Originally a spicy topping for Thai foods, sriracha has quickly gained popularity as an add-on to almost every cuisine. Sriracha has inspired cookbooks, flavors of snacks, and the creation of similar products from many different brands. With its still-growing popularity, many people wonder how it can fit into a gluten-free dietary regimen.
Sriracha is gluten-free. Typical ingredients in Sriracha include chili, sugar, seasoning, vinegar, and preservatives. None of these contain wheat, barley, or gluten. Some of the most popular Sriracha brands are Huy Fong Sriracha and Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Chili Sauce. Healthier gluten-free alternatives to Sriracha include Noble Made Sriracha Tahini Salad Dressing and Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha.
In this article we dive into how sriracha originated, the nutritional information for different brands, and the best gluten-free alternative options for a healthier swap. Let’s dig in!
Contents
What is Sriracha?
Sriracha is typically a spicy sauce made from chiles and balanced with sugar, garlic, vinegar, and other spices. As this sauce gained popularity, many different companies have added their own twist onto the classic sauce.
To make the classic sriracha sauce, Huy Fong Foods starts by grinding up the chiles (including seeds) and combined it with vinegar. This is then mixed with salt and preservatives and is sealed in barrels that can be used throughout the year to make the sauce.
Sugar, garlic, and other spices are then added to the chile vinegar mixture and it is thicken with xanthan gum to create a consistency that can be squeezed neatly out of a bottle, similar to ketchup.
How Spicy is Sriracha?
The sauce generally falls around 2,200 on the Scoville scale, which was measured to assess the level of spice. To give a comparison, pure Tabasco sauce measures 3,750 on the scale and cayenne pepper scores 50,000.
Is Sriracha Healthy?
Sriracha sauce is okay to consume in moderation and provides a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Iron. However, the main drawback of sriracha sauce is the high sodium content. One tablespoon of Huy Fong sriracha will provide almost 1/10 of your daily sodium needs.
The main benefit from sriracha sauce comes from the capsaicin in chili peppers. Capsaicin has been said to help reduce angina pain and help patients with angina resume exercise. The garlic in sriracha may also be associated with improved heart health.
Many people eat sriracha daily and top it on their food at almost every meal. While we don’t recommend eating massive amounts of sriracha, it is generally safe for everybody to use consistently as a condiment, just be sure you are consuming a daily diet rich in whole foods and nutrients your body needs.
Sriracha Nutritional Information
Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
The original Sriracha sauce was created by Huy Fong Foods. This bottle has a now well-recognized rooster on the packaging design and is probably the bottle you see sitting on most tables at many restaurants and diners. This packaging design has become so recognizable that sriracha is also sometimes called “rooster sauce.”
Huy Fong Sriracha is so popular that a single factory produces 72000 bottles per day, 6 days a week. This comes out to about 20 million bottles per year.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tsp, 5g):
- Calories: 0
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 1 gram (0% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 75 mg (3.26% DV)
Ingredients:
- Chili
- Sugar
- Salt
- Garlic
- Distilled vinegar
- Potassium sorbate
- Sodium bisulfite as preservatives
- Xanthan gum
Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Chili Sauce
Another popular sriracha sauce is Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Chili Sauce. This sauce is gluten-free and made from sun-ripened red chili peppers and fish sauce. The manufacturers describe this sauce as having a “consistent heat with a pleasant, exotic taste and aroma of fresh garlic and jalapeno chilies.”
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tsp, 7g):
- Calories: 10
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 2 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 190 mg (8% DV)
Ingredients:
- Red chili
- Sugar
- Salt
- Garlic
- Fish extract (anchovy)
- Acetic acid
- Ascorbic acid
Tabasco Premium Sriracha Sauce
Tabasco Premium Sriracha Sauce is certified gluten-free, kosher, halal, preservative free, non-GMI, and kosher. It is labeled as an authentic Thai chili sauce with a Louisiana twist.
