Revealed: what XO sauce is made of and where it originated from

XO sauce was initially intended as a premium seafood condiment, but its distinctive flavour profile soon captivated palates beyond the realms of seafood dishes.

Pipis in XO sauce.

In the vast world of condiments (ok, your pantry), one gem stands out for its punchy flavour and slightly mysterious origins: XO sauce.

Although most of us have thrown ourselves headlong into a bowl of steaming pipis doused in the stuff, how much do you know about the ingredients, or its interesting history?

Developed in the 1980s in Hong Kong, XO sauce is a complex blend of dried seafood, such as dried shrimp and scallops, with chilli, onions, garlic, and sesame oil.

The name “XO” does not refer to the famous brandy but instead pays homage to the luxurious “extra old” label associated with high-quality aged spirits.

It’s a term that’s synonymous with prestige and luxury, and reflects the luxurious ingredients of shrimp and scallop. So very ’80s.

XO sauce is used in a lot of Asian-style dishes.

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Spring Moon, the Chinese restaurant of the Peninsula Hong Kong hotel, is often credited with the invention of XO sauce, although some claim it came from other nearby restaurants in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Kowloon.

XO sauce was initially intended as a premium seafood condiment, but its distinctive flavour profile soon captivated palates beyond the realms of seafood dishes.

Its combination of umami, spiciness, and depth of flavour, XO sauce has become a versatile ingredient, great for enhancing stir-fries, noodles, dim sum, and even elevating simple dishes like fried rice.

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Originally published as Revealed: what XO sauce is made of and where it originated from