This Vietnamese Sate Sauce (Sốt Sa tế) is versatile and can be used in different ways. Add to your noodles, noodle soup or marinate your meats with it. The lemongrass and garlic will add much flavor to anything you add this sauce to. Help elevate your dishes by adding a teaspoon and letting it absorb all that goodness. Let’s jump into this recipe.
Sate sauce is a spicy yet flavorful blend of lemongrass, garlic and shallots.
Why make this sate sauce?
Easy to make: Many of the ingredients are staples at home or easily can be found at the Asian grocery store. And it will take you less than 30 minutes to make this!
Adds heat and flavor to any dish: I love adding this to my pho soups. Really this will work with anything. I have even topping this on my waffles or ice cream and it elevates it with the garlic, lemongrass and spicy heat.
Why we love this recipe?
Share with family and friends: Food is a love language in my culture. Makin a big batch and jarring this to give to family and friends will surely give you extra brownie points when it comes to Christmas and Chinese New Year. You can even make a big jar and bring it to family gatherings and you will be he big talk of the party.
Easy to adjust to your spice preference: This recipe is so easy to make and even easier to adjust to your spice preference.
Not too spicy: This recipe calls for less Thai Chilis, which is the one chili that will make this recipe super spicy if you decide to use more. If you like to add some heat but more aromatic flavor to your dishes this is the perfect recipe for you.
What is sate sauce made of?
This sauce is made with chili pepper, lemongrass, garlic and shallots. These aromatics are cooked in the oil which is infused and adds flavor to the oil.
Seasoning is added to elevate the flavor. Salt, fish sauce, and soy sauce helps add saltiness.
Is sate sauce the same as satay sauce?
These two types of sauce are different. Although they do sort of sound similar I can see why they may get confused as the same sauce. Satay is a peanut-based sauce used for skewered meats. Primarily used in Indonesian cuisines.
Sate sauce is this red oil-based sauce used to marinade or top foods, and soups and is used mainly for Vietnamese dishes.
What does sate sauce taste like?
This sate is lightly spicy with a punch of lemongrass and garlic flavor. The gochugaru adds a nice redness and elevates every bite of food with smokiness and spiciness.
Can this chili sauce be used for pho?
The sauce can be added to pho if you would like a bit of flavor kick. You can actually add it to any noodle soups when you need a bit of heat. This sate sauce is not the same as the bun bo hue sate. The recipe is slightly different.
Is this the same as sate chili oil?
They are the same since Vietnamese Sate Sauce has oil and chili in it. The Vietnamese sate sauce takes elements from Chinese chili oil but adds many of the popular Vietnamese aromatics to add more flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chili peppers: Thai chilis are spicy. They will add that super spicy kick to the sauce. I like this sate sauce a bit lighter in spice level so I only use 3 Thai chilis. You can increase and up more if you would like it super spicy. I keep the seeds and add it to the sate sauce. If you are looking to substitute the Thai chilis the closest pepper would be the cayenne peppers for the spice.
Garlic, shallots and lemongrass: These aromatics are going to add the full flavor to this sauce. The garlic will add that garlic flavor to the oil. I like using fresh lemongrass and chopping it up in a food processor. The lemongrass flavor comes out much better. However, if you are tight on time or feeling lazy the frozen finely chopped lemongrass in the frozen section is a good substitute. Use 1/2 cup.
Oil: Use a neutral oil. I like to use vegetable or canola oil. You can also use grape seed oil.
Gochugaru: Gochugaru is a Korean chili flake. It adds a nice kick and also gives the oil that signature red color. Feel free to add more if you would like more heat. An alternative is paprika. Add 1 tbsp. If you like it spicier you can also add cayenne pepper as well. Make a ratio of paprika and cayenne pepper if you are feeling adventuresome.
Fish sauce: Adds a nice umami flavor to the sauce.
Sugar, salt and soy sauce: Adds more flavor and gives it a nice elevated taste. Feel free to add more or less base on personal preference.
How to make my sate sauce recipe
Wash and dry the garlic, shallot, Thai chili peppers and lemongrass. Finely minced all either in a food processor or hand chop.
In a medium saucepan heat up the oil. Once hot add the garlic and shallot and fry for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Add the lemongrass and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly crispy.
Add the thai chili and gochugaru and cook for 5 minutes.
Lastly, lower the heat to medium-low and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Can I add MSG?
MSG is a popular ingredient to add to the sauce. I personally, don’t have it at home so I left it out. However, it does add extra umami flavor to the sauce. If you have some at home and wish to use it I would add ¼ tsp.
Expert Tips
Use fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients mean the flavor will come out more so than buying frozen or prepackaged.
Avoid using high heat. Making the sate sauce requires a bit pf patience and a watchful eye. Turning it up to high heat in hopes of cooking this faster is going to make a lower-quality sauce. You want to cook the aromatics so it infuses into the oil. This is where all the flavor will be when you add this to your dish or marinade.
Don’t burn the aromatics. Burnt aromatics will make the oil taste burnt. What you are aiming for is a light golden-brown color when frying in the oil.
How to serve
I like to add this to many Vietnamese dishes, stews, soups..etc. This honestly will go with anything that you have a nice flavorful kick.Its great for marinading meats like beef and chicken. Its great to top your sunny side eggs. If you are feeling lazy boil some noodles and spoon it over and mix it up to make some Sot sa te noodles.
Here is a list of recipes I love spooning a teaspoon to
Vietnamese Chicken Curry Ca ri ga
Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi with Asian Inspired Butter Sauce
Vietnamese Egg Meatloaf (Cha Trung Hap)
This is literally the most versatile sauce you will use and it will go with anything and everything.
How to store
Keep this in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for 1 month. When I know I have guest or planning a big meal I will take it out and leave it on the table for everyone to add to their soups. Leaving it out will bring it to room temperature.
If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.
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Vietnamese Lemongrass Sate Sauce (Sốt Sa tế)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup oil neutral
- 3 shallots finely minced
- ½ cup lemongrass finely chopped (Roughly 3 small stalks)
- 5 garlic cloves finely minced
- 3 Thai chili peppers
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes gochugaru
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Wash and dry the garlic, shallot, Thai chili peppers and lemongrass. Finely minced all either in a food processor or hand chop.
- In a medium saucepan heat up the oil. Once hot add the garlic and shallot and fry for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Add the lemongrass and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly crispy.
- Add the Thai chili and gochugaru and cook for 5 minutes.
- Lastly, lower the heat to medium-low and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
