This homemade sriracha sauce recipe is more like the original Thai recipe, so much better than anything from the grocery store, and can be made with fresh or fermented peppers. Time to make sriracha hot sauce!
Homemade Sriracha Sauce Recipe
It's Homemade Sriracha Sauce time, my friends, so get your taste buds ready. I don't think there is a whole lot I can tell you about sriracha sauce that you haven't already heard.
Sriracha has taken the nation by storm in the last several years, overflowing from grocery store shelves and finding its way into a myriad of mass-made products, from potato chips to beer.
It's everywhere, isn't it?
It's so ubiquitous now here in the states, it's practically become synonymous with the term "hot sauce". This is not a bad thing! I should provide a bit of history, though.
What is Sriracha?
Famous “Sriracha” sauce is named after the town of “Sri Racha” in Thailand where it originated, but this is not what we consume here in the United States.
The stuff you get from the store is produced in California with red jalapeno peppers and has deviated quite a bit from the original Thai recipe.
The sriracha sauce we get here is thick, like ketchup, where the original has a thinner consistency.
My recipe will produce a Sriracha sauce closer to what was originally intended, though you can easily thicken it up with more peppers and less vinegar, or by adjusting your cooking times.
Best Peppers for Making Sriracha Sauce
Here in the United States, red jalapeno peppers are used to make sriracha sauce, though bright red Fresno chili peppers make a fine substitute. You can also use red Thai chili peppers to make your own sriracha hot sauce, which have more heat on the Scoville Scale.
Of course the heat level of your sriracha sauce can vary based on your pepper choice, but some peppers have thicker walls and are therefore meatier, and will produce a fuller sauce.
I suggest going with red jalapeno peppers first, then experimenting from there.
For this particular batch, I used a combination of different hot red peppers grown in my garden, including red jalapeno peppers, and the results were out of this world.
So delicious!
Sriracha Sauce Ingredients
- Chili Peppers. Use a mix of red chili peppers, Red jalapenos are preferred, though Fresnos or red Thai peppers are great.
- Garlic. I love the garlic flavor. Garlic powder can be used, but fresh garlic is best.
- Brown Sugar. For the characteristic sweetness.
- Granulated Sugar. Additional sweetness.
- Rice Wine Vinegar. Other distilled vinegar can be used.
- Water and Salt.
How to Make Sriracha Sauce - the Recipe Method
Chop the Peppers. Roughly chop the chili peppers and add them to a pot with the remaining ingredients - sugar, salt, vinegar, garlic, water.
Simmer the Ingredients. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Process the Sriracha Sauce. Cool, then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
Strain and Bottle. Strain the solids out through a strainer and discard (or keep them for dehydrating – they make great seasonings). Pour into bottles and use as desired.
This is the simple fresh pepper version, though I suggest fermenting, which is more like the original Thai sriracha.
Fermenting the peppers breaks down the carbohydrates and converts them to acid, which mellows the peppers considerably, affecting the overall flavor. I suggest trying the recipe both ways, with and without fermenting, and see for yourself which version of sriracha you prefer.
I've include recipes below to make sriracha both ways.
For your reference, you may find this link useful: How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash.
Homemade Sriracha Vs. Store Bought Sriracha Sauce
There is an obvious difference between the sriracha you get from the store vs. your homemade version. The homemade sriracha has a thinner consistency and isn't quite as sweet, though you can adjust sweetness easily by adding more or less sugar.
You can also adjust the thickness of your final sriracha sauce by adjusting the amount of peppers used in the recipe, by adjusting the amount of vinegar and water used, and also by adjusting your cooking time. Simmer the sauce longer to thicken it up if you'd like.
The choice is yours. Would I say homemade sriracha is BETTER than what you get in the store?
Personally, I like my own homemade version better, but I wouldn't throw away my bottle of Huy Fong Food's rooster sauce! I mean, major KUDOS to David Tran for giving us a sauce that made Americans realize there is more to condiments than ketchup and mustard.
Bring on the sriracha, please!
What is a Substitute for Sriracha Sauce?
If you run out of sauce and need a good siracha sauce substitute, you can use Garlic-Chili Sauce, or consider using Gochujang, Sambal Oelek, or making your own fresh chili paste.
Harissa could work in a pinch, but you can always use a Louisiana Style Hot Sauce in place of the sriracha, depending on the recipe.
Recipe Tips and Notes for Making Homemade Sriracha
Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get on other sauces:
How long will this sauce keep?
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It's all about the acidity. To be technical, target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 4.0 or so, to account for errors.
If you're concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer.
The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage? Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
Where'd you get that sauce bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. Here is a link to some bottles I like (affiliate link, my friends!): Swing Top Glass Bottles, 8.5 Ounce - Set of 4
. If you like the smaller bottles that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles, 5 Oz - 24 Pack
.
Learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
Patty's Perspective
Wow, this really does taste different from what we get in the store. It is definitely similar, close in flavor, but I like this version so much more.
Check out Some of My Other Popular Hot Sauce Recipes:
- Homemade Tabasco Sauce
- Fermented Aji-Garlic Hot Sauce
- Fermented Serrano Hot Sauce
- Sweet Habanero Chili Sauce
- Pineapple-Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Ti-Malice - Haitian Creole Hot Sauce
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Homemade Louisiana Hot Sauce
- Homemade Cocktail Sauce
- Honey-Sriracha Sauce
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes.
