar and Sichuan peppers. Also known as Schezwan Chutney, it gets the name from the use of Sichuan peppers in the preparation of this sauce.
Sichuan peppers are a common spice used in the Sichuan cuisine, which is romanized as Szechwan cuisine. Hence the name schezwan sauce. Sichuan pepper is the key ingredient that imparts a great bold citrusy flavor to this hot and pungent sauce.
However if you do not have it you can still make this sauce with black pepper but you will surely miss the flavors of the Sichuan pepper.
Authentic foods from Sichuan cuisine are super-hot, spicy and pungent. Since this schezwan sauce is a fusion version created by the Chinese immigrants in India, it is toned down to suit the local palate.
This Recipe
This recipe will give you the best of what you can actually make! It is so much better than the store bought and is pure with no additives and MSG. Make a large batch of this and refrigerate for several months.
Enjoy with your tea time snacks like cutlets, spring rolls, fried chicken, popcorn chicken or even with pakoras.
Also making spicy fried rice or noodles is a breeze if you have this sauce in your fridge. You can also use it for shrimp, egg or chicken noodles or rice.
Schezwan sauce gets its flavor from ingredients like celery, schezwan pepper, ginger garlic and soya sauce. So use good quality freshest ingredients.
For more Indo Chinese Recipes, you can check
Schezwan paneer
Mushroom manchurian
Veg manchurian
Chicken noodles
Photo Guide
How to Make Schezwan Sauce (Stepwise photos)
Preparation
1. Add red chilies to a bowl. I deseed the chilies and use as it reduces the heat. I have used 1 cup red chilies (tightly packed), about 25 to 28.
2. Pour hot water and soak them for 30 mins.
3. They turn soft after soaking.
4. Add them to a blender jar. If needed add 2 tbsps water.
5. Make a fine paste.
Temper
6. Heat oil in a pan. I have used 4 tbsps i.e 1/4 cup oil. Do not reduce it otherwise the sauce doesn’t taste good.
7. Add ginger, garlic and crushed sichuan peppers. If you do not have sichuan peppers, you can skip. But they add a unique citrus aroma to the schezwan sauce. Saute for 2 mins.
8. If using celery, add it now. Add finely chopped onions as well and then saute till they turn transparent. Do not brown the ginger garlic.
9. Add the chili paste.
10. Saute for 2 to 3 mins.
11. Pour half cup water.
12. Add sugar, salt and pepper as well.
Cook Schezwan Sauce
13. Mix well. Cook covered on a medium flame again till the sauce turns thick.
14. Cook further till oil separates. You can see traces of oil around the sides.
15. Next stir in the soya sauce. I have used organic soya sauce. You may need to adjust the quantity if using any other kind.
16. Add vinegar. I used apple cider vinegar. You can also use rice vinegar.
17. Finally mix well and cook just for 2 mins.
Cool the sauce completely. Store it in a glass jar. Keep refrigerated for better shelf life. Keeps good for about 2 months.
Faqs
My homemade version of schezwan sauce does not contain ajinomoto or msg. But yes most store bought bottled schezwan sauce contain ajinomoto. You may check the label before you purchase one.
This schezwan sauce is moderately hot. To tone down the heat further, simply add more soya sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce/ketchup and sugar. As most of the flavor and body for this sauce comes from the red chilies, it is recommended not to reduce them. Instead look for low heat chilies, deseed and discard the soaked water.
Schezwan sauce keeps good for 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator. Vinegar used in the preparation acts as a preservative. Cool down completely and store in a dry, glass air tight container. Use dry spoons to scoop out when needed.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Schezwan Sauce Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
- 25 to 28 dried red chilies 1 cup (less spicy variety like Kashmiri or byadgi)
- 1 cup hot water to soak chilies
- ¼ cup oil (preferably sesame oil)
- 2 tbsps garlic chopped finely
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped finely
- 8 to 10 sichuan peppercorn crushed or ground (optional)
- 3 tbsps onions chopped very finely – 1 small
- ½ cup water for sauce
- 1 to 1 ½ tbsp sugar (more if desired)
- ¾ to 1 tsp salt (I used 1 tsp sea salt)
- ¾ to 1 tbsp soya sauce prefer naturally brewed soy sauce
- ¾ to 1 tbsp vinegar (rice or apple cider)
- ¼ tsp pepper powder
Optional
- ¼ cup chopped celery (optional)
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
Preparation
- Add the red chilies to a bowl and soak them in hot water for 30 mins.
