Is Sriracha Sauce Vegan Friendly? What’s The Truth?
Sriracha is a delicious spicy sauce that everyone should try.
But is sriracha sauce vegan friendly ?
We’ve made sure you have a good overview of the vegan choices on the market so you don’t miss anything!
The sauce is produced with a few simple components, including red chili peppers.
However, if you like cooking and testing different recipes, you can always prepare it at home.
In our post, you’ll find homemade vegan Sriracha recipe that you may try and enjoy.
Sriracha sauce may be produced vegan without risk, however it is not healthful.
It, like all condiments, should be consumed in moderation.
What Is Sriracha Sauce?
Sriracha, a famous red chili sauce, is world-famous.
It is also known as “rooster sauce.”
As you may know, Huy Fong Foods is the most well-known brand in California.
This hot sauce comes from Si Racha on the eastern coast of Thailand.
Thanom Chakkapak was the original maker of rooster sauce.
She initially shared it only with her friends.
The feedback was so positive that she began commercially producing the sauce.
Sriraja Panich was the original producer of Sriracha Sauce.
It was mostly sold in Thailand.
It is still possible to find it in Thailand or with online sellers.
In the 1980s, America got the sriracha sauce that we love and know.
It all began when Davit Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant, founded Huy Fong Foods.
He began making his own version of the sauce, the Huy Fong Sriracha Sauce.
Although a few brands make sriracha sauces, the Huy Fong brand is the most well-known and popular.
When someone mentions Sriracha sauce, most people immediately think of the Huy Fong Sriracha Sauce.
It has a green cap and a famous rooster.
But is sriracha sauce vegan?
Let’s take a look!
Is Sriracha Vegan?
Sriracha is a spicy chili sauce from Southeast Asia, mainly Thailand and Vietnam.
It contains chilies, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and other hot sauces.
There are slight regional variations between the major brands.
It is not important for those who eat a plant-based diet if Sriracha can be made vegan.
There is no simple answer.
Like 90% of the topics we discuss in our Is it vegan? series of articles, the answer to this question is mixed.
It is easiest to say that most sriracha sauces are vegan, but there are some exceptions.
Let’s look at what ingredients are in Srirachasriracha to understand why it is so popular and what vegans need to know.
Sriracha Sauce Ingredients
These are the ingredients of the Huy Fong sriracha.
- Chili – Clearly vegan.
- Sugar –Some sugars are vegan while others are not. It all depends on whether it was made with bone char (from cattle bones). You can read more about this below.
- Garlic – Vegan.
- Salt – Vegan.
- Distilled Vinegar – Vegan
- Potassium Sorbate It’s synthetically made without animal products and is vegan-friendly.
- Salt bisulfite – A synthetic ingredient that can be obtained from baking soda.
- Xanthan Gum – Xanthan is a type of Xanthan that’s typically vegan. It’s made from fermenting bacteria.
These are mainly vegan, although the sugar raises some questions.
Why Some Sugar Isn’t Vegan
The conclusion is that a large chunk of sugar in North America is made from bone char and is not vegan.
Although the label might suggest otherwise, Srirachasriracha is made by Huy Fong Foods in California.
Despite this, vegans may not believe it practical to avoid sugar.
This is up to you.
We don’t know if the ingredient list contains sugar, so we can’t tell if it is vegan.
If you are willing to take that risk, it is up to you.
Summary: Is Sriracha Sauce Vegan?
Vegan-friendly versions of Sriracha sauce are possible.
Depending on the amount of sugar used.
Huy Fond Sriracha sauce is suitable for vegans who don’t mind eating sugar filtered through bone char.
Is Sriracha Sauce Healthy?
Three Problematic Ingredients
It’s not that easy.
Sriracha might be vegan, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy and nutritious.
Vegan chocolate is also available, but you shouldn’t eat it every day.
So, let’s get into more details.
#1 Sugar
One teaspoon is the recommended amount of Srirachasriracha.
One teaspoon of Srirachasriracha will have approximately 100mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar.
For comparison, a teaspoon of ketchup has 50 mg of sodium and 1.2g of sugar.
This might sound discouraging since nearly everyone uses ketchup.
We also know that it isn’t the most healthy condiment.
Consider how you use each condiment.
When using sriracha sauces, or any other chili sauce, we usually limit ourselves to only 1-2 spoons.
We would, however, slather ketchup on our food if we were using it.
#2 Xanthan Gum
Another problem is the xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum is a well-known food additive.