What sets this sriracha sauce apart from the others is a splash of tabasco in the traditional sriracha recipe. This sauce is great for stir fries, soups, noodles, or any other cuisine that mixes well with flavors of chili and garlic. This sriracha is slightly spicier than some of the alternatives.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tsp, 5g):
- Calories: 5
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 2 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 170 mg (8% DV)
Ingredients:
- Red jalapeño pepper
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
- Garlic
- Distilled vinegar
- Xanthan gum
- TABASCO®Brand pepper sauce (distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt)
Hellmann’s Creamy Sriracha Dip and Sauce
Hellmann’s Creamy Sriracha Dip and Sauce is made with red jalapeños and is marketed to be used in burritos, eggs, and more. It is a fan favorite among many spicy food lovers thanks to its signature creamy profile.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 40
- Fat: 3.5 gram (4% DV)
- Carbs: 2 gram (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 115 mg (5% DV)
Ingredients:
- Water
- Canola oil
- Distilled vinegar
- Sugar
- Aged cayenne red peppers
- Modified corn starch
- Egg yolks
- Salt
- Jalapeno pepper
- Puree
- Spices
- Citric acid
- Lemon juice concentrate
- Carrot fiber
- Potassium sorbate and calcium disodium EDTA (used to protect quality)
- Natural flavors (contains soy)
- Garlic powder
- Xanthan gum
- Paprika extract (for color)
- Smoked paprika
Can you Make Sriracha at Home?
Yes! Many people make sriracha at home and adjust the spices to their particular liking.
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds of red jalapeno peppers or chiles of choice (cut off stems)
- 3-5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
Instructions:
- To make the sauce, you are first going to chop your jalapeños. Make sure to keep the seeds.
- Place the jalapeños and seeds in a blender with the garlic, brown sugar, salt, and water.
- Blend
- Put the mixture in a large glass jar and cover with plastic wrap.
- Move this jar to a cool, dark location for 3-5 days and stir 1 to 2 times per day. The mixture will ferment.
- Blend the fermented mixture with the vinegar.
- Strain the mixture into a saucepan. The more pulp you strain into the sauce, the thicker the sauce will be.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and stir frequently until the desired thickness is achieved (5 to 10 minutes).
- Let cool to room temperature and then transfer to sauce container.
- Refrigerate the mixture
Feel free to mix up the sauce spices and ratios to design a sriracha sauce tailored to your exact taste buds!
Healthier Gluten-Free Alternatives
Noble Made Sriracha Tahini Salad Dressing
Noble Made Sriracha Tahini is certified gluten-free and Whole 30 approved. It is slightly less spicy than many alternatives thanks to the addition of smooth, creamy tahini. It is also created with natural ingredients and has no added sugar.
This product is particularly great to add onto salads thanks to its more balanced creamy flavor profile. It is also less carbohydrates per weight volume than traditional sriracha brands.
Nutritional Information (Per 2 tbsp, 30g):
- Calories: 30
- Fat: 2.5 gram (3% DV)
- Carbs: 1 gram (0% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Protein: 0 gram
- Sodium: 290 mg (13% DV)
Ingredients:
- Water
- Vinegar
- Tahini
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut aminos
- Sea salt
- Tapioca starch
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper mash
- Lemon juice concentrate
- Xanthan gum
- Black pepper
- Dill
- Ascorbic acid
Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha
Similar to Tabasco Sriracha, this sriracha sauce takes a southern twist on the classic sauce. Yellowbird was created by Austin natives with a passion for growing hot peppers and the Texas influence in clear in the flavor profile of the sauce.
This sauce gets its heat from jalapeños and is sweetened by blue agave with notes of savory garlic. The flavor is also given a citrus twist with tangerine juice and lime juice added into the sauce.
Nutritional Information (Per 1 tbsp, 15g):
- Calories: 15
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 3 grams (1% DV)
- Fiber: 0 grams (0% DV)
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Protein: 0.1 gram
- Sodium: 190 mg (8% DV)
Ingredients:
- Ripe red jalapeños
- Organic blue agave nectar
- Organic distilled vinegar
- Garlic
- Sea salt
- Tangerine juice concentrate
- Lime juice concentrate
- Organic guar gum
Related Questions
Is Sriracha Vegan?
Yes! Pretty much all sriracha brands are vegan. However, check the labels to be sure.
Where did Sriracha originate?
Sriracha is the generic name for Thai hot sauce and is considered to have originated from Thai cuisine.
Can you eat Sriracha while pregnant?
Yes! Eating spicy foods is safe while pregnant. However, if you experience any discomfort after eating sriracha be sure to discuss this with your physician.