Quick and easy to make Habanero Hot Sauce. It's hot, spicy, zingy, tangy and well balanced with hints of sweet red pepper & maple. You'll be wanting to drizzle it on everything!
I'd better start with the disclaimer that this Habanero Hot Sauce won’t be for everyone. But if you're someone who likes to turn up the heat and add some spice to your life, then you and I belong to the same hot sauce loving family.
Hello and welcome. Let's make amazing hot sauce together!
Jump to:
My Habanero Hot Sauce is spicy, fresh, homemade and delicious. You get that fiery heat first, then some tang from the vinegar, and then after that the roasted onion, sweet red pepper and maple come through, balancing out the heat perfectly.
This is a condiment that will make the perfect addition to your dinner table and gets bonus points for being so incredibly cheap to make. I don't know about where you are, but good quality hot sauce is expensive to buy here.
How chili pepper heat is measured
The heat of chili peppers or products derived from chili peppers, is measured with the Scoville Heat Scale.
The scale is named after William Scoville who developed the test in 1912 and works by measuring the level of the chemical compound capsaicin. This started off being measured by taste, but now high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used. Peppers are dried and ground up, then water is filtered through. A machine is then use to measure the heat. This method is of course much more accurate than relying on human taste buds.
I love this humorous article written by Anna Maria Barry-Jester called "Rating Chili Peppers On A Scale Of 1 To Oh Dear God I'm On Fire". It goes into a lot more depth about the whole subject and is a really good read.
Scoville rating of habanero peppers
Habaneros, as used in my Habanero Hot Sauce, have a Scoville rating of between 100,000 - 350,000. They are up there with the wonderful Scotch Bonnets. Compare this to the very popular Jalapeño pepper which has a Scoville rating of only 3,500-8,000.
Ingredient notes
Here are the ingredients you need to make this naturally gluten-free Habanero Hot Sauce recipe:
And some notes on a couple of those ingredients:
- Habaneros - You can use habaneros at any stage of ripeness, green, orange or red but the colour of the sauce, heat level, sweetness, and flavour will change. Other varieties of chili pepper will also work well in this recipe.
- Red bell peppers - Chopped peppers add depth of flavour and natural sweetness. My preference is red because they make the colour of the sauce better. You could also use yellow or orange bell peppers. I wouldn't use green peppers as they aren't as sweet and your hot sauce won't be such a pretty colour.
- Vinegar - You can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in this recipe. White vinegar is sharper and tangier, apple cider vinegar is sweeter and fruity. Use whichever suits your tastes best.
If you want to switch things up some fresh mango, pineapple, cumin or lime juice added to the mix would be fantastic!
How to make Habanero Hot Sauce
Making my homemade Habanero Hot Sauce is quick and easy. Here's how:
- Sauté the chili peppers with the bell peppers and onions.
- Blend the sautéed peppers and onion with the remaining ingredients.
- Decant into bottles or jars.
Tip - Wear gloves or rub some olive/vegetable oil over your hands before handling and cutting the habaneros. Avoid touching your eyes (or anything else) until you have washed your hands thoroughly!
You can customize the heat of the habanero pepper sauce. If you prefer a milder hot sauce, reduce the amount of habanero peppers going in. You can also increase the quantity of bell pepper to mellow it further. If you like a very spicy hot sauce, go wild and add a few more habaneros.
How to store
Store Habanero Hot Sauce in bottles or jars in the refrigerator where it will last for up to 2 months.
Hot sauce can also be frozen for up to 12 months in a freezer-safe container. It might separate when it thaws but this is a purely cosmetic and won’t affect the flavor. Run it through a blender for 20 seconds before use and it will be good to go.
How to use hot sauce
Ok, let's discuss what you can put this Habanero Hot Sauce on. It can give any meal or snack a good spicy kick! Top of my list is avocado toast. I just love lashings of spicy sauce on it. Other drizzling options include:
- Rice dishes like my One Pot Spicy Rice or Easy Savoury Rice
- Vegan scrambled eggs
- Stir fry
- Burritos, tacos & pizza
- Bowl meals like my Cauliflower Rice Bowls or Tofu Bowls
- Breakfast potatoes or grilled baby potatoes
- Soups
- Melted with vegan butter then used to coat popcorn or cauliflower wings
- Stir through vegan mayo for a creamy topping/spread for sandwiches and burgers
- In dips, dressings and marinades
- On steamed or stir-fried greens
- In a spicy cocktail!
