Sawsawan (Filipino Vinegar Dipping Sauce)

Sawsawan is a Filipino vinegar-based dip that brightens up dishes with a sharp, tangy flavor. This is traditionally paired with grilled or fried foods to offset the heaviness and richness of the meal.

This vinegar-based dip reflects one that my parents used most of the time. No measurements are really needed for this recipe. It’s as straightforward as pouring vinegar into a dipping bowl, with the additions of chopped onions and/or chilies.

Like with many Filipino recipes, this is just one of many variations depending on your household preferences or what region you come from. This recipe covers both a single-use and a large batch option, which you can store for over longer periods of time.

What is sawsawan?

Sawsawan in Tagalog literally means “dip”, it’s an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of Filipino sauces based with vinegar.

Eaten primarily with grilled or fried foods, a sawsawan mainly functions as a condiment, an essential component with any Filipino meal to complete the dish.

The Philippines has had long history with vinegars, as it was mainly used in the Indigenous era (pre-colonial period) to preserve meats and fish from spoiling. Being such a foundational part of our culture, it was only natural that vinegar also became fundamental to Filipino cuisine as a whole.

Sawsawan has practical use in that it helps to cut the richness and heaviness of most grilled and/or fried Filipino foods. Think pairing sour kimchi with Korean barbecue, or pickled ginger balancing out the fatty slices tuna or salmon.

There are tons of variations for sawsawan -this is just one of many of them. Some versions will use soy sauce or liquid seasoning as the primary sauce, making the overall dip more salty and savory. Other versions will use a combination of soy sauce and calamansi (aka. toyomansi) to give it both a savory and zesty taste.

Ingredients (and substitutions!)

Vinegar: Cane or coconut vinegar would work best for this recipe, as these are what’s commonly used in the Philippines.

• Substitutions: Regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar are good substitutes.

Liquid seasoning: This adds a mild umami and savory taste to the dip.

• Substitutions: You may also use equal parts soy sauce or fish sauce.

White sugar: A little sweetness helps to balance out the otherwise very sharp, pungent flavor of the vinegar.

• Substitutions: Brown sugar can also work.

Red onion, garlic, cucumber: These ingredients help impart the vinegar with subtle flavor (more noticeable when marinated over time), and textural element to the dip itself.

• Substitutions: Red onion can be substituted with white or yellow. Cucumbers may be omitted, if preferred. I wouldn’t recommend omitting the onion and garlic as they are one of the foundational ingredients needed for most sawsawans.

Fresh Thai chilies: Similar to the onions and garlic, the spice from the chillies will begin to intensify over time. How you cut the chilies (either finely chopped or left whole), will also determine how spicy your dip will be.

• Substitutions: You can use dried whole chilies or chili flakes as substitute for fresh chilies.

Instructions

Add all the ingredients into a dipping bowl or glass mason jar (for larger batches).

Mix well to evenly distribute the seasonings and chopped aromatics. Taste and adjust with more salt and/or sugar if needed, to desired taste.

Use immediately as a dip, or you can alternatively let it sit longer to further intensify the flavor the vinegar. Serve with grilled or fried dishes.

Tips

Customize your sawsawan: If you’d like, you can add additional herbs and/or spices to your dip for a different flavor profile. Chopped ginger, lemon grass, or tamarind pastes are great starting points!

The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes: The vinegar is at its most pungent when the sawsawan is made fresh, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Letting the sauce sit for longer periods, however, gives the aromatics a chance to impart the vinegar with more flavor, making it more mellow, less sharp, and tastier.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How long can I store this for?

In general, this sawsawan (or any vinegar-based dips) can last for up to 3 months or more, since vinegar acts as the preservative.

That being said, be sure check on it every now and then for any signs of spoilage of the aromatics to determine if it’s still safe for consumption.

These could include odd/new growths in your jar, rancid or off smells with the vinegar, or a mushy/slimy texture of the aromatics.

What can I serve this with?

Like a condiment, sawsawan can be used for most dishes that require a touch of acidity and to cut out the richness and heaviness of the meal. Think fried chicken, crispy pork belly, barbecue beef, etc.

Here are some of my favorite dishes to pair this sawsawan with:

• Chicken Inasal
• Soy Marinated Short Ribs
• Street-Style Fried Chicken