Looking for an alternative to Sichuan Chilli Bean Sauce or Chilli Bean Paste? Look no further! Here are my 3 favourite Chilli Bean Sauce Substitutes.
What is Chilli Bean Sauce?
Also called Chilli Bean Paste, it’s a chunky Chinese commercial sauce with a very hot spicy, salty, savoury flavour.
Traditionally it’s made from chillies, broad (fava) beans, salt and wheat flour.
The ingredients on my bottle include: chilli, non-gmo soybeans, barley, water, sugar, salt, sesame oil, lactic acid and rice vinegar.
3 Best Chilli Bean Sauce Substitutes
1. Miso Paste + Tabasco Hot Sauce
Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that adds complex savoury flavours. But it doesn’t have any of the chilli heat in chilli bean sauce.
Adding a splash of Tabasco or other hot sauce adds both the heat and the vinegar acidity that comes from chilli bean sauce.
For 1 teaspoon chilli bean sauce substitute 1 teaspoon miso paste mixed with 5 drops of Tabasco (or other hot sauce).
2. Sriracha
This Thai hot sauce also has chilli as the number one ingredients. So will add a similar kick and hint of sweetness to your dish.
3. Sriracha + Miso Paste
As per out Tabasco idea, combining sriracha and miso paste brings together the chilli and the beans in chilli bean sauce. Start with a 50:50 mix of miso and sriracha to substitute but be prepared to use less, depending on your heat tolerance.
Is Chilli Bean Sauce vegetarian?
Yes.
More Ingredient Substitutes
- The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Substitutes
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Collard Greens
- Miso Paste
- Oyster Sauce
- Pesto
- Tahini
Also see see the Simple Ingredients Substitutes Index.
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x