Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water is a traditional Hawaiian condiment made with Hawaiian chili peppers, rock salt, vinegar and more! It's typically used as a hot sauce and adds a ton of flavor to whatever you toss it on.
What is Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water?
Hawaiian chili pepper water (also called “pepper water”) is a thin, salty, tangy hot pepper condiment, a bit like a zingy hot sauce. It’s meant to be splashed on at the table to add quick heat and zip.
It is one of those recipes you may have never heard of, but once you've tried it, you don't know how you ever lived without it. It's a condiment that's like a hot sauce in style, but somehow also something completely original.
Hawaiian chili pepper water is very much like a watered down Pique, which is a Puerto Rican condiment made primarily with vinegar and hot peppers. See my Puerto Rican Hot Sauce (Pique Recipe) here. Basically, it's a mixture of water and vinegar that has been infused with chili pepper flavor and heat.
Ingredients in Chili Pepper Water
- Water
- White vinegar
- Hawaiian rock sea salt
- Hawaiian chili peppers
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
How to Make Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
Boil, then simmer. Add all of the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Enjoy! Remove from heat, cool completely, then transfer to a bottle.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Let it sit. The longer it sits, the more the peppers and other flavors will infuse the water/vinegar mixture.
- Feel free to change up the flavors. Variations include adding slices of garlic and/or ginger (which you can also smash to release the juices more), as well as a splash of soy sauce and/or Worcestershire sauce for added flavor.
- Can't find any Hawaiian rock salt? No worries. You can use kosher salt or any other sea salt you have on hand.
How to Use Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water (Pepper Water)
Hawaiian chili pepper water is meant for splashing over foods at the table to liven things up with a touch of heat and zippiness.
Best ways to use it:
- Poke & seafood. A few dashes over ahi poke, salmon, shrimp, grilled fish, or oysters.
- Plate lunch favorites. Great on Hawaiian kalua pork, teriyaki chicken, huli huli chicken, loco moco, and anything rich or savory.
- Soups & noodles. Stir in a little at a time for saimin, ramen, pho, or wonton soup.
- Rice & eggs. A quick finish for steamed rice, pineapple fried rice, fried eggs, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches.
Easy ways to customize:
- Add a squeeze of lime for extra bright flavor.
- Stir into mayo or sour cream for a creamy spicy sauce.
- Mix with a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil for an island-style drizzle.
Storage
You can keep this bottled chili pepper water in the fridge for up to 1 year. Just make sure it's fully cooled to room temperature prior to storing for the best results.
You'll also need to make sure your bottle is sterilized - if it has even a little bit of bacteria in it, your chili pepper water will spoil. And always use a clean spoon to help it stay fresh longer.
Try More of the Best Condiment Recipes
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Homemade Fire Cider
- Pique - Puerto Rican Hot Sauce
Try More of My Hawaiian Recipes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces water
- 2 ounces white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Hawaiian rock sea salt you can sub in any sea salt or kosher salt
- Hawaiian chili peppers sliced (add anywhere from 3-20, or as many as you can fit - you CAN sub in other spicy chili peppers)
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 2-3 fresh ginger slices
- Splash of soy sauce and/or Worcestershire sauce if desired
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a small pan and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat immediately and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cool, then transfer to a sterilized bottle. Use as needed. The longer it sits, the more the peppers and other flavors will infuse the water/vinegar mixture.
Notes
- Storage: This will keep in the refrigerator for about a year or so in a sealed container or bottle.
- Heat Factor: Medium. You'll get some good zestiness with this recipe, depending on your choice of chilies
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 2/21/26 to include new serving information. The recipe was not changed.
Jade says
It wasn't as good as I'd like. Any suggestions on how to make it spicier? I want it to be so hot, someone would cry after 1 taste.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jade, the best way to get it hotter is to use the hottest peppers you can find. Make it with lots of superhots (scorpions, 7 pots, Reapers) and let it steep a while to really develop the heat. You can look into extracts as well, but those are more bitter to me.
Noe says
Yes you can. Just place into your pot of water and bring to a slow boil. Smell will let you know when it’s ready. Let cool and buzz in a blender. It’s just like making an enchilada sauce
Jérémie says
I waited a while to let that precious one infuse... hmmm that's a keeper! very nice flavors, and great to boost a tedious meal 😉
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jérémie! Yes, this is great for little splashes of flavor. And heat! I may need another trip to Hawaii!
