Roasted Red Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce
A homemade hot sauce recipe made with roasted red jalapeno peppers, garlic, tomato and red wine vinegar. This is one of the most addicting hot sauces I’ve ever made. I already need another batch!
Happy New Year, friends! This is a very important post. It is the first of 2016, a brand new year, and there were so many possible recipes for us to post. As food bloggers, we think about food ALL THE TIME. It’s just what we do, and we LOVE it. We’re sure you could tell.
But! What to post?
We considered posting something light and healthy to kick off the new year with good eating habits. Nothing wrong with that. We like the watch our waistlines and what better time to recommit?
We also considered posting a Blood Mary recipe. Patty is an UH-MAZING Bloody Mary mixologist. Believe me when I say that. She has some homemade mixes coming up very soon. Can’t wait for those! See Spicy Mexican Style Bloody Mary Recipe. Oh yeah!
In the end, we decided that the best recipe to kick off 2016 with a BANG is this – Roasted Red Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce.
Yes!
A great homemade hot sauce epitomizes everything we are at Chili Pepper Madness. Of course we love chili peppers, but we love everything bold and spicy and zingy and zesty and delicious! Insert more positive foodie words here.
Seriously! We love it.
This is one of my personal favorite hot sauces. It’s SO simple, a Louisiana style sauce with a few extra ingredients added in to round it out.
Take a peek at it. YUM!
Let’s talk about how we make it, shall we?
How to Make This Homemade Hot Sauce – The Recipe Method
First we’re going to roast our peppers. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems. Set them onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, or until the skins blister.
Remove the peppers and cover with aluminum foil or a towel to allow them to steam. Peel off the skins and toss them, or keep them to make this Homemade Roasted Jalapeno Pepper Seasoning. So good!
Set the peppers into a food processor.
Next, heat a small pan to medium heat and add chopped onion and garlic with a splash of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
Add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Into the food processor they go.
Process the sauce until smooth. You can also use a food mill if you’d like your sauce to be thick and consistent. Test for salt and serve!
Recipe Notes
I made mine a bit thicker so that it drips slowly from the bottle. It will coat the back of a spoon or stick to a chip if that is how you want to enjoy it. You can serve it as a finisher sauce to dazzle up just about anything savory, or you can use it to swirl into soups or stews to bring home the flavor.
Even consider this homemade hot sauce recipe as a starter for pasta sauces or even for dips. TOTALLY one my faves.
If you like your hot sauce a bit thinner, add in a bit of water or a bit more red wine vinegar. Just be careful not to overdo the balance of the vinegar flavor.
I like it thicker, but it works thinned out as well, and it will last longer.
Roasted Red Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce Recipe Bonus!
It’s a great thing to make foods from scratch, isn’t it? It is something we strive for here at Chili Pepper Madness, to work with fresh, healthy foods and turn them into bold and powerful flavors.
Ring in the New Year right with your own homemade hot sauce. Start here! Enjoy.
Safety Advice
When working with very hot chili peppers peppers, including superhot chili peppers, it is important to wear gloves when handling the peppers both in raw and dried forms. The oils can get on your skin and cause burning sensations. See above.
Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.
Also, pepper fumes may get into the air if you are not working in a well ventilated room, so you may want to wear a mask and possibly eye goggles.
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
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
- Datil Pepper Sauce
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
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.
- 1 pound red jalapeno peppers
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems. Set them onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, or until the skins blister.
- Remove from heat and cover with aluminum foil or a towel to allow them to steam. Peel off the skins and discard.
- Set the peppers into a food processor.
- Heat a small pan to medium heat and add chopped onion and garlic with a splash of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add all remaining ingredients and heat through. Into the food processor they go.
- Process the sauce until smooth. You can also use a food mill if you’d like your sauce to be thick and consistent.
- Test for salt and serve!
Recipe Video
Heat Level: Medium.
This makes a nice and thick sauce. You can easily thin it out by adding more vinegar, lemon juice, a bit of tomato juice or even water to your preferred consistency.
This post was updated on 8/6/18 to include new photos and a video. It was originally posted on 1/1/16.
60 comments
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Great sauce I added a few ghost peppers too. I just finished it and had it warm on some seared pork chops was delicious can’t wait a couple days for all the flavours to really develop.
Curious I used tomatoes and wondering if In the future you can still add mango or would it throw that flavours off ??
