XO sauce substitutes
XO sauce substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Chilli crisp plus chopped dried shrimp
2 tbsp chilli crisp + 1 tbsp finely chopped dried shrimp, to replace 2 tbsp XO
The closest practical substitute is chilli crisp with dried shrimp stirred through it: two tablespoons of chilli crisp plus one tablespoon of finely chopped dried shrimp replaces two tablespoons of XO sauce. If you have dried shrimp but no chilli crisp, fry a tablespoon of chopped dried shrimp with a clove of minced garlic in a tablespoon of oil and add chilli flakes, which gets you a rough homemade version in five minutes. For a stir-fry sauce rather than a spooned-on condiment, one tablespoon of oyster sauce with a teaspoon of chilli oil covers the savoury direction, though you lose the texture entirely.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- fried rice
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of XO sauce | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chilli crisp plus chopped dried shrimpfried rice | 2 tbsp chilli crisp + 1 tbsp finely chopped dried shrimp, to replace 2 tbsp XOWorks | Works |
| 2 | Homemade quick XO: dried shrimp fried in oil with garlic and chillifried rice | 1 tbsp chopped dried shrimp + 1 clove garlic + 1 tbsp oil + ½ tsp chilli flakes per 2 tbsp XOWorks | Works |
| 3 | Shiitake XO for a vegetarian versionvegetarian fried rice | 1 tbsp finely chopped rehydrated dried shiitake + fried garlic and shallot in 1 tbsp oil + chilli per 2 tbsp XOTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Oyster sauce plus chilli oilstir-fries | 1 tbsp oyster sauce + 1 tsp chilli oil per 2 tbsp XOYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chilli paste)stir-fry bases | 1 tbsp per 2 tbsp XO, and cut the recipe's salt or soyYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Shrimp paste or fish sauce plus chilli oilstir-fries | ½ tsp shrimp paste or 1 tsp fish sauce + 1 tsp chilli oil per 2 tbsp XOYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Chilli crisp plus chopped dried shrimp
similar taste and texture
The best available combination, because it brings both the crunchy solids and the fragrant oil.
- Best for
- fried rice, noodles, steamed fish, eggs, stir-fried greens, dumpling dipping
Chilli crisp supplies the oil, the fried garlic and the crunch, and the dried shrimp supplies the seafood depth XO is built on. It comes out more chilli-forward and less sweet than XO, with soy and garlic where XO has scallop, and the crunch is crisp rather than chewy-shredded. Soak the shrimp five minutes in hot water first if they are very hard.
Homemade quick XO: dried shrimp fried in oil with garlic and chilli
similar taste and texture
Twenty minutes of work that gets genuinely close, and the honest answer if XO is the point of the dish.
- Best for
- fried rice, noodles, steamed vegetables, tofu, clams
Soak and chop the shrimp, fry them gently in the oil with minced garlic and shallot until everything is deep golden, then stir in chilli. Add finely diced cured ham or a little chopped Chinese sausage if you have it. Missing the dried scallop, so it is less sweet and less complex than real XO, but it is recognisably the same idea.
Shiitake XO for a vegetarian version
different taste, similar texture
The seafood-free version, and good enough to make on purpose.
- Best for
- vegetarian fried rice, noodles, tofu, stir-fried greens, eggs
Mushrooms give a deep savoury base and the fried garlic and shallot give the aroma, so the structure of the condiment survives. It tastes earthier and sweeter and lacks the marine, slightly briny top note that dried scallop and shrimp provide. A splash of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar sharpen it up.
Oyster sauce plus chilli oil
different taste and texture
The fast fix when XO was going into a sauce rather than onto a finished dish.
- Best for
- stir-fries, noodle sauces, braises, marinades
The savoury direction is right and the chilli oil covers the heat and aroma, but this is smooth, sweet and wet where XO is chunky, dry and complex, and it adds liquid to the pan. Use it where the sauce is stirred through and never where XO would have been spooned over the top, because there is nothing to bite into.
Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chilli paste)
different taste and texture
The pantry chilli paste most likely to be in the cupboard, going in a different direction on purpose.
- Best for
- stir-fry bases, braises, noodles, mapo-style dishes
Much saltier and funkier, with fermented bean flavour instead of dried seafood, and no seafood sweetness at all. It works as a stir-fry base and it makes a good dish, but a doubanjiang fried rice is a Sichuan-tasting fried rice rather than an XO one. Fry it in oil for thirty seconds before adding anything else.
Shrimp paste or fish sauce plus chilli oil
different taste and texture
An emergency correction rather than a substitute.
- Best for
- stir-fries, noodles, fried rice, greens
This gets you the marine savoury hit and the chilli, and nothing else: no texture, no sweetness, no fried aromatics. Both are aggressive, so start with half the amount and taste. Shrimp paste must be fried in oil first or it tastes raw and harsh.
Questions
5 questionsCan I just leave XO sauce out?
Yes, if it is a finishing touch, and the dish will simply be plainer. If XO is named in the dish, such as XO fried rice or XO noodles, leaving it out removes the whole point, and you are better off making the quick homemade version with dried shrimp, garlic, shallot and chilli than serving the dish without it.
Is XO sauce very spicy?
Less than most people expect. It is savoury and aromatic first, with a moderate warm heat that varies a lot by brand, and some are barely spicy at all. If you need more heat, add chilli oil separately rather than doubling the XO, which will make the dish too salty.
Is XO sauce gluten-free or vegetarian?
It is neither, as a rule. It is built on dried shrimp and dried scallop, usually with cured ham, and many brands include soy sauce or Shaoxing wine, so labels need checking for gluten. For a vegetarian version, the shiitake, fried garlic and chilli oil combination gives you the same style of condiment without any seafood.
Can I use XO sauce instead of oyster sauce, or the other way round?
In one direction more than the other. A spoonful of oyster sauce plus a little chilli oil is a reasonable stand-in for XO in a stir-fry sauce. Going the other way is worse: XO is chunky and much saltier and it will not give you the glossy coating that oyster sauce provides, so add a little cornflour slurry and sugar if you try it.
Why is it called XO sauce, and does it contain alcohol?
The name borrows the XO grade used for aged cognac as a marker of luxury; the sauce was created in Hong Kong hotel kitchens in the 1980s. Most recipes contain no brandy, though some brands include a splash of Shaoxing wine or spirits, so check the label if that matters to you.
Tips for substituting XO sauce
5 tips- XO is a finishing condiment more than a cooking ingredient. Its aroma is fragile, so stir it in during the last thirty seconds or spoon it on at the table; simmered for ten minutes it turns into a generic savoury sauce and you have wasted expensive scallop.
- Use the oil in the jar, not just the solids. Most of the aroma lives in the oil, so stir the jar from the bottom and take some of each, and use the leftover oil to fry eggs or dress noodles.
- It is much saltier than it looks. A teaspoon per portion is plenty, and you should cut back the soy sauce or salt in the dish when you add it.
- Keep the jar in the fridge and always leave the solids submerged in oil. Anything sticking out above the oil line goes stale and rancid quickly, so top it up with neutral oil if you need to.
- It shines on plain food more than in complicated dishes: steamed fish, scrambled eggs, tofu, blanched greens, plain rice, boiled noodles. If a dish already has five loud ingredients, XO's subtlety is lost and a cheaper substitute will do the job just as well.