If you are looking for a fresh, vibrant, finger licking good dipping sauce without too much sugar then save this Thai mango chilli sauce recipe.
Jump to:
If you’ve ever sat down at a Thai restaurant, chances are you’ve encountered that bright, glossy sweet chili sauce (Nam Jim Kai) that tastes incredible on absolutely everything.
This vegan Thai-Style Mango Chilli Sauce relies on the natural sweetness of fresh, juicy mangoes paired with the classic fiery punch of Thai bird’s eye chilies. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and full of Umami flavour.
Looking for more MANGO Recipes
Why Mango Changes the Game?
Traditional Thai sweet chilli sauce uses a lot of processed sugar to balance out the heat. By introducing ripe mango into the mix, we reduce the need for tons of refined sugar and add a beautiful tropical depth. The natural pectin (a structural fiber found in fruits) in mango also helps give the sauce a rich, velvety texture that clings perfectly to whatever you’re dipping into it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To get that authentic Thai flavour profile, balancing the four pillars of Thai cuisine is key: Sweet, Sour, Salty, and Spicy.
- Ripe Mango: Look for smooth mangoes that yield slightly to pressure. Champagne (Ataulfo), Alphonso mangoes work beautifully here because they are incredibly sweet and non-fibrous.
- Thai Bird’s Eye Chilies: These little peppers pack a serious punch. If you want a milder sauce, you can swap them for jalapeños or fresno chillies.
- Yellow Bell Pepper provided a subtly spicy, savoury taste to the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: This provides the clean, sharp acidity required to cut through the sweetness of the fruit.
- Garlic & Ginger: They provide the aromatic, savoury baseline.
- Coconut Sugar: Just a touch to round out the tartness of the vinegar.
- Sesame Oil to cook the aromatics and infuse a nutty flavour into the sauce.
- Soy Sauce or Tamari: Traditional recipes call for fish sauce for saltiness and umami. We are using high-quality soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari) to keep it 100% vegan while retaining that deep savory depth.
How To Make Sauce
1. Combine Sugar & Mangoes:
- Peel and dice the mango pulp. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the sugar, and mix. Let it sit for 20 – 30 minutes for sugar to completely dissolve and mangoes to release their natural juices.
2. Cook the Aromatics:
- Heat oil in a pan. Saute ginger, garlic, and chilli for a minute to release their aroma. No need to brown them.
- Add the finely chopped yellow pepper and saute for 1 – 2 minutes to soften a bit.
- Add the mangoes along with their juices into the pan. Season with salt.
- Cover and cook the mangoes for 8 – 10 minutes or till they breakdown completely. The sauce will gradually turn glossy and thicken up.
3. Blend the Sauce:
- Allow the sauce to cool down a bit. Add vinegar and tamari.
- Flash-blend in a processor until it forms a chunky purée. You don’t want it perfectly smooth—texture is a good thing here!
Pro Tip: Do not add any water throughout the process.
Storage Suggestion
Stir in lime juice right at the end to brighten up the flavours. Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it to a clean glass jar.
What to Pair it With
This mango chilli sauce is incredibly versatile. It makes a stellar dipping sauce for spring rolls, crispy air-fried tofu cubes, tandoori prawns, rice paper rolls, or nachos and crackers.
You can also use it as a glaze for roasted cauliflower wings or toss it in a salad as dressing. Because this sauce recipe contains fresh fruit and no chemical preservatives, it will keep well in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Flavour Balance Cheat Sheet
Because fruit sweetness and chilli heat fluctuate naturally, you should always taste your sauce. Use this quick guide to adjust the flavour profile on the fly:
| If your sauce tastes… | Add a splash more of… | Why it works |
| Too Sweet | Rice Vinegar or Lime Juice | Acid cuts through heavy sugar profiles. |
| Too Sour / Tart | Coconut or White Sugar | Sweetness balances out aggressive acidity. |
| Too Spicy | Extra Mango Purée | Dilutes the capsaicin concentration. |
| Flat / Missing Depth | Soy Sauce or Tamari | Salt and amino acids elevate the fruit flavors. |
If you enjoy making variety of sauces at home and these recipes are for you – classic Homemade Tomato Ketchup, spicy Schezwan Sauce, or the savoury and spicy Peanut Sauce.
follow us on Youtube and Instagram for video recipes.
Thai Mango Chilli Sauce Recipe
- stockpot or saucepan
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe mango
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar or white sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 Thai birds eye chilli, chopped
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon tamari
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Peel and dice the mango pulp. Transfer to a bowl. Add the sugar, and mix. Let it sit for 20 – 30 minutes for sugar to completely dissolve and mangoes to release their natural juices.
- Heat oil in a pan. Saute ginger, garlic, and chilli for a minute to release their aroma. No need to brown them.
- Add the finely chopped yellow pepper and saute for 1 – 2 minutes to soften a bit. Add the mangoes along with their juices into the pan. Season with salt.
- Cover and cook the mangoes for 8 – 10 minutes or till they breakdown completely. The sauce will gradually turn glossy and thicken up.
- Allow the sauce to cool down a bit. Add vinegar and tamari. Flash-blend in a processor until it forms a chunky purée. You don’t want it perfectly smooth—texture is a good thing here!
- Stir in lime juice right at the end to brighten up the flavours. Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it to a clean glass jar.
Recipe Notes:
- Do not add any water while cooking or blending the sauce. It reduces the shelf life of the sauce. And you might notice fungus development after few days.
Leave Your Rating & Comment