It is usually added to foods to thicken or stabilize them.
It can be made from wheat, soy, and corn.
People with wheat, soy, and corn allergies or intolerances may experience allergic reactions to xanthan gum.
Worse, buyers don’t know where an ingredient was sourced unless producers provide this information.
Xanthan gum can also be made with a lactose-based base.
This is rare and must be stated on the label.
#3 Sulfites And Other Allergens
Many people are allergic or sensitive to sulfites.
Be sure to read the labels carefully to avoid any allergic reactions.
Sriracha may not be the most healthy condiment, but it is safe to eat in moderation.
Huy Fong also makes chili garlic sauce without sugar.
Some brands use shrimp paste.
This is not only an allergen, but also it’s not vegan.
Huy Fong Sriracha Sauce isn’t vegan.
As I mentioned, the most well-known sriracha sauce doesn’t exist for vegans.
Although the Huy Fong Sriracha Sauce can be found in many restaurants and stores, the 2017 statement by the representatives clearly warns vegans against their sauce.
“Unfortunately, our products cannot be vegan due to the processing our sugar undergoes during its production.”
Representatives of Huy Fong
They use bone char to process sugar.
Huy Fong also supports the meat industry by purchasing bone char products that it would otherwise dispose of.
Always read the label, just like any other product you are unsure about.
Before you purchase sauce, make sure to research the ingredients.
To find the best sauce for you, visit each brand’s website.
If you are still uncertain, you can call or email the manufacturer’s support team and ask any questions you may have.
List Of Vegan Sriracha Sauces
Flying Goose Sriracha Hot Chilli Sauce
Flying Goose calls vegan.
On the company website, vegan products are clearly marked.
Organicville Sriracha
Vegan.org has certified it as vegan.
Yellowbird Organic Sriracha
Yellowbird claims that all sauces they make are vegan and clearly labeled on the bottles.
Organic Sriracha
Vegan according to Natural Value.
Kitchen Garden Farm Sriracha Chili Sauce
All sugar, vinegar, chilies, and garlic used are organic.
“Yes, our Sriracha is Vegan!”
Organic vinegar is made from corn.
We also use organic cane sugar.
Non-Vegan Sriracha Sauces
These brands are not vegan because they contain ingredients from animals like Worcestershire Sauce (which includes fermented anchovies), eggs, and honey.
- Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha & Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce (contains Worcestershire sauce)
- Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Mayonnaise (contains egg)
- Stonewall Kitchen Honey Sriracha Barbecue Sauce (contains honey)
- Heinz Honeyracha (contains honey)
- Terrapin Ridge Farms Sriracha Aioli Garnishing Squeeze (contains egg)
How To Make Your Vegan Sriracha
If you have the time and desire to make your own Sriracha sauce, it is a great way to ensure that you only use vegan-friendly ingredients.
It is easy to make Srirachasriracha.
This will allow you to control your final product’s sugar, heat, and quality.
Vegan Sriracha Recipe
Like many others on our website, this recipe is flexible and not a science.
You can experiment with it.
It is difficult to get the right heat, sweetness, and acidity, but this is a good starting point.
Although you can make the sauce without fermentation, it will produce a completely different result.
This method is faster and easier, but it will not produce sriracha sauce.
However, the final product will still taste great.
Ingredients
- 200g red jalapenos
- Red serrano chilies 100g – unnamed chilies found in supermarkets are usually serrano
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15g vegan brown sugar
- 6g salt
- 35ml water
- White vinegar 50ml
Method
Blend Mix all ingredients except the vinegar until it forms a smooth mixture.
Ferment Mixture in a sterile glass container.
Cover with a clean cloth.
Relax
Heat Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat until you reach your preferred consistency.
Keep the sauce in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator.
The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks.
It will improve with age because the fermentation process continues slowly.
Some people strain the mixture before they cook to get rid of the pulp and seeds, but we prefer to keep them in.
Enjoy!
Conclusion
Sriracha is a hot sauce that everyone should enjoy.
We’ve made sure that you have an overview of vegan options on the market so that you don’t miss any!
The sauce is made with only a few ingredients, such as red chili peppers.
However, you can always make it at home and try new recipes if you enjoy cooking and trying new things.
You can find various Sriracha recipes in our article, which you can then try and enjoy.
Sriracha sauce can be safely made vegan, but it is not healthy.
It should be enjoyed with moderation, just like all condiments.
