Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce

This sweet chili pineapple sauce is the perfect balance of exotic sweetness, tanginess, and heat. 

It’s perfect to serve along with all your summer BBQs and potlucks, adding tons of flavor to pretty much anything. 

The best part, it is super easy to make! All it takes is a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on kitchen time to make a nice big batch of sauce. 

Pair it with some Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs, or even try it drizzled over some Roasted Sweet Potatoes and you’ve got yourself a total crowd-pleaser! 

Sweet and spicy pineapple hot sauce is perfect on practically everything!

Ingredients For the Pineapple Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

Pineapple: Fresh pineapple chunks make for the bulk of the sauce, and add the perfect sweet and tangy flavor. If you come across a special price for frozen or canned pineapple, you can also use that to make this condiment. Fresh is always nice, but frozen or canned will work as well.

Pineapple juice: I used some pineapple juice for extra fruity sweetness and to thin the sauce a bit. 

Sugar: Sugar adds that perfect balance of sweetness. I used regular white sugar, but if you want to reduce the calories a bit, you can certainly use your favorite artificial sweetener as a sub. I’ve personally never used it, but I think it would work out fine. You’ll just have to know how the sweetener you use adjusts to the same amount of regular sugar. Brown sugar will work as well although it will probably bring a darker color to the pineapple sauce, but a bit more depth of flavor from the molasses in the brown sugar.

Vinegar: Vinegar brings a nice tart flavor to the sauce. I prefer to use regular white vinegar for my sauce, but you can certainly try using white wine vinegar if that’s your thing.

Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens up the sauce and brings a nice tangy flavor. Please use fresh if at all possible, but the next best thing would be bottled. 

Lemon zest: For some extra tanginess, I also added fresh lemon zest. Optional, but I highly recommend using it.

Bird’s eye chili: I used spicy bird’s eye chilies for that kick of heat. You can use as much as your heat tolerance. Use your favorite chili for this recipe. If you’d like the sauce on an insanely hot level, try using a fruity scotch bonnet. If you’re not a fan of super hot flavor sensations, try using a shishito or banana pepper. If you’re not a chili head whatsoever, simply use some red pepper to add a bit of flavor and wonderful color.

Garlic: Garlic adds another dimension of flavor to the pineapple hot sauce. 

Cornstarch: I used cornstarch (cornflour) and water to make a simple slurry to thicken the sauce and get it to the right consistency. Use arrowroot powder if you don’t have this. 

Salt: And of course, some salt to season and balance out all the flavors of the sauce. 

*****Please look below at the printable recipe card for all the exact amounts and directions with hints and tips to make this hot sauce recipe perfect every time!

How to Make Pineapple Hot Sauce 

1. Blend pineapple, garlic, chilies, and pineapple juice in a food processor. 
2. Transfer to a pan over medium heat and add the other seasonings. 
3. Bring to a boil. 
4. Add the cornflour slurry and whisk continuously. 
5. Allow to cool, transfer to a container and refrigerate. 

*****SaltyPot Tip: It’s always a good idea to WEAR GLOVES when you mince/chop up any hot chili to prevent the oils from transferring onto your skin and burning them. Be careful to not touch your face or other sensitive areas until you’re done handling the peppers.

Why This Sweet Chili Pineapple Sauce Recipe Works

This hot sauce recipe goes over so well because of a few things. It’s sweet and spicy which goes very well with many types of meats and veggies. Those sweet and spicy flavors are also customizable as well with the addition or subtraction of different ingredients.

Also, the fruitiness of the pineapple brings a nice tropical flair to the dish which is different unique, and quite addicting! This sauce is fantastic and when you make it once, you’ll make it again and again!

Tips & Variations for this Pineapple Hot Sauce Recipe 

• I used Thai bird’s eye chilies for this recipe, which are quite spicy. You can substitute these with any other kind of chilies that you prefer. Use scotch bonnet or habanero chilies for a bold, spicy flavor and jalapenos, serranos, or banana peppers if you prefer something mild. 
• You can also just use some cayenne pepper (or smoked paprika if you would like a smoky flavor) to add heat to the sauce. 
• To bring a nice pop of color to the hot sauce, you can also add some fresh cilantro leaves into the mix after blending the pineapple. 
• If you have some extra pineapple and chilies, you could also try using them up to make a nice pineapple habanero salsa. 

How Do I Serve The Pineapple Chili Sauce?

I love the idea of using this sauce with any appetizers and side dishes. Basically, it’s a similar concept to using Hot Honey, you can drizzle it over almost any protein or vegetable side dish.

Try spooning over some of it over your homemade tacos or quesadillas or use them to add flavor to your roast and grilled meats. 

I think the sauce would pair wonderfully with my chili lime shrimp or my shrimp and avocado bites. 

Storage Ideas & Suggestions

Store this sweet chili sauce in a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid, in the refrigerator. It will stay good for up to two weeks. If you’ve made a big batch, try spooning portions into an ice cube container and freezing them, then storing them in a freezer-friendly storage bag.

This way you have portioned out amounts that you can easily add to veggies while they saute, or into rice as it cooks!  

If you’re keeping it in the fridge, just remember to use a clean glass jar or an airtight container to store it, and use a fresh, clean spoon every time you want to serve it. 

You’re free to customize the spice level to cater to various taste preferences, ensuring everyone at the table can enjoy them, and don’t forget – you’re in control of the heat!

Did you make this sweet chili pineapple sauce recipe? If you loved it, please consider leaving a ***STAR*** rating in the recipe card below, and if you have any questions about the recipe, leave a comment below so I can help you make sweet chili sauce perfectly!

Thanks for stopping by The Salty Pot and I hope to see you next time!

~Joanne