The Ultimate Guide to Filipino Street Food Sauces: Sweet Chili, Fish Ball Sauce, and 7 More Must-Try Dips

Introduction: Filipino Street Food Sauces – The Soul Behind Every Skewer

Filipino street food sauces are the unsung heroes of every beloved snack on the streets of the Philippines. It’s not just about what’s fried, skewered, or dipped — it’s the sauce that brings everything to life. Whether you’re munching on fish balls, kwek-kwek, or kikiam, the right sauce transforms every bite from ordinary to crave-worthy.

From the sweet-spicy notes of Thai-style sweet chili sauce to the thick, savory magic of classic Manong’s fish ball sauce, these dips are more than condiments — they’re the flavor foundation of Pinoy street food culture.

In this ultimate guide, we’ll show you how to make:

• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Manong-style Fish Ball Sauce
• Plus, 7 other must-try Filipino street food sauces

Whether you’re a street food fan, a home cook, or planning to start a food cart business, these Filipino street food sauces will bring bold, authentic flavors to your kitchen — or your cart.

1. Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 liter water
• 2 ⅛ cups white vinegar (approx. 500 ml)
• 2 ⅛ cups white sugar (approx. 425–450 g, adjust to taste)
• 8 ½ tbsp cornstarch (about ½ cup + ½ tbsp)
• 4 tbsp minced garlic
• 4 tbsp red chili flakes (adjust to your preferred heat level)
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cornstarch slurry:
   In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with ½ cup of water. Stir until fully dissolved. Set aside.
2. Combine main ingredients:
   In a large saucepan, combine:
   • Water
   • Vinegar
   • Sugar
   • Garlic
   • Chili flakes
   • Salt
3. Bring to a boil:
   Stir and boil the mixture for about 5–7 minutes until sugar is fully dissolved and garlic is slightly softened.
4. Add slurry to thicken:
   Slowly add the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. Let the mixture simmer until it thickens to your desired consistency (usually 2–3 minutes).
5. Cool and bottle:
   Turn off the heat. Allow the sauce to cool before transferring to sterilized bottles or jars. Refrigerate once cool.

Best Paired With:

• Fish balls
• Fried chicken
• Lumpia
• Calamares
• Chicken nuggets

2. Classic Fish Ball Sauce (Manong Style)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water (960 ml)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 pcs sili labuyo, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Sauté garlic and onion in a large saucepan until fragrant.
2. Add water, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. Mix flour and cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water in a separate bowl to make a slurry.
4. Pour the slurry into the pan while stirring constantly.
5. Simmer and stir until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
6. Add chili flakes or siling labuyo if making a spicy version.

Best Paired With:

• Fish balls
• Kwek-kwek
• Kikiam
• Squid balls

3. Garlic Vinegar Sauce (Sawsawang Suka)

Ingredients:

• 1 liter cane or coconut vinegar
• 8 tbsp (½ cup) minced garlic
• 8 tbsp (½ cup) chopped onion
• 16 pcs siling labuyo (or more if spicier), chopped
• 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
• Optional: Add 1–2 tsp sugar if you prefer a slightly balanced taste.

Instructions:

Store in a clean bottle or glass jar. Keep refrigerated for longer shelf life.g.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl or container.

Mix well and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to develop.

Best Paired With:

• Tokwa’t baboy
• Kwek-kwek
• Fried tofu

4. Sweet Peanut Sauce (Lumpia-Style)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp peanut butter or ground peanuts
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp cornstarch slurry

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir and simmer until thick.

Best Paired With:

• Fried lumpia
• Tofu
• Kikiam

5. Spicy Toyomansi (Soy + Calamansi + Chili)

Ingredients (For 1 Liter Yield):

• ½ cup + 2 tbsp (approx. 200 ml) soy sauce
• Juice of 80–85 calamansi (or approx. 300 ml fresh juice)
• 30–35 pcs siling labuyo, chopped (adjust for heat level)
• ¼ to ½ cup minced garlic (optional, for added punch)
• ½ liter water or adjust to reach 1-liter total volume

Instructions:

Store in clean glass bottles or food-grade plastic containers. Keep refrigerated.

Combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, chopped chili, and optional garlic in a mixing bowl.

Add water gradually and mix until the total volume reaches 1 liter.

Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Tips:

• For commercial use, you may slightly reduce the calamansi and replace a portion with water to cut costs while keeping flavor.
• Add 1 tsp of sugar to soften the acidity (optional).
• Shake before serving if separation occurs.

Best Paired With:

• Pork barbecue
• Calamares
• Chicken balls

6. Smoky BBQ Calamansi Sauce

Flavor: Tangy, smoky, sweet-sour barbecue style
Best Paired With: Grilled longganisa, pork barbecue, hotdog on stick

Ingredients (Approx. 750 ml):

• ½ cup banana ketchup
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup calamansi juice
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cool and store in squeeze bottles.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.

Simmer for 5–7 minutes until thickened slightly.

7. Sweet Mango Chili Sauce

Flavor: Fruity, sweet, tangy, with a spicy kick
Best Paired With: Chicken balls, fried chicken skin, calamares, grilled isaw

Ingredients (Approx. 500 ml):

• 1 cup ripe mango puree (Carabao mango preferred)
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in water)

Instructions:

Let cool, then store in glass jars.

In a saucepan, mix mango puree, vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, and fish sauce.

Bring to a simmer, then add cornstarch slurry.

Stir until thickened and glossy.

8. Tamarind (Sinigang-Inspired) Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp tamarind paste or 2 tsp powder
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Optional: chopped chili

Instructions:

Combine and simmer all ingredients until slightly thickened.

Best Paired With:

• Tokwa’t baboy
• Kwek-kwek
• Grilled seafood

9. Garlic Butter Soy Dip

Flavor: Savory, garlicky, rich with buttery umami
Best Paired With: Fried siomai, grilled pork skewers, fried tokwa, squid balls

Ingredients (Approx. 500 ml):

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup butter (unsalted)
• ¼ cup calamansi or lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp chili oil

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
2. Sauté garlic until lightly golden.
3. Add soy sauce, calamansi juice, sugar, water, and pepper.
4. Simmer for 3–5 minutes. Add chili oil if desired.
5. Let it cool and bottle for dipping or drizzling.

Street Food Sauce Strategy for Food Carts

Want to stand out from the crowd? Offer a 3-way sauce station:

• Sweet – sweet chili or banana ketchup sauce
• Spicy – vinegar with chili or spicy fish ball sauce
• Garlicky – manong’s fish ball sauce or toyomansi

This gives your customers flavor variety and a reason to come back for more!

Storage Tips

Final Thoughts

Filipino street food sauces aren’t just toppings — they’re traditions in a bottle. Whether you like it sweet, spicy, garlicky, or tangy, the right sauce completes the experience.

Perfect for home cooks, sauce entrepreneurs, or street food vendors, these recipes can be your next secret weapon for success.

Ready to dip into flavor?

Make them. Taste them. Own the sauce game.