- To reduce the heat you can deseed and use them.
- Meanwhile chop onions, ginger and garlic.
- After 30 mins, add the red chilies to a blender jar.
- Make a fine paste. If needed you can add 1 to 2 tbsp water. Set this aside.
How to Make Schezwan Sauce
- Heat oil in a pan. Saute garlic, ginger and sichuan pepper for 2 mins. If using celery, add it now.
- Add onions and fry until they turn transparent. Do not brown the ginger garlic as they may lend a bitter taste.
- Stir in the chili paste, sugar, salt and pepper powder. Saute for 2 mins. Pour half cup water and mix well.
- Cover and cook on a medium heat till the sauce turns thick.
- Open the lid and cook further stirring often until oil begins to separate.
- When you see the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan, add soya sauce and vinegar. The sauce must taste hot with hints of sour and sweetness.
- Optional – If using tomato sauce add it now.
- Mix well and cook just for 1 to 2 mins. Taste it and add more salt or vinegar if needed.
- Cool schezwan sauce completely and store it in a glass jar. Refrigerate for better shelf life.
How to use
- The prepared sauce can be enjoyed as a side dip with snacks. It can be used to make noodles, fried rice or schezwan snacks.
- To make fried rice or noodles, heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Fry onions and bell peppers on a high flame. Then add the rice or noodles and sauce as desired. Mix and fry on a high flame for 2 mins.
- Use less spicy variety chilies. I have used byadgi chilies but kashmiri chilies can also be used.
- Sichuan peppers lends a unique citrus flavor to the sauce. There is no substitute to this. If you do not have, just skip it.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Recipe from Archives. First published in January 2018. Updated and republished in June 2021.
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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My son eats lot of Schezwan sauce with his food and I had bought so many bottles of it that I have a collection of them now . Thus I was looking for a home made recipe for me to make for him which is healthier. I will definitely try this recipe.Incase I do not find this Sichuan pepper then what could be used .
Hi,
Feel free to omit the Sichuan peppers. The sauce tastes very good even without them. But if you are trying to replicate the store bought versions, use them. Hope your son loves the homemade sauce. Increase the amount of black pepper. If he prefers it spicier, try with a mix of hot and Kashmiri chilies. Thank you for rating the recipe.
Tried tested and trusted recipe. My child is an avid schezwan fan
Home made chutney keeps me guilt free and my child happy!
Amazing recipe, delicious with a kick. My blender didn’t do the best job with the peppers, so I ended up using my immersion blender at the end and it worked great.
Unfortunately I will have to tone this down for my kids. On that note the FAQ doesn’t print with the recipe.
Absolutely delicious recipe!
Excellent recipe!! Tried and was a hit!!
Amt of sugar n tomato sauce varies as per individual likings.
Lord of cuisine!! @Swasthi!!
I know about Schezwan sauce very well.Many time i made Schezwan sauce with the help of your recepie.
Thank you so much ?
In the FAQs, the second question was how to tone down the heat of the sauce. The answer was repeated from the above question about the use of MSG. Please respond with correct answer to question about toning down the
heat of the sauce.
I have not made the sauce yet, but look forward to making it. It looks delicious! Thank you. (Would you respond in an email also as I won’t know when you answer and possibly correct your recipe FAQs. Thank you)
Hi Joni,
I have updated that FAQ. Thanks for letting me know! Hope you enjoy the sauce.
Thank you.
I look forward to making the sauce very soon.