Laurie Doerschlen says
Hi, I just made a batch using a mix of different chilies on hand ... looking forward to trying it once it’s sat a bit, which brings me to my question: can I let it sit out for a couple of weeks and then put it in the fridge or is it better to put it in the fridge after sitting out for 24 hours? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Laurie. You can let it sit out, then refrigerate and use as desired. Most people leave it out. Just make sure you don't get any weird growth on the top.
Jérémie says
I had wanted to make this recipe for a very long time: it's done! with white ghost peppers and yellow scotch bonnets. Can we use this sauce/condiment right away?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jérémie! Yes, great stuff. I would let it steep at least a few hours but probably longer to get more overall flavor. I hope you enjoy it!
Megan says
Does this need to be refrigerated ? Or have the ph level tested at all? Thanks love the recipes !
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Megan, I personally like to keep it in the refrigerator, but a lot of people keep theirs out.
James Cain says
One home-grown ghost pepper in this recipe and a little sip after the simmer sent me to saturn.
I can't wait to see how much punch it packs after it ferments! It really showcases the unique flavors of superhots.
Excellent recipe. Simple, quick, and incredibly useful. Will revisit for future harvests for sure.
Thanks! Just found this website and it's been a great inspiration with how to utilize my surprisingly abundant harvest of superhots this year. I ate the first pod raw to finally put the notch on my belt, and while I'm glad I did it, it's not exactly a "once a day" experience for me at my current level. This was perfect.
I also had great success including one in a gazpacho recipe. Maybe some inspiration for a future article?
- James
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's great, James. Yes, I can see a superhot gazpacho recipe for the future!!
Robert says
I live in Hawaii and have a recipe that is almost identical. I have a few nice sized Hawaiian chili pepper plants growing and may start farming them as I get requests for my peppers all the time and have 8.5 acres of coffee and some open space that would be perfect for them. I am going to try with Worcestershire in a few of the bottles I make on this next round. Thanks for the tips and your site is quite cool.
Aloha,
Robert
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Aloha and Mahalo, Robert! I appreciate the comments. We just returned from a visit to Hawaii, where I got to enjoy some Hawaiian chili pepper water first hand. Great stuff! Worcestershire would be great to include. Jealous of your coffee!!!
Mike Fabian says
Mike, my favorite mex restaurant in Chicago serves Nayarit(think Baja Beach seafood) style habanero water like sauce that I'd like to make. I just harvested a bumber crop of fresh habs from my garden, do you have a recipe for something like this ? Thanks and love your site.
Mike
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Mike, try this Puerto Rican Pique Hot Sauce Recipe and see if it is close to what you are looking for.
Glen says
I've been growing peppers and making hot sauce for a few years and this is one tasty looking sauce.
I have a couple questions about it - when the level of the liquid goes down, do you top it up with more water and vinegar?
If not, when the liquid gets below the level of the peppers and they are exposed to air, do they not go moldy?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Glen. Yes, the peppers should definitely stay submerged or could go bad if left exposed to air. You can top it off with more vinegar/water solution. That's how it's done with Puerto Rican Pique - the maker just keeps tossing new peppers/ingredients and topping it off at time goes by. Enjoy!
Lee says
I’m going to make this Chili Water today using ghost peppers. I have been doing lots of research on pepper sauces/salsas because I was gifted a variety of lots of the worlds hottest peppers and your site is awesome. I used to be an executive chef so I have a fair amount of knowledge when it comes to fermenting and making sauces, but this website is so very informational for a fellow chili head thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge with the world.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Lee! I greatly appreciate it.
Alan says
I made some with fresh garlic, ginger and Thai chili peppers from the farmers' market near Diamond Head. . Sliced up only 6, about 2" long each. It was plenty hot enough after 24 hours in the fridge. An' dat buggah was ono! (Translation: It tasted very good!)
Also used Alaea sea salt, which has added minerals from the red Hawai'ian clay it's mixed with. You can get it online from Amazon or Target. They charge about $5/pound, much more than we pay here, but once you try it, you'll use it in all your recipes. Just be sure to get the "Old Time" brand from Hawai'i, not the stuff from San Francisco.
Aloha!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Alan. Thanks for the tip on the Alaea salt! I'll have to get me some.
Mike says
How can I find hawaiian chili peppers outside of hawaii? Thank you!
REPLY: Mike, you'd need to look online to find a seller or attempt to grow them yourself. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Karen says
I just had something much like this in Martinique (so probably a Créole recipe). But I couldn't taste any vinegar at all. Does this have a vinegar taste? Is vinegar necessary to preserve it or could it be omitted?
REPLY: Karen, the vinegar will definitely let it keep longer and will add flavor, though there is more water than vinegar. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.