Excellent, Taylor. Sure, you can combine tomato and mango. It’s really a personal preference. Let me know how you like it if you make it that way.
Process the sauce until smooth. You can also use a food mill if you d like your sauce to be thick and consistent.
Yes, a food mill works great. I use mine quite often, actually.
Hi! I’m looking to add a fruit to this jalapeño sauce, which would you suggest? Wondering if I should replace the tomato sauce in this case…
Hi, Jessica. Different fruits would be interesting here. I prefer more tropical fruits, like pineapple or mango, which produce silkier, smoother sauces. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Hi Mike,
Great recipe ! I use mine for a great spicy meatloaf. I use the sauce to replace the tomato sauce and WOW, best meatloaf ever!
Thanks,
Michelle
Awesome, Michelle! I love that you used it for meatloaf instead of tomato sauce. NICE! I’m going to have to try that. You just made me hungry!!!
Hi Mike,first thing,thanks for a GREAT site…I’m interested in this recipe but I haven’t grown Jalapenos this year..What I have got is Cherry Bomb growing like mad,but as it is late November they are not ripening to red very well.(I live in Corfu Greece)I was thinking of doing this sauce with green ones,following the recipe otherwise..Do you think this could work ? I want to get them off the plants before they start rotting,as we have had a lot of rain in the last two weeks
12 inches ! 6 inches in one day dumped by Cyclone “Victoria” !!
Hi, Mel. Absolutely, you can use this recipe for your cherry bombs. No problem at all. Let me know how it turns out for you! Good luck with the cyclone! Whoa! That’s a lot of rain.
Good sauce but don’t split the peppers first. Getting those skins off sucked. Roast them whole over flame or broiler.
You can do it that way, Brian. I’ve never had any issues with the oven roasting method, but of course whatever works best for you. I roast over an open flame all the time. Not everyone has that option, unfortunately. Glad you like the sauce.
AAAH-mazing!! I ended up using 8 very large green jalapenos and apple cider vinegar (didn’t have red wine vinegar). This sauce is PERFECT – very spicy but just enough that you keep wanting more and more. LOVE! Just found your website this week and it’s so beautifully done. Thank you for opening my eyes to the world of hot sauce, presenting easy instructions and not making a newbie like me feel intimidated. Have a gorgeous weekend!
Thanks so much! Super happy you enjoyed it!
I am making it now and was wondering what the shelf life is, I wanted to include a small bottle to each of the Christmas boxes I give out every year to a few co workers and friends. Would it require refridgeration once made or will it be ok to leave on shelf till Christmas . I will be using the shrink wrap bottles. Thanks
Theresa, I have not measured the pH of this particular sauce, but it’s all about the acidity. You want the pH to be 3.5 or lower, so be sure to use enough vinegar and/or citrus. If it is low enough, you can process the bottles or jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. If the pH is not low enough, you can use a pressure canner. Otherwise, keep refrigerated. Sauces can last a long time, but it is safer to process them for longer storage before opening.
Sorry! Meant to add that, because I was in a rush with the first batch, I didn’t deseed the peppers or peel them. But I did strain the sauce before pouring it into bottles. I dried what was strained out in my dehydrator , ground it and use it as a seasoning. I also processed the sauce in a water bath and we’re still using it. Great recipe and no waste!
So perfect! I usually also dry any strained pulp and grind it into a powder for seasoning. Perfect use! You’re a PRO!
This is a truly outstanding sauce. Made it last year and substituted half Serrano as I didn’t have enough ripe jalapeños. It was so good I made another 3 batches and am growing more jalapeños this year just for this sauce! Thank you so much for all of the extremely helpful advice on your site.
This is GREAT to hear, Teresa. I love it. It’s definitely one of my favorite hot sauces. I make it all the time. glad you love it!
Hi Mike
Decided to give your sauce a go. Picked the peppers from my wife’s garden. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough for what the recipe says, so I added red Paprika peppers – about 50:50.
At first I thought: just another spicy burning pepper tasting mash. It tasted like raw green peppers leaving you with a burning mouth.
To my surprise, a day or two later it tasted quite different. The flavors had time to develop and I couldn’t stop eating. The strong raw pepper taste disappeared and was really delicious. I use it on hot dogs, hamburgers. Delicious in Italian sauces on pasta.
