Rick's Szechuan Sauce
The dark sweet-and-sour dipping sauce: a soy base with honey, ginger and garlic — the one Rick would go anywhere for.
In Rick and Morty the mad-genius scientist Rick declares that his whole motivation is to get a special Szechuan sauce, and an entire episode turns into a chase for it. We made a home version of that dark sweet-and-sour dipping sauce for nuggets: rich, glossy and mildly spicy. It comes together in ten minutes in a single pan.
🧺 Ingredients
🍽 6 servings👩🍳 Method
- 1
Base
In a saucepan combine soy sauce, honey, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil and 80 ml water, set over medium heat.
- 2
Aromatics
Add minced garlic, grated ginger and chili flakes, and warm for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- 3
Thicken
Dissolve the starch in the remaining 20 ml cold water, stir into the sauce and keep stirring until it thickens and turns glossy.
- 4
Serve
Take off the heat and let it cool slightly — it will thicken a little more — then serve with nuggets, fries or meat.
💡 Tips
- 💡
Always dissolve the starch in cold water — in hot liquid it instantly clumps.
- 💡
Adjust the heat with chili flakes at the very end, tasting as you go.
🔄 Swaps & variations
- 🔄
Richer and darker: add a spoon of oyster sauce for deeper umami.
- 🔄
Fruity note: stir in a spoon of orange or pineapple juice in place of some water.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is this really the sauce from Rick and Morty?
In the show Rick is obsessed with a special Szechuan sauce and will do anything for it — a whole episode is built around the chase. Our recipe is a home reconstruction of that dark sweet-and-sour dip in the spirit of the scene.
What do I serve this sauce with?
Chicken nuggets are the classic, but it is great with fries, fried chicken, battered shrimp and even rice.
Can I store the sauce?
Yes, in a sealed jar in the fridge it keeps up to a week. Before serving warm it slightly or let it come to room temperature.
What if the sauce turns out too thick?
Just add a spoon or two of water and warm it, stirring. The sauce thickens noticeably as it cools, so this is normal.