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XO Sauce

Hong Kong relish of dried scallop, dried shrimp, chilli and ham.

XO Sauce — illustrative ingredient image

About XO Sauce

XO sauce is a Hong Kong relish made with dried scallop, dried shrimp, chilli, and ham. It is used as a concentrated condiment or cooking ingredient, especially with noodles, rice, seafood, vegetables, and stir-fries. The name identifies a style of savoury seafood-and-meat relish rather than one universal recipe.

Its flavour is intensely savoury, aromatic, salty, and spicy, with pronounced dried-seafood and cured-ham notes. Chilli heat varies, as do sweetness, oiliness, and the balance between coarse solids and smooth paste. It may taste especially rich when warmed and dispersed through a dish.

XO sauce is generally sold as a prepared relish in a jar, with visible minced or shredded ingredients suspended in oil or a thick seasoning base. It can be spooned into a pan during cooking or served as a finishing condiment. Heating softens and spreads its flavour through the food.

Ingredient type
sauce

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Where xo sauce appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for xo sauce

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

XO sauce

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

XO Sauce nutrition & diet

XO Sauce nutritional value

Product example: XO SAUCE (Lee Kum Kee Co. Ltd.)

Per 100 g of this specific product as recorded by USDA, per 100 g.

Calories
625kcal
Protein
18.8g
Carbs
12.5g
Fat
56.3g

A product-specific label example, not a generic average. Formulations can change; use the nutrition label on the product being eaten.

Portions & preparation

Treat XO Sauce as a concentrated relish and reference the exact brand or recipe, since dried seafood, ham, oil, chili, aromatics, and seasonings vary. Separate the sauce portion from the noodles, rice, or other food it flavors. Cooking distributes its ingredients through the finished dish.

Compare the right form: Match a reference to the specific XO Sauce recipe or brand, including dried scallop, dried shrimp, ham, oil, and the stated edible serving.

Diet considerations

This sauce combines animal-derived seafood and pork with plant ingredients and processing oils. It is not a plain plant condiment, and compatibility changes with the exact ham, seafood, stock, or seasoning formulation. Finished dishes may also add wheat noodles, coatings, dairy, egg, or other ingredients that alter dietary suitability.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central branded product — XO SAUCE ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .