Make your own hot sauce at home with this quick and easy recipe that incorporates spicy habanero peppers, sweet pineapple and cilantro. Perfect for dashing over meals or spicing up your favorite cocktails. We like it for our Bloody Marys.
Pineapple-Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe
This hot sauce exists for 2 very specific reasons. FIRST, the habanero peppers are POPPING in the garden.
YES!
We seriously LOVE when the garden starts producing. So many fresh peppers! We can walk right outside and grab a few off the plants and get busy! Talk about living.
To quote my father-in-law, "Is this living or what?"
SECOND...Bloody Mary. If you are like us, you enjoy a bit of spice and kick to your Bloody Mary drinks, and this, my friends, is the solution. Pineapple-Habanero Hot Sauce.
To be honest, it's great on just about anything that can take the level of heat with the touch of sweet. It's on the vinegary side, which works for me for many things.
Think Tabasco sauce. It's about that consistency level, thin and "dashy". Dash it over chicken tacos or a fish fillet, over pork shoulder or sliced pork loin or pretty much any pork. Dash it onto your veggies.
Or hey, into your Bloody Mary!
Pineapple-Habanero Hot Sauce Ingredients List
You don't need many ingredients for this one. The list includes: Habanero peppers, pineapple, cilantro, lime juice, white vinegar and salt. Easy, right?
It is thinner because you'll strain this one at the very end. However!
Thicker or Thinner Sauce
If you prefer a thicker hot sauce, you have a few options:
- Do not strain the sauce.
- Strain, but add some of the pulp back into the sauce to thicken.
- Use less vinegar.
FIRST, don't strain it. I don't like to keep this one completely unstrained because the ingredients chosen easily separate in the bottle.
No biggie, though, as you can simply shake up the bottle before each use. Or, SECOND, add a bit of the strained pulp back into the sauce before you bottle it.
That's what I did here. I took about a tablespoon of the pulp and swirled it back into the finished sauce, just for a bit of substance. I like the little swirlies you get in the bottle.
You can also use only 1/4 cup vinegar, process, then add more to thin as desired.
This is a vibrant and flavorful hot sauce recipe, ready and willing to go where your taste buds want to take you. It takes practically no time to make, which is nice.
I posted a VIDEO RECIPE below so you can see just how easy it really is. Making hot sauce at home is fun, isn't it? All you need are a few ingredients. I hope you enjoy it!
Patty's Perspective
Mike mentioned using this in your Bloody Mary, but give a dash into your beer. Seriously! I love it. Also, it was FUN making the video. I hope we do more of them!
Check out my other Hot Sauce Recipes, too.
Frequently Asked Hot Sauce Questions
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.
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.
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?
Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
What should I do with hot sauce?
Aside from drizzling it over anything you please, here's a post I did about How to Cook with Hot Sauce. As if you need even MORE reasons to eat hot sauce. I hope you find it helpful!
Check out These Related Recipes:
- 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
- Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
- What is Xanthan Gum?
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
Try it with Pineapple Fried Rice!
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.
Pineapple-Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 5-6 habanero peppers coarsely chopped
- 2 cups chopped pineapple
- 1 handful cilantro leaves rinsed
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add to a pot and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Cool and strain, if desired.
- Pour into bottles and refrigerate until ready to use!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nick says
I have never tried making a hot sauce before, but I have a big crop of yellow cayenne peppers this year. Would this recipe work with yellow cayenne instead of habenero peppers? How much should I use.
Mike Hultquist says
It sure would, Nick. It's hard to say amounts, as sizes vary, but I'd say 10-12 cayenne peppers, again depending on their size compared to a habanero. Enjoy!!
Scott says
Cracks me up when people say, 'yeah, I tried it, but added...'.
Respect the author - try it "as is" first! LOL. Thanks 'Mike' for the recipe!
Made exactly as per instructions. Always my starting point for any new recipe before I start tweaking, that's the fun of cooking adding your own spin!
Super simple and very tasty. Think I added a little too much cilantro. I added about 2 tablespoons back of the pulp. I prefer mine thicker, particularly when smothering those chicken legs.
Unfortunately (not really!) I have half a fresh pineapple left. Next batch already on the go with added garlic, ginger, carrot & onion and at least 5 tbs of pulp going back in after. Most hot sauce requires a good shake 😉
Oh and I make use of the 'side burner' on my bbq on the deck for hot sauces.
Made the mistake of making a Ghost pepper hot sauce of yours years ago in my kitchen. It didn't go down well with the family!
Keep up the great work!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for the comments, Scott. I appreciate it, and glad you enjoyed the hot sauce overall. Cheers.
maz says
I used tinned pineapple (drained) 1/2 c white vinegar, 8 habanero's, 3 large garlic, about 1/8 tsp black cumin, handful of cilantro, about 1 tblsp lime juice, 10 turns of himalayan pink salt. I ended up putting about 1/8 tsp tumeric as I thought too green. Whizzed in blender then cooked. Just experimenting, but it turned out good. I couldn't really taste too much of the pineapple, but it definitely had a sweet tone to it. I'll use fresh next time. I did not strain
Mike H. says
Thanks for sharing, maz, but have you tried following my recipe the way it is? Happy it worked out for you anyway!
gregg says
can i use bananas instead. and what proportions?
Mike Hultquist says
Gregg, I have not made with the bananas, though you can try it. It will change the overall consistency, though. Something to consider. Use 2 cups in place of the pineapple. You might need to thin with extra liquid.
Kris says
I am new to making hot sauce but this!!!! So many compliments from our friends. Can I swap mango for the pineapple? Wanna try!
Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Nice! And YES, you can swap mango for pineapple. Works great! Thanks, Kris.
Noel Grant-Henderson says
great tasting sauce! can't get enough of it! easy to make. thank you.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Noel! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Tommy says
Awesome recipe! I just roasted everything up and had some habanero infused in vodka for a year in the mix!
Mike you are my reference for hot sauce
Keep up your awesome work!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Sounds great, Tommy! I appreciate it!
Claudia says
Used recipe with my Florida Datil Peppers. Perfect combination! great recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Great choice of peppers! I love datils! Thanks, Claudia.
Ole says
How annoying, i can't find the post i did the other day, so i'm just gonna try here 🙂
Ever tried experimenting with doing a Hot Sauce with Banana or Blackcurrant?
Love the site 🙂
Mike H. says
Thanks again, Ole. No worries - here is your original comment (with my reply). 😉
Ole says
Ahh, thanks buddy 🙂 ♥
Adele says
I’m wondering if this could be fermented without the cilantro, adding it in at the end?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Adele. Works great for fresher cilantro flavor. Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
Adele says
Thanks!
Naomi says
I made it with some red Habaneros I grew in my garden, so it came out darker than the recipe photo. I used apple cider vinegar instead. Turned out great!!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Naomi!
Rob Brodie says
Hi Mike, we have an abundance of black currants and love hot pepper sauces and wondered if you had any ideas.
We only have red habs as last year was bad for us in Tasmania (usually we have a nice supply of fatalli) I’m looking for something to accompany bbq lamb but also something that would enhance cheese or a cheesecake. Can I modify your pineapple hab sauce ?
Appreciate any advice.
Rob
Mike H. says
You can absolutely do it, Rob. The black currant and red habanero hot sauce will have a unique fruity and spicy flavor that pairs wonderfully with BBQ lamb. It can also be used as a condiment for cheese platters or drizzled over cheesecake for a sweet and spicy kick. Enjoy!
Victoria says
I live in Cyprus, and one day I found Carolina Reaper peppers in a local farm market. No one else wanted to buy them.
Well, I don't like extremely hot sauces but sweet and sour are my fav. So, I based on your recipe and used just one carolina pepper to make a sweet&sour pineapple sauce. Also, I've added some sugar for more sweetness.
Mike H. says
Those rare findings are so fun. I am glad that you've enjoyed it, Victoria!