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Home > Recipes > Condiments

Sukang Sawsawan: Spiced Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Published: Aug 24, 2020 • Updated: Sep 8, 2022 by: Mella • 4 Comments

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Sukang Sawsawan is a spiced vinegar dipping sauce made with vinegar, onions, garlic, and chili. It’s sour, tangy, spicy with a hint of sweetness. Perfect sawsawan for lechon kawali, crispy pata, lumpiang gulay, barbecue, and many more Filipino dishes.

Filipino Sukang Sawsawan with Fried Pork

Sukang Sawsawan: vinegar dipping sauce

If you loved the soy sauce and vinegar dipping sauce, you'll definitely love this sukang sawsawan too!

Oh yes, it is definitely sour but the spices and seasonings give it a nice balance of flavor. So, so, good with your favorite fatty dishes! Pangtanggal umay talaga!

What types of vinegar are good for sukang sawsawan?

There are many types of vinegar but these are the ones I recommend:

  • cane vinegar
  • distilled vinegar
  • white wine vinegar
  • coconut vinegar
  • rice vinegar (I recommend the manuka brand)

Noticed that I didn't include apple cider vinegar in the list. I find its smell and flavor are too overpowering to make it as a dipping sauce. But if you must use it, combine it with a milder vinegar to dilute 

Vinegar Dipping Sauce with onions

Uses for this spiced vinegar dipping sauce

Use this dipping sauce for any of your favorite Filipino food, especially the fatty and oily kinds, including:

  • Lechon Kawali
  • Lumpiang Gulay
  • Filipino Barbecue
  • Crispy Pata
  • Skinless Longganisa
  • Chicken Inasal
  • Lechon Belly
  • Chicken Tocino
  • Beef Tapa
  • Crispy Fried Pork belly
  • Buttered Shrimp
  • Halabos na Hipon

I also love this dipping sauce with pork belly adobo as it cuts down the saltiness of adobo. And, I often have it with pork tocino too, to help cut down the sweetness.

How to make it

Start by chopping the onions, garlic, and chili. To reduce the spiciness, remove or discard some of the seeds of the chili.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved. Let the sauce stand for around 20 to 30 minutes. This will marinate the raw onions and will make the sauce even more flavorful!

Taste before serving and adjust the seasonings as needed–add more sugar if you want it sweeter or salt if you want it saltier.

That is it! Easy peasy!

Shelf life and Storage

This vinegar dipping sauce can last up to 3 months if refrigerated properly.

Store in an air-tight glass jar or bottle. Refrigerate to keep the flavor fresh. Remember it should be air-tight as the onion smell can get stronger the longer it marinates.

Serve this dipping sauce with

  • Filipino Pork BBQ Skewers (Grill, Oven, or Air-Fry)
  • Beef Tapa for Tapsilog
  • Lechon Pork Belly with Crispy Crackling
  • Crispy Lechon Kawali (Air-fryer or Oven)

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Filipino Sukang Sawsawan with Fried Pork

Sukang Sawsawan–Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Sukang Sawsawan made with vinegar, onions, garlic, and chili. Sour, tangy, spicy with a hint of sweetness. Perfect sawsawan for lechon kawali, crispy pata, lumpiang gulay, barbecue, and many more Filipino dishes.
prep 5 mins
cook 5 mins
author: Mella
Servings 2 servings
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Equipment

  • 25 oz Airtight Glass Jar with Lid for small batch
  • 50 oz Airtight Glass Jar with Lid for big batch

Ingredients
 

SMALL BATCH

  • ½ cup cane vinegar (see note 1 for substitutes)
  • 2 tablespoon water (add more as needed)
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce/ patis
  • 2 teaspoon brown sugar (packed, add more if preferred)
  • 1 small red onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon whole black pepper
  • red or green chilies (chopped, to taste)
  • salt (to taste)

BIG BATCH TO KEEP

  • 2 cup cane vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 teaspoon fish sauce/patis
  • 2 ½ tablespoon brown sugar (add more if needed)
  • 1 large red onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 whole garlic (finely chopped)
  • 2-3 pieces green chilies (siling haba) (to taste)
  • 2 teaspoon whole black pepper
  • red chili (to taste)
  • salt (to taste)

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, add all ingredients. Whisk until sugar is dissolved.
  • Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Do a taste test. Add more salt, sugar, or black pepper based on preference. Note that the water will help lessen the sourness. Use less, if preferred.
  • Pour in an airtight glass container and keep in the fridge until needed.

Recipe Notes and Tips:

  1. Vinegar options: distilled vinegar, white wine vinegar, coconut vinegar, and rice vinegar (I recommend the manuka brand).
  2. Storage: This sauce can be made days ahead. Store in an air-tight glass jar or bottle. Refrigerate to keep the flavor fresh. Remember it should be air-tight as the onion smell can get stronger the longer it marinates.
  3. Variation: add diced cucumbers.
  4. Serving: calculation is based on the small batch ingredients
  5. Shelf-life: This can last up to 3 months if refrigerated properly.
Course : Dipping sauce
Cuisine : Filipino
Keyword : filipino sauce, sawsawan
Nutrition Facts
Sukang Sawsawan–Vinegar Dipping Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
70
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
478
mg
21
%
Potassium
 
161
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
16
g
5
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
9
g
10
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin C
 
10
mg
12
%
Calcium
 
36
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag @rivertenkitchen or leave a comment below!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Harv says

    December 30, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    Hi do we need fish sauce as I am missing that ingredient?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Riverten Kitchen (Mella) says

      December 30, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      You can substitute with salt. Start with just a pinch then adjust based on your preference.
      - Mella

      Reply
  2. Sofia says

    October 20, 2020 at 10:42 pm

    I know this is traditionally done with red onion, but I only have white on hand. Can I substitute? And should I adjust the other ingredients for taste?

    Reply
    • Mella says

      October 20, 2020 at 11:48 am

      Yes, you can also use white onion. And you can definitely adjust to taste.
      - M

      Reply

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My name is Mella and welcome to my blog. Here I share Filipino, Asian, and many easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy and happy cooking!

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