A rich and flavorable XO sauce is a great condiment for noodles, dumplings, turnip cake, Chinese pancake and vegetables. Pretty much you can add to anything you want. Enjoy this homemade easy and tasty XO sauce recipe.
Love sauces? Check out these ginger scallion sauce, sweet and sour sauce and teriyaki sauce recipes.
What is XO sauce?
XO sauce is a well-known Chinese spicy seafood sauce originated from Hong Kong since 1980s.
Why it named XO sauce?
The name XO sauce comes from fine XO (extra old) cognac which is a popular western alcoholic beverage in Hong Kong. The term of XO often used in Hong Kong to indicate high quality and luxury. XO sauce has been marketed in that way and have similar color and luxury package as cognac French liquor. And, a popular brand Lee Kum Kee XO sauce is one of them.
What is XO sauce made from?
It doesn’t contain any alcohols even though it named after famous French liquor. Normally, it made from dried seafoods such as dried shrimp, dried scallops, Chinese Jinhua ham, chili peppers, shallot, garlic and oil
Homemade XO sauce:
XO sauce isn’t hard to make. It is safer to make your homemade XO sauce because you know what are the ingredients and no preservatives. This homemade XO sauce recipe, I do not use Chinese Jinhua ham because it is hard to find in my area. Therefore, I only use the basic ingredients such as dried shrimp, dried scallops, garlic, shallot, chili peppers (dried and fresh) and vegetable oil.
Cooking tips for how to make homemade XO sauce:
- Dried shrimp, scallops and chili peppers need to be soak before. Dried scallops take little long to be softened, so soak for a couple hours before cooking.
- Roughly chop garlic, shallots, chili peppers, dried shrimps and dried scallops. I like to use a chopper because it’s faster and easier.
- Don’t need to chop them very fine little chunks is ok.
- Turn on medium small fire to heat up the oil.
- Oil need to be hot enough before adding chopped shallots.
- You can test the oil with a wooden chopsticks to see if there are some bubbles around the chopsticks. If you see the bubbles, it means the oil is hot enough.
- Try to use a taller pot, in case when you put the ingredients will overflow or turn the fire to small before adding the ingredients.
- Keep stirring them once a while.
- Wait until it’s cool off, then put them into small glass jars.
FAQs:
What can you use XO sauce for?
XO sauce is a condiment and great to add to noodles, stir fried with rice, stir fried vegetables or as a dipping sauce for dumplings, turnip cake, Chinese pancake and etc.
Does XO sauce need to be refrigerated?
It doesn’t have to refrigerate. But need to be store in a cool place and without direction sun light. The best still refrigerated them and will last longer.
How long can XO sauce last?
It can last for few months up to a year in the refrigerator.
What kind of peppers do you use?
I used dried chili peppers and fresh chili peppers. If you want to use Thai chili just add a couple pieces instead of 1/4 cup because they are very hot.
Instructions on how to make homemade XO sauce:
1. Wash and soak dried scallop couple hours until it’s soft. Then, drain the water and blend them in a chopper. Don’t need to be very fine. Little chunk is ok. 
2. Wash and soak dried small shrimps for 15-30 minutes. After that, drain the water and blend them in a chopper. (The same as dried scallops don’t need to be very fine.)
3. Peel and wash shallots. Put them into a chopper and blend them a little bit.
4. Peel and wash garlic. Then, put them into a chopper and blend them until it’s small pieces.
5. Next, wash and soak dried chili pepper for 10-15 minutes before blending them in a chopper. And, blend the fresh chili peppers as well. 
6. Heat up 3.5 cups of vegetable oil in a pot. Use a wooden chopsticks to test the oil if it is hot enough. There will be some bubbles around the chopsticks when the oil is hot. Then, turn the fire to medium to small, add chopped shallot into hot oil. (Put the shallot slowly in case it will overflow.) Keep stirring once a while and for few minutes.
7. After that, add chopped garlic. Then, keep stirring once a while and simmering for a few minutes. Later, add chopped dried and fresh chili peppers. Next, add chopped dried scallops and shrimps. 
8. Keep stirring and simmering for 10 minutes. After, add 1.5 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar, mix well and simmering for another 5-10 minutes. 
Enjoy this best homemade XO sauce recipe! Also, check out these Thai sweet chili sauce, black pepper sauce and homemade chili sauce recipes.
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XO sauce
Ingredients
- 1.5
tablespoons
Salt
- 1
tablespoon
Sugar
- 3.5 cups
Vegetable oil
- 3 whole
Garlic
- 10 pieces
Shallot
- 1/2 cup
Dried shrimp
- 1/2 cup
Dried scallops
- 1/2 cup
Dried chili pepper
- 1/4 cup
Fresh chili pepper
Instructions
- Wash and soak dried scallop couple hours until it’s soft. Then, drain the water and blend them in a chopper. Don’t need to be very fine. Little chunk is ok.
- Wash and soak dried small shrimps for 15-30 minutes. After that, drain the water and blend them in a chopper. (The same as dried scallops don’t need to be very fine.)
- Peel and wash shallot. Put them into a chopper and blend them a little bit.
- Peel and wash garlic. Then, put them into a chopper and blend them until it’s small pieces.
- Next, wash and soak dried chili pepper for 10-15 minutes before blending them in a chopper. And, blend the fresh chili peppers as well.
- Heat up 3.5 cups of vegetable oil in a pot. Use a wooden chopsticks to test the oil if it is hot enough. There will be some bubbles around the chopsticks when the oil is hot. Then, turn the fire to medium to small, add chopped shallots into hot oil. (Put the shallot slowly in case it will overflow.) Keep stirring once a while and simmering for few minutes.
- After that, add chopped garlic. Then, keep stirring once a while and for few minutes. Later, add chopped dried and fresh chili peppers. Next, add chopped dried scallops and shrimps.
- Keep stirring and simmering for 10 minutes. After, add 1.5 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar, mix well and simmering for another 5-10 minutes.
Video
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make homemade XO sauce:
- Dried shrimp, scallops and chili peppers need to be soak before. Dried scallops take little long to be softened, so soak for a couple hours before cooking.
- Roughly chop garlic, shallots, chili peppers, dried shrimps and dried scallops. I like to use a chopper because it’s faster and easier.
- Don’t need to chop them very fine little chunks is ok.
- Turn on medium small fire to heat up the oil.
- Oil need to be hot enough before adding chopped shallots.
- You can test the oil with a wooden chopsticks to see if there are some bubbles around the chopsticks. If you see the bubbles, it means the oil is hot enough.
- Try to use a taller pot, in case when you put the ingredients will overflow or turn the fire to small before adding the ingredients.
- Keep stirring them once a while.
- Wait until it’s cool off, then put them into small glass jars.