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XO Sauce Recipe (How to Make XO Sauce)
5 from 4 votes

XO Sauce Recipe (How to Make XO Sauce)

XO sauce is a spicy Chinese seafood sauce made from dried shrimp and scallops with chilies, garlic, and oil that adds flavor and umami to many dishes.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Soaking Time
2 hrs
Servings: 48 tablespoons
Calories: 27 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces scallop dried
  • 2 ounces dried shrimp
  • 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil or other neutral oil
  • 2 ounces jinhua ham or use other dry cured ham, country ham, or prosciutto
  • 1 shallot minced, large
  • 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ginger minced, large knob
  • 2 green onions minced
  • 2-3 Thai Chili pepper minced (or use bird's eye peppers, or milder peppers to your taste
  • 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar or use white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon chili flakes optional - or use a spicy chili powder
  • salt to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rehydrate the Dried Seafood. Rinse then add the dried scallops and shrimp to a heatproof bowl. Cover with very hot water and soak for at least 2 hours. Soaking overnight is good. Drain the scallops and shrimp, but reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Finely mince the shrimp and scallops with a knife, or use a food processor to pulse until finely shredded. Set aside.
  2. Cook the Meats. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Do not boil. Add the shrimp, scallops and cured ham. Cook for 5 minutes. 
  3. Cook the Vegetables. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chili peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the vegetables crisp up and turn golden brown.
  4. Add Liquids and Simmer. Add wine, reserved soaking liquid, brown sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock and chili flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens up.
  5. Finish the XO Sauce. When the consistency of the xo sauce reaches a moderately thick paste, turn off the heat and preserve the sauce in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Makes about 3 cups.
  • Other popular ingredients in xo sauce include fish sauce, fish stock, salted fish, mushrooms.
  • Store XO sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will last 1 month or longer this way.

Nutrition Information

Calories 27kcal (1%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 0.4g (2%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g (3%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Trans Fat 0.002g (0%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 100mg (4%) Potassium 18mg (0%) Fiber 0.1g (0%) Sugar 0.3g (1%) Vitamin A 56IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 8mg (1%) Iron 0.2mg (1%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 48 tablespoons

Amount Per Serving

Calories 27

% Daily Value*

Calories 27kcal 1%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.002g 0%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 100mg 4%
Potassium 18mg 0%
Fiber 0.1g 0%
Sugar 0.3g 1%
Vitamin A 56IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0.2mg 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.