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How to make the perfect spicy, sweet, and tangy homemade chili sauce to toss on wontons or dumplings for a quick and easy meal. This recipe is reminiscent of the spicy wontons you will find at Din Tai Fung.
Have you ever heard of Din Tai Fung? I am a huge fan of Din Tai Fung and anytime I am remotely close to one, I make a reservation right away. My favorite items on the menu are definitely the Spicy Wontons, Garlic Green Beans, and Chocolate Dumpling with Sea Salt Cream. I wanted to create some spicy dumplings at home with a homemade chili sauce so I can get the taste and flavors of Din Tai Fung at home.
My first stop was H-Mart. I love perusing the aisles of H-Mart and picking up fresh noodles, dumplings, wontons, and so many sauces! I was hoping for fresh refrigerated wontons or dumplings but none were to be found. I considered just buying things to make my own but thought I would give the frozen wontons or dumplings a solid chance.
I asked several people which ones I should try and came home with three different varieties with different fillings, shapes, and sizes. When choosing them, I found a lot more “dumplings” than wontons so I am including both because you can use your favorite wontons or dumplings.
You can also find wontons at Costco and both wontons and dumplings at Trader Joe’s as well. Of course, you can find them at your local grocery store as well in the freezer section.
Now, it was on to creating a spicy chili sauce for dipping and pouring onto the wontons and dumplings. I wanted something that had many layers of flavor — umami, spicy, slightly sweet, and savory.
What ingredients are in the homemade spicy chili sauce:
This sauce can be customizable depending on how spicy you like it. Taste and add more red chili flakes for more spice. I like to use a mix of chili oil and canola oil.
- Garlic Cloves
- Red Chili Flakes
- Chili Oil
- Canola Oil
- Sugar
- Soy Sauce
- Vinegar
- Pepper
- Star Anise (optional): When cooking the chili sauce, I like to throw in 1 star anise and let it simmer with the sauce and then remove it before serving the sauce.
- Five spice (optional): I didn’t use Chinese five spice in my chili sauce but if you want to add a little warmth, I would suggest adding 1/8 teaspoon.
I like to top it with freshly sliced green onions for a bit of freshness. You can always sprinkle with a bit of sesame seeds for a nutty flavor.
What wontons to dumplings to toss with the chili sauce?
There are a few options — you can make your own wontons or dumplings from scratch filled with your favorite proteins — chicken, pork, or shrimp.
The easiest route is to pick up some wontons or dumplings at your local grocery store. I have tried them from H-Mart, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Fry’s. There are so many choices! Choose your favorite type of filling and the sauce will just make them that much better.
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Spicy Wonton Dumplings with Spicy Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 Garlic Cloves (finely diced)
- 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Chili Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Vinegar (White Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar)
- 1/2 teapoon Pepper
Optional:
- 1 Star Anise (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice (optional)
Wontons or Dumplings:
- 10 to 12 ounce pkg. Chicken or Pork Wontons or Dumplings (cooked according to package instructions)
- Green Onions (sliced for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, canola oil, chili oil, sugar, red chili flakes, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and star anise (if using) and whisk until combined. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the star anise. Check for seasonings and add more chili flakes or salt if needed.
- Cook wontons or dumplings according to package instructions. Pour the sauce over the cooked wontons. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What kind of pepper for the sauce? Black or white?
Hi Kiki! I used black pepper but you could use white pepper as well. I hope that helps!
Eating this for lunch right now. So good. And quick and easy! Thank you.
Thank you so much for making them Kara! Such a great and easy lunch!
I haven’t made this though I’m sure it will be delicious as all your recipes are! We loooove Din Tai Fung. Our favorites are their green beans and the rice cakes , which are downright dangerous. I have some in the freezer just waiting for that wonderful sauce. If you’re ever in the mood to create a show stopping recipe, either of those would be awesome. Or both! thanks so much for your great content.
Thank you for following along Kathy! We also love Din Tai Fung in our house, it is so good! Those are some of our favorites too so maybe I will have to create a copycat, stay tuned. 🙂