We prefer when things are loud, bold, and spicy—especially when it comes to our food. Life is short, so you may as well flavor-blast it, right? With a cult-following due to its perfect level of spiciness (it lies in the perfect sweet spot between eye-watering and thirst-inducing), Sriracha is by far one of our favorite condiments to add an instant burst of heat to any food. And trust us when we say any food.
Desserts, snacks, and comfort dishes alike all get an instant refresh with just a little bit of this Thai-inspired hot chili sauce. To bring some more warmth to our winter months, we found out some of our favorite food bloggers' favorite ways to use this fiery condiment. Check out how they add the sauce to every meal. But proceed with caution: This may tempt you to never eat a dish without Sriracha ever again.
Bake Your Day's Creamy Sriracha Pasta Bake
We like to consider ourselves serious mac and cheese fanatics (who doesn't?), but this recipe from Bake Your Day goes above and beyond the already near-perfect concoction that we know. White cheddar, Parmesan, and Colby Jack are melted into a thick, creamy bechamel sauce that is spiced with just a touch of nutmeg and oregano. Once the pasta is doused with the cheese sauce, a hearty serving of Sriracha adds a major zing. Breadcrumbs make a satisfying crispy topping and the dish is baked to golden, spicy, cheesy perfection.
PHOTO CREDIT: Cassie Laemmli, Bake Your Day
Hipster Food's Sriracha Bloody Mary
If you thought that Sriracha only belonged on food, think again. Take your boozy brunch from a zero to 100 (real quick) with a Bloody Mary recipe by Hipster Food that will seriously spice things up. Tabasco sauce may be the traditional Bloody Mary mix-in, but Sriracha brings in a different kind of spiciness that's sharper and more distinct. This recipe also adds in some liquid smoke for a drink that's rich and savory. Make one yourself in the morning to nurse your hangover with some heat.
PHOTO CREDIT: Cara Lynne, Hipster Food
Savory Simple's Sriracha Hummus
Cooking may not come naturally to everyone, but you don't have to be Ina Garten to whip up your own batch of dipping-ready hummus. Savory Simple breaks down the easy-to-make spread and adds in Sriracha for an extra punch. You're going to want to break out the food processor for this one, and you may never buy store-bought hummus again. With a recipe so simple yet so delicious, how could anyone resist?
PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Farley, Savory Simple
The Messy Baker's Chocolate Brownie Cookies With Sriracha Ganache
Spicy chocolate may sound weird, but once you try it out you'll never go back to bland baked goods again. Chili and chocolate are a time-tested combination, but The Messy Baker takes things to the next level with this decadent Sriracha ganache. Think chocolate sauce plus fire-roasted chilies drizzled over cookies baked to just the right consistency—cracked and crispy on the outside but gooey and melted on the inside. Now you won't be forced to choose between cookies or brownies ever again. Just combine them into one chocolaty treat—and top with a spicy kick for a gourmet touch.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jennie Phaneuf, The Messy Baker
Cookin' Canuck's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad With Sriracha Lime Dressing
Homemade salads can really be hit-or-miss. Sometimes the safest bet is to rely on your bodega salad bar for a meal that gets the dressing-leaf ratio down to a T. But with a salad dressing so satisfyingly spicy like this one from Cookin' Canuck, we're more than happy to say goodbye to our $10 salads in exchange for one we can easily whip up at home. Roasted butternut squash and black beans make this dish a hearty meal rather than a side dish and the five-ingredient Sriracha dressing is something we find ourselves making again and again. Eating our greens just got way more exciting.
PHOTO CREDIT: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck
How I Pinch a Penny's Sriracha Bacon
It's not like Sriracha doesn't already have a place of honor in our breakfast nook. We basically rely on Rooster sauce to amp up our scrambled eggs and omelettes for a protein-packed meal. But for a morning meal that's a bit more indulgent and just as spicy, it only makes sense that we break out the bacon. How I Pinch a Penny coats bacon in Sriracha and brown sugar before baking for crispy slices that are even more deliciously savory than usual—we're already drooling just thinking about them. Bonus: By baking your bacon instead of frying it, you'll be left with more room on your stovetop to whip up an impressive brunch.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Mock, How I Pinch a Penny
Baker By Nature's Spicy Ramen Noodle Soup
It's cheap, it's delicious, and it's easy to make: We could wax poetic about ramen for days. But with a couple extra ingredients and a little bit of Sriracha, the official meal of broke babes everywhere is transformed into a restaurant-quality dish. Baker By Nature's 20-minute meal makes for a seriously tasty weeknight meal or midnight snack that won't break the bank. As tempting as it is to order takeout whenever we need a quick, flavorful dinner, this recipe helps us to stop ordering delivery every other night—sorry, Seamless.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ashley Manila, Baker By Nature
Bake Your Day's Spicy Sriracha Popcorn
If Olivia Pope was feeling particularly fiesty, we like to think that she'd squirt some hot sauce onto her ever-present bowl of popcorn. Whether you need a snack for your latest Scandal binge or you'd like to take your movie treat to the next level, Bake Your Day seriously knows how to amp up popcorn with Sriracha, garlic powder, and ginger. The finger food completely changes the late-night snacking game, and we're not complaining.
PHOTO CREDIT: Cassie Laemmli, Bake Your Day