Tamarind sauce glaze is a sweet-and-sour chutney-style sauce made with tamarind paste, hot water, salt, cayenne, and warm spices like cumin and coriander. It’s quick and works well for a weeknight dip or glaze for everything from samosas and pakoras to chicken wings and grilled meats. Unlike store-bought tamarind chutney that can taste one-note and overly sweet, this version is a 5-minute microwave tamarind sauce recipe you can tweak for sweet, spicy, or extra tangy balance.
What Is A Tamarind?
Tamarind is a tree that produces edible tropical fruit. The tamarind tree grows pods that have an edible pulp inside.
Tamarind concentrate is what I used for this tamarind chutney sauce. It can be difficult for some to find in stores. If you have trouble finding it, you can purchase tamarind concentrate here.
What Does Tamarind Sauce Taste Like?
The flavor of tamarind chutney can vary depending on how you adjust the recipe. It can be anything from a sweet sauce or chutney to a tart sauce. Here's how to modify it to your liking:
- Sweet. Add more sweetener of your choice for a sweet tamarind chutney.
- Spicy. Add more cayenne to kick up the spice on this tamarind chutney sauce.
- Tangy. Make the recipe as is. Add more tamarind paste to taste.
What Is Tamarind Sauce Made Of?
This sauce is made mostly of concentrates and spices. Here are the ones I used:
- 1 TBSP Tamarind Paste- The star ingredient and flavor base. It brings the signature tangy, slightly sour, and fruity taste that defines tamarind sauce or chutney.
- 1/2 Cup Water- Helps dissolve the paste and spices, adjusting consistency depending on whether you want a thicker chutney or a thinner sauce/glaze.
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt- Enhances all the flavors, balancing the sweet, spicy, and tangy notes so the sauce isn’t flat.
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper- Adds heat and a subtle smokiness, giving the sauce its spicy kick.
- 1 TBSP Agave Nectar- Provides natural sweetness to balance the tartness of tamarind. It also gives the sauce a smoother, more rounded flavor.
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin- Infuses earthy, warm undertones that complement tamarind’s brightness and add depth to the overall flavor.
- 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander- Brings a citrusy, slightly floral note that pairs beautifully with tamarind, making the sauce taste more vibrant.
- 1/2 tsp Splenda- A sugar substitute that lightens the sweetness without adding calories. It balances the tart tamarind while keeping the sauce diabetic-friendly or lower in sugar.
Traditional Indian tamarind chutney uses jaggery (a coarse dark brown sugar made in India by evaporation of the sap of palm trees) and ground ginger, and is cooked for a long time. But not everyone has those things in their kitchen, so I made it with ingredients that are more easily accessible.
If you have ground ginger, you can add 1/4 teaspoon and try it. Add more to taste, as it can be a little spicy.
Can I Make Tamarind Chutney With Dried Tamarind?
Yes, you can. If you can get dried tamarind pods, soak the pods in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Then use your fingers to squeeze out the tamarind pulp.
This will be less concentrated than the tamarind paste that you can buy so you may need to use a ball of tamarind about the size of your fist. Soak and squeeze twice.
How To Make Tamarind Sauce
Have you been wondering how to make tamarind chutney? It's as easy as these simple steps:
- Mix. Combine water and tamarind paste until all lumps have dissolved.
- Add. All other ingredients.
- Microwave. 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Taste and adjust. You want a good mix of hot (cayenne), sweet (agave & Splenda), spiced (cumin & coriander), and tart (tamarind).
- Serve.
Tamarind Chutney is basically just a thicker version of this and is generally used for dipping Indian fried foods like samosas or pakoras.
For a thicker tamarind chutney recipe, use less water. For thinner tamarind sauce or glaze, add more water. Otherwise, it's the same exact recipe.
Tips And Tricks
Making homemade tamarind sauce at home is quick and easy, but a few simple tricks can help you perfect the balance of flavors every time.
- Adjust the consistency. Use less water for a thick chutney-style dip, or more water if you want a pourable glaze.
- Balance the flavors. Taste as you go. Try to add extra sweetener if it’s too tart, more cayenne if you like heat, or a pinch more salt to round things out.
- Use fresh spices. Ground cumin and coriander lose potency over time, so using fresh spices makes the sauce more aromatic and flavorful.
Variations
One of the best things about tamarind sauce is how easy it is to customize. Whether you love it sweet, spicy, or extra tangy, here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Sweet- Add more agave nectar, honey, or even jaggery for a rich sweetness that balances the tartness. This version pairs beautifully with fried snacks like samosas or pakoras.
- Spicy- Kick up the cayenne or stir in a little chili powder, red chili flakes, or hot sauce for a bold, fiery bite. This is great with grilled meats, kababs, or wings.
- Tangy- Increase the amount of tamarind paste for a sharper, more tart flavor. Perfect as a glaze for roasted vegetables or as a dipping sauce when you want that extra punch.
What Do You Use Tamarind Sauce For?
When people go into Indian restaurants in the US, they often get served mint chutney and tamarind chutney together with roasted or fried papads.
Though delicious, this is not how it's traditionally consumed.
- Samosas
- Bhel
- Kachoris
- Kababs
- Dahi Wada
- Savory Potato Patties
- French Fries
- Veggies
Basically, it's good for everything. Especially my favorite Indian Street Foods.
How Long Does It Last?
Tamarind sauce typically lasts up to 1 week in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. The flavors actually deepen as it sits, making it taste even better after a day or two.
Can You Freeze Tamarind Chutney?
For longer storage, you can freeze tamarind sauce in small portions, such as ice cube trays or freezer-safe jars, for up to 3 months.
Just thaw what you need in the fridge overnight or reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
The difference between tamarind paste vs tamarind concentrate vs tamarind sauce mostly comes down to strength and added ingredients.
Tamarind paste is usually pure (or near-pure) tamarind pulp with a thick texture and tangy flavor, making it the most common base for a homemade tamarind sauce.
Tamarind concentrate is a more reduced, stronger form (often thicker and more intense), so you typically use less and dilute it when following a tamarind sauce recipe.
Tamarind sauce is a ready-to-use, seasoned product that is often sweetened and sometimes salted/spiced, and is meant for quick use as a tamarind dipping sauce or shortcut for dishes like tamarind sauce for pad thai. It can be less tart and sweeter than a sauce made from paste or concentrate.
To thin the tamarind sauce, whisk in warm water or broth a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. This works best for a tamarind dipping sauce or tamarind sauce for pad thai when it’s too thick to coat noodles evenly.
If you’re starting from tamarind paste, dilute it with warm liquid first, then adjust the seasoning so it doesn’t taste washed out. If you used tamarind concentrate, add a bit more water and stir well since it’s extra strong.
Warm the sauce gently and whisk to smooth out any lumps, then taste and rebalance the sweet-tart flavor if needed.
If your homemade tamarind sauce is too sour, balance the acidity by adding a sweetener in small increments (½–1 tsp at a time), which is the quickest fix for a sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce or tamarind sauce for pad thai.
Next, add a tiny pinch of salt to round out the flavor and reduce the sharp “pucker” effect, then simmer for a minute so the taste smooths out.
If it’s still aggressively tart, dilute slightly with a splash of warm water to soften the intensity. This is especially helpful if you started with tamarind concentrate, which is stronger than tamarind paste. Taste after each adjustment until it lands in that sweet-tangy balance.
If you don’t have tamarind, the best tamarind sauce substitute is a quick sweet-tart combo. Use lime or lemon juice plus a little brown sugar (or another sweetener) to mimic tamarind’s tangy, fruity acidity. It's great in an easy tamarind sauce recipe or when you need a shortcut tamarind sauce for pad thai.
For extra depth, add a small splash of vinegar (rice or apple cider) and a pinch of salt to round it out, then taste and adjust until it hits that sweet-and-sour balance.
It won’t be identical, but it’ll get you very close in marinades, stir-fries, and dipping sauces.
The difference between tamarind sauce and pad thai sauce is that tamarind sauce is usually a more general sweet-tart condiment used as a tamarind dipping sauce, glaze, or stir-fry booster. Pad Thai sauce is a specific, balanced blend built for noodles. It's typically made from combining tamarind (paste or concentrate) with sweet and salty elements to create that signature sweet-sour-savory flavor that coats pasta evenly.
In other words, tamarind sauce for pad thai can be a component, but true pad thai sauce is a more complete, ready-to-cook seasoning mix designed specifically for pad thai’s taste and texture.
If you’re wondering why your tamarind sauce is bitter, it’s usually because the tamarind base is too concentrated, or the sauce was simmered too long, which can make the tart notes taste harsh.
Bitterness can also come from scorched garlic/onion if you sautéed aromatics too hot before building a homemade tamarind sauce.
To fix it, thin the tamarind sauce with a little warm water, then rebalance with a small amount of sweetener and a pinch of salt. Gently warm (don’t aggressively boil) and taste as you go until it returns to a smooth, sweet-tangy profile.
Want More Indian Recipes?
It can be hard to find in stores, so it's best to know how to make it whenever you want it, especially since it's so simple! I also make this Indian Green Chutney that's amazing too!
So, if you are looking for the perfect addition to your Indian meal, you HAVE to make this tamarind sauce. If you love it as much as I do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pin it to make it again later.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) concentrated tamarind paste
- 1/2 cup (1 tablespoon) hot water
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) agave nectar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoons (0.5 teaspoons) Ground Coriander
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Splenda
Instructions
- Mix water and tamarind paste together until all lumps have been dissolved.
- Add all other ingredients.
- Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Taste and adjust. You want a good mix of hot (cayenne), sweet (agave & Splenda), spiced (cumin & coriander) and tart (tamarind).
- Serve with fritters, latkes, tater tots, french fries, or use as a glaze for grilled meats and cooked chicken wings.
- If you're making this with tamarind pods, soak the peeled tamarind for 30 minutes and then using your fingers or a strainer, remove the tamarind pulp and discard the pith. Then proceed as recommended.
- You can sub honey and sugar for the Agave and Truvia if you don't need to stay low carb.
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Nutrition
Don't forget to check out my other Keto cookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats, and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
AshleyThompson
This is so yummy when used as a dipping sauce for samosas. A little bit of this and a little bit of mint chutney makes for a perfect appetizer spread!
HoraceDib
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Roy Calder
Absolute disaster as the moisture went on fire and burned through the mixing bowl. Are you sure it is 1 Tablespoon of water and not 1 Cup?
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Kaddie Abdul
Great recipe! You can easily adjust the sweetness and thickness