If you’ve always associated Starbucks with coffee, specialty drinks, and Italian-inspired sandwiches and pastries, you may be surprised to learn that they added Sriracha, a typically Asian spicy sauce, to their condiments a few years ago.
If you have questions about how to get yourself some packets of Starbucks Sriracha sauce, what the sauce contains, and where to buy it, read on to learn what I found out!
Why Does Starbucks Carry Sriracha?
Starbucks added spicy sriracha sauce to their list of condiments in 2016 due to customer requests and feedback. Customers can get small complimentary packets of Sriracha sauce on request to go with their breakfast sandwiches and salads, and the sauce is used as an ingredient in some sandwiches, like the Honey BBQ Sriracha Chicken sandwich.
If you’d like to learn more about when Starbucks introduced sriracha sauce, what kind of sriracha sauce Starbucks uses, and more, keep reading this article for more facts and tips!
When Did Starbucks Introduce Sriracha Sauce?
Even though Starbucks introduced Sriracha sauce to its line-up of condiments in 2016, it’s still not something that many people know about.
Those who do know will ask the barista for a few packets of spicy sauce to enjoy with their sandwiches and salads.
Apparently, Starbucks decided to introduce Sriracha sauce because many people requested it, and the company has a reputation for responding to customer feedback and requests.
However, another likely reason for introducing the sauce is that Starbucks may have decided that sriracha sauce is a great compliment to their sandwiches and salads.
What Kind of Sriracha Sauce Does Starbucks Use?
Starbucks uses its own brand of sriracha sauce, which may be a little milder than the version you’d likely find in Asian restaurants.
These are the ingredients of the Starbucks Sriracha sauce:
- Distilled vinegar
- Cayenne peppers
- Sugar
- Salt
- Puree (jalapeno peppers, salt, citric acid)
- Water
- Carrot fiber
- Dried garlic
- Natural flavors
- Xanthan gum
- Spice
- Paprika
Additionally, when used as a seasoning in the Honey BBQ Sriracha Chicken sandwich, Sriracha sauce is mixed with BBQ sauce for a spicy kick.
Can You Buy Starbucks Sriracha?
Unfortunately, you can’t buy Starbucks Sriracha sauce yet, but only get those little free packets along with your order.
Currently, Starbucks gives customers free packets of Sriracha sauce with breakfast egg sandwiches, salads, etc., and customers may also simply request a packet of sauce when filling their order.
Many customers will request multiple packets with their order to save for later, which Starbucks baristas are happy to do for customers.
Therefore, if you want to use the sriracha sauce at a later date, you can simply ask for extra packets when placing an order and save them in your fridge.
How Do I Use Starbucks Sriracha Sauce?
You can use your complimentary packets of Starbucks Sriracha sauce to enliven your breakfast egg sandwiches as a substitute for regular hot sauce.
You can also add sriracha to salads and Starbucks paninis to give them a little spicy kick.
Also, if you do take some packets home, you can use them as a condiment with soups, sandwiches, wraps, omelets, rice dishes, and just about anything else.
Where Do I Buy Sriracha Sauce?
While Starbucks doesn’t sell its sriracha brand, sriracha sauce has become a common condiment in the American food landscape and is no longer so difficult to find.
In fact, you can find the original Huy Fong brand of sriracha sauce from Thailand (with the rooster logo) in the Asian or international foods section of any major grocery store.
If there’s an Asian grocery store nearby, you’ll find a wide selection of sriracha sauces there. As well you can buy spicy sauce online from sites like Amazon and Walmart.
To find out more, you can also see our posts on how hot is Starbucks coffee, what is a Starbucks Chocolate Chip Frappuccino, and whether Starbucks has smoothies.