Really easy recipe to follow & the sauce is excellent. Thank you for sharing this.
Glad you like it Michael
Very great sauce. Beats the stuff we get in Chinese restaurants and in shops. For a vegetarian Chinese fan like me, this is the real thing. My 86 year mom loves it as do all of us. Magical sauce worthy of the druid Getafix
Thank you so much for trying and sharing back how much you all loved it.
Your pepper has a pretty red hue, which variety is it?
Hi Jodie,
I have used Bydagi chillies but Kashmiri chilies also work well. It is hard to find them outside India. You can simply use 4 tbsps of Kashmiri red chilli powder which is easily available.
Schezwan sauce turns very good. thanks for easy recipe
Glad to know Indu
Hi Swasti… It looks so yummy. I’ve yet to try it, hopefully this weekend. I have plans to open a medium size takeaway outlet sometime later this year and looking at several recipes. I would like to prepare a few items like this weekend a chicken fried rice,using your impressive look schezwan sauce and also your chicken fried rice recipie.
I am sure it will turn out delicious. Will let you know next week.
Let’s talk more when I am done.
Wish me luck.
Hi Caetano,
Thank you! Yes sure!
Good luck. May your business grow and bring you prosperity.
🙂
YUM! Ive used this recipe twice and success both times! I do not seed my peppers, so its HOT HOT HOT. I cant find sichuwan peppers so omitted them, and used 1 tbls of honey instead of sugar, also used the celery and a bit of ketchup..SO GOOD! I love this recipe and the directions are super easy.
Hi Kimberly,
Thanks for trying and leaving a comment.
Hey Swasthi, thanks for the wonderful recipe. You are a lifesaver for Indians living outside India ❤️.
One question tho, what other red chilly can i use instead of Kashmiri or Byadgi? Where I live i only get round dried chillies in stores and I do not know its exact name. Please help! Also, would it alter the taste of the sauce?
Hi Ayesha
You are welcome! Any red chillies with low heat are best for this recipe. But the actual authentic schezwan sauce made here in Singapore is with fresh red hot chillies. So I guess any chilies work but you have to keep adding more soya, sugar and vinegar to balance the heat levels. Some kind of dried chilies taste slightly bitter. Avoid them. I have never cooked with those round dried chilies. I think you should experiment in small quantities and see. Hope this helps,
Amazing recipe. Tastes better than store bought schezwan sauce and does not give any acidity.
Thank you so much, never realized this flavor could be accomplished at home.
Is there a recipe for gravy style schezwan chicken/paneer like we have in Indian restaurants?
Or do I simply add more water to the dry schezwan recipes in your site?
Hi Krishna,
I have mentioned how to make the gravy versions for other recipes.
To make schezwan chicken gravy, follow the dry chicken schezwan recipe. For the sauce refer this chilli chicken post(recipe notes)
To make schezwan paneer gravy, same follow the schezwan paneer and for the sauce refer this chilli paneer (recipe card).
Hope this helps.
Can I use Kashmiri chillies instead of Byadgi?
Yes Rupa You can
Hello I wanted to ask, I made schezwaan chutney the other day, so it’s thicker and I wanted to make schezwaan Fried rice so how do I turn my chutney into sauce is there a way?
Hi Natasha
You just have to add to the pan after sauteing the veggies. If needed add 2 tbsps of water and bring it to a boil before you add the rice. You can take a look at this post – schezwan fried rice
Your recipes are amazing I try it Everytime n get praises Everytime..
Thank you
Glad they turn out good
I have been looking forever for a sauce like this! All of the ones I find either use red pepper flakes, Chinese 5 Spice, chili paste or chile garlic sauce and they don’t taste like my favorite dishes at my favorite Sichuan restauran. This is the real thing! So easy and so good! I can’t tell you how excited I am to find this!
Hi Amy,
Thank you so much! Glad you like it.
🙂
Thank you i will try .
Yes do try it!
Schezwan sauce recipe it’s amazing and very good.
Thank you Meena