Recipe FAQs
I get asked all the time where I got the little swing top bottle in my photograph. It came from a store called Canadian Tire. You can find it here. If you aren't in Canada though, I found some similar looking ones on Amazon. Just search "swing top bottle".
White vinegar is stronger in flavour and will give you a tangier hot sauce. Apple cider vinegar will be slightly less tangy with a little more sweetness.
You can easily make it a little mellower. Roast an extra bell pepper or 2 then blend them into the sauce, adding a little water to thin as necessary. This will dilute the spiciness.
Hungry for more?
If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!
Recipe
Habanero Hot Sauce
Author:Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oil , any neutral tasting oil (use a few drops of water instead to keep the recipe oil-free)
- ½ medium onion , diced roughly
- 2 large red bell peppers , deseeded and cut into chunks
- 3 large cloves garlic , chopped roughly
- 6 habanero peppers , tops removed and diced roughly (mine were about walnut in shell size)
- ½ cup (120 ml) distilled white vinegar , or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) water , approximately. You might not need it all.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make sure you have a window or door open and an extractor fan on to ventilate your kitchen. When the habaneros start cooking you will get chili pepper fumes which might make you cough a bit or make your eyes smart.Sautéing on a grill outside is an option for a chili pepper fume-free house ;O)
- Over a medium heat warm a skillet with the oil ( or a tablespoon of water to keep the recipe oil-free), then sauté the onions and bell peppers for a few minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add the habaneros and sauté for a little while longer until soft and slightly caramelized then add the garlic. Turn off the heat and let the garlic cook in the residual heat of the pan.
- Turn off the heat and transfer to a blender. Add the vinegar, maple syrup and salt and blend until completely smooth.
- Open the blender and check the thickness. Add water to thin as necessary, giving it a quick blend in between each addition. Everyone likes their hot sauce different thicknesses so add enough to suit you.
- Blend until completely smooth then decant into bottles or jars and store in the refrigerator.
NOTES
I have no experience of canning so don't know if that is possible with this recipe.
NUTRITION
This recipe was originally published on January 15th, 2016. I've since rewritten the post, adding more helpful information and now I am republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Cheryl says
I just made this recipe today, but I didn't make it vegan because I used a tsp of white sugar instead of maple syrup. I used 5 habaneros instead of 6, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 orange bell pepper. I love the caramelization method on the stove. I dissolved the sugar & salt in the apple cider vinegar first and then added it to the blender. I'm glad I checked the thickness before I added the water. I probably used about 1/4 cup of spring water which yielded 2-1/2 cups of hot sauce! I really enjoy the balance of the heat with the bell peppers and the slight sweetness from the sugar. Next time, I will use maple syrup. This recipe is a keeper! It tastes excellent on Caribbean dishes, such as rice & beans! I'm going to head to my local dollar store and buy the swing-top bottles. I believe they carry them.
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you are enjoying it and thank you for leaving a review!
The maple syrup is used for its flavour in this recipe, not necessarily because it's vegan. White sugar can be vegan depending on the brand.
Marie says
I’m just curious to why white granulated sugar isn’t “vegan”? Isn’t cane a vegetable? I mean… it’s not an animal idk. I never thought it wasn’t vegan. Maybe not an organic sugar.
Melanie McDonald says
Some brands of sugar are refined and filtered using charred animal bones. It is still easy to find vegan sugar though. It's just a case of reaching out to brands to check and if not sure, go organic. They aren't allowed to use bones for organic sugar so it is always vegan-friendly.
Kris Wallace says
I haven't made this yet (going to make it tomorrow), but from everything I've read from others, it sounds like it's perfect for me. When I say 'me', I don't mean to use it myself because I just can't handle any heat. I have a bunch of habanero peppers that were gifted to me and I want to make a sauce for my two adult kids who LOVE big heat.
