XO Sauce - Lee Kum Kee (2024)

FAQs

What is XO sauce made of? ›

Developed in the 1980s in Hong Kong for Cantonese cuisine, XO sauce is made of roughly-chopped dried seafood, including dried scallops (conpoy), fish and shrimp, which are cooked with chilli peppers, onions and garlic. This dried seafood-based sauce resembles the Fujianese shacha sauce.

Ingredients: Soybean oil, dried shrimps, dried scallops, chili peppers, shallots, oyster sauce (water, sugar, salt, oyster extractives (oyster, water, salt), modified corn starch, caramel color), dehydrated garlic, sugar, salt, shrimp roes, spices, disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate as flavor enhancers.

Chilli is another star of XO, although the sauce is not supposed to be unbearably spicy. Rather, the dried and fresh chillies should add a smokiness and zing, elevating the other ingredients, rather than overpowering them. “XO is primarily supposed to be aromatic, rather than in-your-face hot,” Frank says.

It's great in stir-fries and soups, it elevates noodle dishes, it's great with eggs, I love it through fried rice and I even use it on plain steamed rice for a salty, umami hit. It works great with steamed fish and adds an edge to dumpling dipping sauces.

Mineral-wise, Xo Sauce is a potent source of Sodium, with 2124.0mg per 100g. Additionally, it offers Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium, which are vital for heart function, muscle contractions, and bone health respectively.

Per The Spruce Eats, the ingredients that go into making XO sauce, along with the laborious process of making it which can take a couple of hours, are what really make the condiment so costly. The Woks of Life pointed out that the price is largely dependent upon the quality of the seafood used.

Oyster Sauce is made from boiled down oysters and is a pretty smooth sauce. It has a salty, sweet flavorful profile. XO sauce is made from a variety of dried seafood (like and scallops and shrimp and stuff) mixed with chilis. It's got a seafoody flavor with heat and is chunky in texture.

Although the sauce was named after the “XO” (extra old) designation for expensive, aged Cognacs, it doesn't contain any of its namesake alcohol.

Make-Ahead and Storage. XO sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one month. For storing, make sure to keep the solids in the sauce submerged in the oil, so that they don't dry out.

XO sauce should be kept in the jar and stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for about two years.

Can you use XO sauce as a dipping sauce? ›

It is also ideal for serving as a delicious dipping sauce to enhance the taste of all dishes.

Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Dried Shrimps, Dried Scallops, Chilli Peppers, Shallots, Oyster Sauce (Water, Sugar, Salt, Oyster Extract (Oysters, Water, Salt), Modified Corn Starch (1442), Colour (150a)), Dehydrated Garlic, Sugar, Salt, Shrimp Roes, Spices, Flavour Enhancers (631, 627).

XO sauce is full of flavor, mainly due to the concentrated taste of the dried seafood. It offers some spice along with the rich taste of umami and is an amalgamation of flavors, including sweet, smoky, and salty. This is a condiment that will dominate a dish with its intense taste.

The “XO”, which stands for “extra old” in the fancy-brandy trade, seems to have been appropriated to signify (or justify) the cost. In essence it's a coarse, oily chilli sauce, enriched and textured by shredded dried seafood.