Tiger Sauce Recipe: A Spicy Treat for Everyone

It is no secret that the well-known tiger sauce pairs incredibly well with meat and poultry. A moderately spicy blend, tiger sauce especially pairs well with Cajun foods. The good thing about tiger sauce is that it is spicy enough to add a unique flavor, but not to an uncomfortable degree, and also adds a sweeter taste to your meals, at the same time. There is a chance that you’ve tried this cayenne pepper blend at some point and were instantly addicted. After all, tiger sauce is a versatile dip that enhances the flavor of your ordinary sandwich or even soup; with rice, eggs, and salads being good choices, too. It is the ultimate go-to dip sauce to treat your family, friends, and guests. 

The good news is that it is also relatively easy to make at home. Lucky for you, our copycat tiger sauce recipe doesn’t lack the authentic flavor of the original. With pretty accessible ingredients and a shorter preparation time, this recipe is a lifesaver. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storage
• Easy Tiger Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil — ½ cup.
• Flour — ½ cup.
• Cayenne pepper — ½ tsp.
• Garlic powder — ¼ tsp.
• Onion powder — ¼ tsp.
• Black pepper — ¼ tsp.
• Tomato sauce — 1 can, 15-ounce.
• White vinegar — ¼ cup.
• Water — ¼ cup.
• Worcestershire sauce — 1 tbsp.
• Hot sauce — ½ tbsp., Louisiana-style.

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the oil and flour and stir until the mixture becomes smooth.

2. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, and stir until well combined.

3. Add the tomato sauce, vinegar, water, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, and stir until well combined.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly.

6. In a blender or food processor, blend the sauce until it is smooth.

7. Pour the sauce into a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to one week.

Substitutions

• Worcestershire sauce — Although you’ll only need one tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, there is a good chance that you might not have it. One of the ideal substitutes for Worcestershire sauce is soy sauce. 1 tbsp. of soy sauce won't give the same taste as the former, but you won’t lack the umami taste. If that won’t do the job for you, you can also opt for mixing soy sauce with ketchup, a pair that compliments each other well. Mixing ½ tbsp. soy sauce and ½ tbsp. ketchup will be enough.

• Hot sauce — For the Louisiana-style hot sauce, we recommend opting for a cayenne base. However, it ranks above average on the Scoville rating, which means it has the potential to make your tiger sauce really hot, if used more than necessary. Therefore, we don’t recommend using more than ½ tbsp., so that your tiger sauce could end up mildly hot, as it is supposed to be. If you don’t have access to a Louisiana-style hot sauce, opting for tabasco sauce would be a safe bet.

• White vinegar — Short on white vinegar? No worries. Though it might be hard to replace the harsh and strong flavor it adds to your recipes, you still have some options. If you don’t have any problems with using wine, white wine vinegar is the first substitute that comes to mind, even though it does not have as strong a taste. Apple cider vinegar is a strong second option.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons and cups.

• Blender.

• Large saucepan.

Storage

• Use a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to one week.