I have a question. When your recipe says 6 habanero peppers, what volume should that be? The peppers I have are the size of a small egg - is that the expected size? If I use a typical garden red bell pepper, it would give me just about the same volume. Also, the gifted habaneros include a couple of green ones and a couple of orangish ones...can I use these or should I just use the red ones?
Sorry for all of the questions - I only intend to make this once - carefully - and I want to get it right ;-)
Thank you!
Kristine
A Virtual Vegan says
That's really kind of you. I'm sure they'll appreciate it!
My habaneros were about walnut-sized (in the shell walnuts). I just clarified that in the recipe to make it clearer. It doesn't need to be absolutely exact though. It's a very versatile recipe. You can use a little more if you want it extra hot, or less to make it slightly less hot.
And yes, a mix of green and orange is fine. And for future reference, any type of chilli pepper will work in this recipe, just in case you acquire some other types!
I hope that helps and that your sons enjoy it!
Phillip Zoeller says
Nicely balanced, not too hot. Great on fried chicken!
June Grey says
Thanks for the recipe! I just made this today and it's great but I think I might try it without the maple syrup next time. Has anyone made this but left out the maple syrup? It was a little sweet for what I usually like for hot sauce ! Thanks again!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it! It will be fine if you omit the maple syrup or reduce it to taste.
Kevin Coc says
Hi! This is awesome! Thank you so much! By the way, where can I buy the stopper bottle in the photo? Thanks in advance.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I bought the little bottle in a store called Canadian Tire. They are really cheap. Just a couple of dollars each. If you aren't in Canada though Amazon sells similar ones. Search for "swing top bottles".
Claudia says
Thank you! I don't really cook much, so I follow all instructions to the letter. The recipe was great! My family enjoyed it.
Claudia says
Thank you! I don't really cook much, so I follow all instructions to the letter. The recipe was great! My family enjoyed it.
ron coleman says
Hello, I am Ron, this recipe is increidble. I picked my habanero peppers from my own garden, I used my own garlic, my bell peppers did not fair this year so I had to go to the market. I tripled your recipe and ended up with 4 16oz bottles. I will be making another batch tomorrow to use up all of my peppers. Ron Coleman
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really glad to hear you think so Ron. Enjoy eating it on all the things!
Jenna says
I’m new to making hot sauce and I’m wondering if you can can this? Recipe looks awesome, thanks!
Melanie McDonald says
I have no experience with canning so have never tried it but I think it should be fine!
Chris Logan says
What a simple and fantastic recipe. We grew Habaneros this year and needed to use em up. Only thing we added was some mango. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you Chris. I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe. Mango is a great addition! I bet pineapple would be good too.
Darren says
Just made this sauce and it tastes delicious. What would you recommend pairing it with?
Arwen says
I made this last year and loved it, but forgot to leave a comment. I just made it again (I have SO MANY RED HABANEROS omg). I went with seven. Glad I had the attic fan going, because hoooooboy is this a HOT batch. :-D
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe! And wow, your new batch is going to be awesome. Enjoy!
Arwen says
...and I just made my third batch of the month yesterday! This year, I also have a bhut jolokia plant, so I took a risk and used two of those and four habaneros. Oh, sweet baby jeebus the sauce is *amazing.* I added it to my honey-garlic sauce for wings last night. Fantastic! (But my husband insisted that I put anything it touched into the dishwasher myself. Last week, he got a bit on his hands and still won't let me hear the end of it...)
Dave peppiatt says
Hey crazy lady! Who puts maple syrup in a hot sauce? I’ve been making my own sauces for years, but we got a bumper crop of habaneros so I found your recipe. No word of a lie best sauce ever. Thanks for thinking out of the box. Only thing I changed is I cooked my peppers and onions down on the Bbq, so it’s smokin. Thanks you a genius. s
Melanie McDonald says
Hey, I live in Canada. I put maple syrup in everything! ;O) Ha ha! Love the idea of cooking the peppers etc on the BBQ. I'm going to try that next time I make some. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Chris Builder says
Just made this and went with 4 habs. Wish I had used all 6. I strained it also as I like to splash it on. Pretty hot and very sweet. I also used Anaheim peppers instead of red peppers so I got a light color.
Pamela says
I just came across this recipe today and it's delicious. Also just ordered your cookbook. Can’t wait for it.