Sriracha Mayo Recipe — Spicy BBQ Dipping Sauce
Sriracha mayo is a creamy, spicy dip you can mix in about two minutes using mayonnaise, sriracha and citrus. Flavour and heat depend on the brand and your preference. Use it as a dip or spread with BBQ dishes, wraps and fries.
Basic recipe for 4–6 small sauce servings
Ingredients
- 100 g mayonnaise, preferably full-fat for a creamy texture
- 2–3 tbsp sriracha, to taste
- 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
- Optional: 1 tsp honey
- Optional: 1 tsp sesame oil
This makes 4–6 small sauce servings; how much you need depends on how generously you serve it. Use commercially prepared mayonnaise or mayonnaise made with pasteurised egg for this version. Do not automatically apply the storage guidance to homemade mayonnaise containing raw egg.
Preparation
- Mix mayonnaise, sriracha and citrus juice in a clean bowl. Add optional ingredients if desired.
- Taste with clean cutlery. You can start with 1 tbsp sriracha and work towards the stated 2–3 tbsp; brands vary in sweetness, salt and heat.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate the clean sauce straight away.
Sriracha mayo variations
- Korean-inspired: use 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce and a pinch of ground ginger. If you already used the optional sesame oil in the base recipe, count it towards this amount; no second teaspoon is needed.
- Tex-Mex: add 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika and a splash of lime juice.
- Garlic: add 1 crushed garlic clove.
- Yogurt: replace half the mayo with Greek yogurt for a fresh flavour. Texture changes and fat content depends on the products used.
These are flavour ideas, not fixed traditional recipes. No particular sriracha brand is required.
Which dishes suit the sauce?
It also works as a BBQ burger spread or a dip for fries and sweet potato fries. Beyond BBQ, try it with sushi or a poké bowl. Serve to taste; it is not the only or compulsory sauce for Korean dishes.
Which rub pairs with it?
The Korean rub’s gochugaru and sesame make a different pairing from Tex-Mex cumin and chilli. Jamaican Jerk can add more heat to the meal. Overall heat depends on amounts, rub and sriracha brand, rather than a fixed flavour promise.
Refrigerated storage and clean serving
Store only clean, unused sauce covered at 4°C and use a conservative maximum of two days for this home preparation. This is not a tested shelf life for this particular mixture. A shorter use period on any ingredient takes priority; mixing does not extend its shelf life. Do not apply a blanket one-week period to the yogurt or garlic variations either.
Keep the reserve refrigerated and put out small servings. Do not leave the sauce unrefrigerated for more than two hours; in hot conditions the limit is shorter. Discard used dip and sauce stored too long or under uncertain conditions. Smelling or tasting does not establish safety.
Before contact with raw chicken, reserve a clean serving portion. Do not return a used brush or spoon to that reserve.
As a marinade or chicken finish
You can use the sauce as a flavour coating for chicken. The stated 1–2 hours of marinating is a practical option, not a required penetration time or a guarantee of juiciness or bark. Marinate covered in the refrigerator within the chicken’s storage life.
Use a separate portion for raw chicken and discard leftover raw-contact sauce. Remove excess clumps before grilling if needed; patting dry does not guarantee a better crust.
A thin coating during roughly the last five minutes can be an optional finish, but timing depends on heat and the dish. Avoid flames and watch for burning. Five minutes of finishing does not prove safe cooking: use a food thermometer to check chicken reaches at least 74°C in the thickest meat, avoiding bone, in several places. Use clean utensils for cooked chicken.
Frequently asked questions
How spicy is sriracha mayo?
It depends on brand and taste. The base recipe uses 2–3 tbsp per 100 g mayo. For milder sauce, start with 1 tbsp; for more heat, the previously suggested 3–4 tbsp or a pinch of cayenne are options. Taste a clean portion and adjust.
Can I use sriracha mayo as a marinade?
Yes, as a refrigerated flavour coating. Reserve clean dipping sauce first, use separate utensils and discard leftover sauce that has contacted raw food. Marinating does not replace safe cooking.
Is sriracha mayo gluten-free?
That depends on every product used. Check current labels for sriracha, mayonnaise and additions, especially soy sauce in the variation. For a strict gluten-free diet, do not rely on the product name alone.
Which allergens might it contain?
This depends on ingredients and brand. Mayonnaise may contain egg and mustard; sesame oil and the Korean rub contain sesame. The soy sauce version may contain soy and wheat, and the yogurt version milk. Check all labels and avoid unwanted cross-contact.