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    Home » Sauce » Chinese XO sauce

    Chinese XO sauce

    Published: Dec 28, 2019 Modified: Oct 1, 2022 by Tracy O.This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    A rich and flavorful Chinese XO sauce is a great condiment for noodles, dumplings, turnip cake, Chinese pancake, siu mai, lo mai gai and vegetables. Pretty much you can add to anything you want. Also, it looks very similar to chili oil, but they are not the same. Enjoy this homemade easy and tasty Chinese XO sauce recipe!

    Love sauce? Check out these homemade chili garlic sauce, chili oil, ginger scallion sauce, sweet and sour sauce, black pepper sauce and teriyaki sauce recipes.

    Chinese homemade XO sauce scoop on a silver spoon

    What is XO sauce?

    XO sauce is a well-known Chinese spicy seafood sauce that originated from Hong Kong in the 1980s.

    Why is 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 XO is often used in Hong Kong to indicate high quality and luxury. Chinese XO sauce has been marketed in that way and has a similar color and luxury package as cognac French liquor. And, a popular brand Lee Kum Kee XO sauce is one of them.

    What is Chinese XO sauce made from?

    It doesn’t contain any alcohol even though it is named after famous French liquor. Normally, it is made from dried seafood such as dried shrimp, dried scallops, Chinese Jinhua ham, chili peppers, shallot, garlic and oil.

    Homemade Chinese XO sauce recipe:

    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 Chinese 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.

    homemade Chinese XO sauce ingredients

    Cooking tips for how to make XO sauce:

    • Dried shrimp, scallops and chili peppers need to be soaked before. Dried scallops take a 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 very fine little chunks is ok.
    • Turn on medium small fire to heat up the oil.
    • Oil needs to be hot enough before adding chopped shallots.
    • You can test the oil with 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 cools off, then put them into small glass.

    FAQs:

    What can you use XO sauce for?


    XO sauce is a condiment and great to add to noodles, stir fried with rice, stir fry vegetables or as a dipping sauce for dumplings, siu mai, lo mai gai, turnip cake, Chinese pancake etc.

    Does XO sauce need to be refrigerated?


    It doesn’t have to be refrigerated. But they need to be stored in a cool place and without direct sunlight. The best still refrigerated them and will last longer.

    How long can XO sauce last?

    It can last for a 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 ¼ cup because they are very hot.

    Instructions on how to make Chinese XO sauce:

    soaking dried scallop in the glass container

    Preparations:

    1. Wash and soak ½ cup of dried scallop for a couple hours until it's soft.

    chopped dry scallop

    2. Then, drain the water and blend the scallop in the chopper. Don't need to be very fine. Little chunk is ok. 

    soaking dry shrimp in the glass container

    3. Wash and soak ½ cup of dried small shrimps for 15-30 minutes.

    chopped dry shrimp in the chopper

    4. After that, drain the water and blend the dried shrimp in the chopper. (The same as dried scallops don't need to be very fine.)

    peeled shallots in the glass container

    5. Peel and wash 10 pieces of shallots (Small/medium sized).

    shallots chopped in the chopper

    6. Put the washed shallots into the chopper and blend a little bit.

    peeled garlic cloves

    7. Peel and wash 3 whole medium sized garlic.

    garlic chopped in the chopper

    8. Then, put the garlic into the chopper and blend them until they are small pieces. 

    dried chili pepper soak in the bowl

    9. Next, wash and soak ½ cup of dried chili pepper for 10-15 minutes.

    chili peppers chopped in the chopper

    10. Put the dried chili peppers into the chopper. Blend until small pieces. Then, add ¼ cup of fresh chili peppers and chop small pieces. 

    heat up oil in the pot over the stove

    Cooking:

    11. Pour 3.5 cups of vegetable oil in a pot. Use wooden chopsticks to test the oil if it is hot enough. There will be some bubbles around the chopsticks when the oil is hot enough.

    shallots in the oil in the pot

    12. Turn the fire to medium small, add the chopped shallot into hot oil. (Put the shallot slowly in case it will overflow.) Keep stirring once a while and simmering for 3 minutes. 

    chopped garlic in the oil in the pot

    13. After that, add the chopped garlic. Then, keep stirring once a while and simmering for 3 minutes.

    garlic chili in the oil in the pot

    14. Later, add the chopped dried and fresh chili peppers.

    shrimp in chili oil in the pot Chinese XO sauce

    15. Next, add the chopped dried scallops and shrimps. Keep stirring and simmering for 10 minutes.

    Chinese XO sauce cooking in the pot over the stove

    16. Lastly, add 1.5 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar, mix well and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

    Chinese XO sauce on the silver spoon

    Enjoy this best homemade XO sauce recipe! Also, check out these black sesame soup, papaya milk, crispy teriyaki tofu, Taiwanese beef noodle soup and Chinese bacon cabbage recipes.

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    Chinese XO sauce on the silver spoon

    XO sauce

    A rich and flavorful 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!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: sauce
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 40
    Calories: 28kcal
    Author: Tracy O.

    Video

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 tablespoons  Salt
    • 1 tablespoon  Sugar
    • 3.5 cups Vegetable oil
    • 3 whole Garlic Medium sized
    • 10 pieces Shallot Small/medium sized
    • ½ cup Dried shrimp
    • ½ cup Dried scallops
    • ½ cup Dried chili pepper
    • ¼ cup Fresh chili pepper

    Instructions

    • Wash and soak ½ cup of dried scallop for a couple hours until it's soft.
    • Then, drain the water and blend the scallop in a chopper. Don't need to be very fine. Little chunk is ok. 
    • Wash and soak ½ cup of dried small shrimps for 15-30 minutes.
    • After that, drain the water and blend the dried shrimp in the chopper. (The same as dried scallops don't need to be very fine.)
    • Peel and wash 10 pieces of shallots (Small/medium sized).
    • Put the washed shallots into the chopper and blend a little bit.
    • Peel and wash 3 whole medium sized garlic.
    • Then, put the garlic into the chopper and blend them until they are small pieces. 
    • Next, wash and soak ½ cup of dried chili pepper for 10-15 minutes.
    • Put the dried chili peppers into the chopper. Blend until small pieces. Then, add ¼ cup of fresh chili peppers and chop small pieces.
    • Pour 3.5 cups of vegetable oil in a pot. Use wooden chopsticks to test the oil if it is hot enough. There will be some bubbles around the chopsticks when the oil is hot enough.
    • Turn the fire to medium small, add the chopped shallot into hot oil. (Put the shallot slowly in case it will overflow.) Keep stirring once a while and simmering for 3 minutes. 
    • After that, add the chopped garlic. Then, keep stirring once a while and simmering for 3 minutes.
    • Later, add the chopped dried and fresh chili peppers.
    • Next, add the chopped dried scallops and shrimps. Keep stirring and simmering for 10 minutes.
    • Lastly, add 1.5 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar, mix well and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

    Notes

    Cooking tips for how to make homemade XO sauce:

    • Dried shrimp, scallops and chili peppers need to be soaked before. Dried scallops take a 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 very fine little chunks is ok.
    • Turn on medium small fire to heat up the oil.
    • Oil needs to be hot enough before adding chopped shallots.
    • You can test the oil with 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 cools off, then put them into small glass.
    •  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Tracy O.
    About Me

    Welcome to Oh My Food Recipes, where you can find inspiration for meals or dinner ideas specialty Asian cuisines. Oh My Food Recipes is tried and tested recipes with step by step photo tutorials.... Read more!

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