Homemade Hot Sauce

It’ll be your go-to sriracha from now on.

By
Robin Asbell
Robin Asbell
Robin Asbell
Chef Robin Asbell is an author of 11 cookbooks and a freelance writer with hundreds of articles, all focusing on plant-forward, global foods. 
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Updated January 02, 2024
Robin Asbell
Homemade Hot Sauce Poured From a Bottle Onto Sunny Side Eggs With a Side of Toast, and in the Background, a Glass of Orange Juice and a Kitchen Plant

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Does your table usually have a bottle of hot sauce next to the salt and pepper? This is the summer to try making your own hot sauce. This recipe makes a garlicky, tangy sauce that might remind you of Sriracha. Blending the sauce gives it a creamy texture, perfect for drizzling or adding to recipes. 

This all-purpose hot sauce adds piquancy when drizzled on sesame noodles or over tacos. Try dipping potato chips or French fries, it’s that good. 

You can buy a bushel of shiny red chilies at the farmer’s market for a few bucks, or use the harvest from your own garden, and save money on your hot sauce habit. If you’re slammed for time, freeze whole hot peppers now and make this sauce later. The finished sauce also freezes well, so keep a bottle in the fridge and freeze the rest in half or quarter-pint jars. You can even sanitize and re-use the bottles from your favorite brand.

Bottle of Homemade Hot Sauce Open With the Cap Next to the Bottle on the Counter, and in the Surroundings, a Small Bowl of Hot Sauce, More Bottles of Homemade Hot Sauce, a Bowl of Red Fresno and Fresh, Whole Garlic Cloves, and a Kitchen Plant

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Handle Fresh Chilies With Care

Before you start, make sure you have rubber gloves to wear while handling the chilies. Don’t touch your face or eyes (or anything else) once you’ve started cutting the peppers, or you will learn a painful lesson. The ribs and seeds of your chilies hold lots of heat, but not much of the sweet, fruity flavors we want, so it’s best to remove them unless you know you want a really fiery sauce.

Find a Winning Combo of Chilies

I recommend that you make this sauce with relatively mild Red Fresno peppers for an all-purpose, bright red sauce. You can also play with using other fresh red chilies of varying heat levels. If you have an unfamiliar chili, check out the Scoville Scale, which rates each variety of pepper in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Red Fresnos are on the mild end of the scale (2,500-10,000 SHU). If you use some fresh cayenne peppers (30,00-50,000 SHU) you might need to use mostly mild peppers like cherry bomb (1,000-3,000 SHU) or even red bell peppers to keep the heat to a level most people can enjoy.

You can also make the sauce with green chiles, but don’t mix green and red, which will result in a brown hue.

Bottles of Homemade Hot Sauce on a Circular Wooden Tray and Surrounded by Red Fresno and Fresh, Whole Garlic Cloves

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Homemade Condiments

Homemade Hot Sauce

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Marinating Time 8 hrs
Total Time 9 hrs 20 mins
Servings 32 servings
Yield 2 cups

Feel free to freeze whole peppers in a freezer bag or container, then thaw and make the sauce later, or to freeze the finished sauce. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound red Fresno peppers or red jalapenos

  • 1 cup whole garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Method

  1. Prep the peppers:

    Wash and dry the peppers.

    Wearing gloves, cut the flesh of the peppers away from the core, or halve and seed. Don’t touch your face or eyes (or anything else) once you’ve started cutting the peppers

    Simple Tip!

    A great trick for removing the ribs and seeds is to simply hold each pepper by the stem on a cutting board and slice off the walls of flesh, leaving the core, seeds and ribs intact. If you want your sauce to be very hot, include the ribs and seeds in the sauce.

    Fresno Peppers Cut In Half and Seeds Removed on a Cutting Board for Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  2. Combine the ingredients and marinate 8-24 hours:  

    Put the peppers in a 2-quart non-reactive saucepan or non-reactive bowl or container. 

    Slice the whole garlic cloves in thick slivers and add to the peppers. Add the white and cider vinegars, sugar and salt. Stir to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.

    Simple Tip!

    Soaking the chilies and garlic overnight in vinegar softens the skins and pickles the garlic a bit before cooking.

    Fresno Peppers and Garlic Slices Marinating in a Glass Bowl for Hot Sauce Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  3. Cook the sauce:

    Transfer the pepper mixture to a 2-quart pot and place over medium-high heat. Turn on the oven hood to help clear the vinegary-hot scent. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to keep the mixture at a simmer. Cook for about 30-40 minutes, covered, stirring every 10 minutes. 

    Simple Tip!

    Have the vent fan on or the windows open during this step, as the vinegar fumes can be potent.

    When the peppers are very soft, uncover and cook until the liquids are slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

    Pepper Mixture Added to a Pot for Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
    Hot Sauce Mixture After Being Boiled in the Pot

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  4. Puree the sauce:

    Transfer the mixture to the blender container, being careful not to inhale the vapors rising from the vinegar. 

    Secure the lid, place a folded kitchen towel on top, and hold down the lid. Blend until smooth, scraping down as necessary. If the mixture is too thick, stir in a little water.

    Simple Tip!

    The towel will protect you if any of the hot pureed mixture rises out of the blender jar.

    Hot Sauce Mixture in a Blender, and a Hand Holding a Kitchen Towel Onto the Top of the Blender

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
    Pureed Homemade Hot Sauce in the Blender

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  5. Store and use:

    Transfer to a squirt bottle or sterilized jars and cover, refrigerate for up to 1 month. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    Homemade Hot Sauce in Bottles

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
    Plate With Two Sunny Side Eggs Topped With Homemade Hot Sauce and Cracked Pepper and Buttered Toast. In the Surroundings, an Open Bottle of Homemade Hot Sauce, a Glass of Orange Juice, a Bowl of Blueberries, and a Fork on the Counter

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
20 Calories
0g Fat
4g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 134mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 18mg 91%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 58mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.