Try Some of these Recipes that Use Sriracha
- Grilled Salmon with Honey-Sriracha Sauce
- Korean Chicken
- Creamy Tortellini Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Honey-Sriracha Chicken
- Easy Hoisin Sauce
- Sriracha Substitute - for if you've run out of sriracha. Gasp!
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Homemade Sriracha Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
FOR FERMENTED SRIRACHA SAUCE
- 2 pounds mixed red chili peppers )red jalapenos are preferred, though Fresnos or red Thai peppers are great)
- 1 quart unchlorinated water
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoons light brown sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
SRIRACHA SAUCE WITH FRESH PEPPERS
- 2 pounds mixed red chili peppers (red jalapenos are preferred, though Fresnos or red Thai peppers are great)
- 1 quart unchlorinated water Use only 1/2 cup for a thicker sriracha sauce
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
Instructions
FERMENTED SRIRACHA SAUCE
- First, ferment the chili peppers. Process your fresh peppers in a food processor. If you don’t have a processor, use a mortar and pestle or simply finely chop them. Pack them into a jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space. The peppers may rise a bit when fermenting.
- Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go. It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily.
- Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction.
- After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn cloudy and taste acidic.
- Pour the fermented peppers, including some or all of the brine (see notes), into a pot along with the garlic, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vinegar. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce a bit and let the flavors meld.
- Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
SRIRACHA SAUCE WITH FRESH PEPPERS
- Roughly chop the chili peppers and add them to a pot with the remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cool, then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Strain the solids out through a strainer and discard (or keep them for dehydrating – they make great seasonings). Pour into bottles and use as desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Janice says
Hi Mike, Can I use a cup of home made cider vinegar instead of rice wine?
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
You sure can! Let me know how you like it! Enjoy.
Janice says
Hi Mike, Getting back to you. I fermented the peppers for 2 weeks.
I used 1/2 cup each of apple cider vinegar (with mother) and rice wine vinegar. I added 1/2 fresh lime juice. My thought was the lime juice may give it a longer shelf life? Anyway, it is absolutely brilliant.
Thanks Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Great! Thanks, Janice. Yes, the acid is what preserves it, so could be citrus or vinegar or a combo.
Janice says
Hello,
Would it be ok to replace rice wine vinegar with homemade apple cider vinegar?
Thanks Mike, Love your recipes. I usually follow to a T and do not replace anything:)
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Janice. ACV works GREAT for hot sauce. Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy.
Marie L Leverenz says
Can I pressure seal this sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
You can, Marie, yes.
Patrick Entenmann says
A hot and drought challenging growing year has led to a glut of Jalapeños roughly 2x as hot as normal. I used the fermented recipe for the last of my red pods but added a few extra cloves of garlic and palm sugar in place of the light brown sugar. The flavor is a near match for Hoy Fong siracha with a little added heat from the hotter peppers this year. Best recipe I've used for this style of sauce.
Mike H. says
I am super happy to read this, Patrick. Enjoy!
Jennifer says
This looks like a great recipe! I have a bumper crop of Tabasco peppers and have made a bunch of that style. Do you think I could use Tabasco peppers for this sriracha recipe?
Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
You sure can! Enjoy!
Econjack says
I did the "fresh" batch, but my garden only has jalapeno peppers (I can't find Freso here) so that's what I used. Wonderful with mild heat.
BTW, I remove the core, seeds, and ribs by cutting off the stem end and using an old-style ("pointy") potato peeler to ream out the inside of the peppers...quick and easy.
Mike H. says
Amazing job. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Elliott says
Your recipe says 1 quart but for a thicker recipe use 1/2 cup. Was the quart supposed to be 1 cup not quart? Can you clarify please.
Mike H. says
Sure, 1 quart = 4 cups 😉
Natalie Britt says
My fermentation jars came with airtight lids and says no burping is needed. Should I be concerned?
Mike Hultquist says
Natalie, if they're made for fermentation, I imagine they'll be safe. They might have a membrane that allows gases to escape slowly, but let nothing in, so no need for burping. Check the product description to be safe.
Ben says
how come you heat the fermented sauce? the probiotic health benefits of fermenting are destroyed by heating the peppers! great recipe otherwise
Mike Hultquist says
Ben, you don't have to heat/cook it. It does help to develop the flavors a bit and stop fermentation, which does remove the probiotic benefits. It's just a preference. You can skip cooking, but be careful as fermentation can continue and you might need to burp your jars/bottles so they don't explode. Keeping it in the fridge will slow fermentation. I appreciate it.
Mo khavarian says
I live in Florida and my room temperature is around 78 degrees in summer, can I still do the fermentation or its too warm? I am assuming fermentation in the refrigerator won't work at the 37 deg.
Mike Hultquist says
Mo, you can ferment at 7 degrees F. It will still work. It may accelerate the ferment, which can affect flavor, but you should be fine.
David Bowers says
Liked the recipe, seems easy. I love Sriracha and usually have a lot of peppers. Might have to mix this year.
Mike Hultquist says
I hope you enjoy it, David!
Joe says
Love these recipes! I wanted some sriracha the night I started it so I made 1/2 fermented and 1/2 non-fermented. One of the things I like about this recipe is that I can modify it depending on my ingredients on hand and what flavor profile I’m looking for. This time I tried using some vegan fish sauce and extra garlic.
I’ve gotta say that the flavor is imo VERY much enhanced by fermenting so I would very much recommend a ferment.
Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Joe! I appreciate it!