Another ingredient I changed was I used sun dried tomato pesto instead of straight tomato sauce. One thing I battled a bit with was to remove the skins. Roasted in the oven for 20 minutes and followed the recipe. Some skins just stayed stuck to the flesh and was rubbery.
Thanks for the recipe. Will make another batch when next crop of peppers are ripe & red.
Thanks, Pieter. Most sauces will develop if you let them sit and mingle for a day or two. Glad you are enjoying it. You can always roast the peppers longer, or steam them after they come out of the oven to loosen the skins. Temps can vary from oven to oven. Good luck with your next batch!
Hi Mike,
I made mine with a 4 to 1 ratio of Fresnos to Jalapeño. Really delicious. Even my wife likes it.
I am also made a fermented green Jalapeño hot sauce, good too. But I am thinking of also trying this and cooking it with a little vinegar and garlic. What do you think?
Thanks, Scott Davis
Thanks, Scott. Yes, this would be good with garlic, and if you cooked it down with a bit of vinegar. I do this with a lot of my homemade hot sauces. I’m sure it would be great. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
What is tomato sauce in your reference?
I live in South Africa where tomato sauce is what Americans call ketchup.
Anthony, tomato sauce is really just pureed tomatoes, so instead of tomato sauce, you can just use fresh tomatoes in the recipe. Just be sure to process the final sauce. Please let me know how it turns out for you.
I live in the Southwest, where chiles rule! Love your recipe! Really quite easy. At the end of the season I found myself with a bush filled with red jalapenos. What to do? Pinterest, of course. I found your recipe and it sounded perfect. I followed the recipe almost to a tee, however being savvy at roasting chiles I left them whole and put them under the broiler watched them carefully, turning occasionally until they began to blister. Put them in a plastic bag to sweat and cool enough to easily peel. Completed the sauce, bottled it, and it will be served on our “tacos on white” tonight! I look forward to making more of your recipes! Thanks!
Perfect, Winnie. Thanks!!
I made two batches today, love it. One batch with red and one with green jalapenos, also tried liquid smoke in one and I think it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe.
Excellent, Mike. Thanks!
Just made it! Great back palate heat with a beautiful creamy texture. Thx for the recipe!!
Excellent, Ruan! Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this sauce and tossed some wings in it, super tasty and was mild enough for my grandfather to eat a whole mess of wings (he doesn’t handle spice very well)
Thanks, Chris. Glad your grandfather enjoyed it.
I have a nice crop of jalapenos. Will try this recipe this weekend. Thank you, Mike!
Ken
That’s great, Kennedy. Let me know how it turns out for you! Definitely one of my favorites.
Do you have any suggestions for hot sauce using the green Hatch peppers? Hatch peppers are in all my local grocers right now but there are very few red ones. Thank you!
Brandon, I just posted a Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce recipe tn pods. can try with the green pods. There are many different recipes on my Hot Sauce Recipes page that you can use to incorporate Hatch peppers. Take look there and let me know if any of them jumps out. I’m happy to help you adapt any of them.
Just made my first ever batch of this and it tastes great! Mixed some Jalepenos with mixed Red Chillis and threw in a little balsamic vinegar to compliment the tomato.
That’s great, Jonny. I think the balsamic would add a nice touch of sweetness. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi
Can you roast chillies that you have already frozen
REPLY: Kevin, I haven’t really tried this. When the frozen peppers are thawed, they can be a bit soft, so you may be able to roast them if they were kept whole. I think it could work, but it would be better if they were roasted before freezing. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Hi, is it safe to hot water bath the hot sauce in the jars with swing top lids?
REPLY: Lara, I don’t think so. The lids need to make a proper seal. I’ve never done it with swing top lids. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
This looks like a great recipe and I cant wait to try it! I was wondering were you get your cute jars?
REPLY: Natalie, I get some locally but you can also order them online. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
I love this sauce! I have made it several times using long red chilies mixed with jalapenos home grown. It’s addictive!
Thanks, Lisa! It’s definitely one of my favorites.
Hi! Where do you find red jalapeno peppers and do they go by any other name? If I don’t have access to them, what easily located pepper would you recommend substituting? Thanks!!
REPLY: Nikki, I usually find red jalapenos at my local Mexican grocer, though I also grow them. If you can’t find any, you CAN use green jalapenos, though the color will be different. Or, try using a mix of green jalapenos and red bells or red sweet peppers. Most thicker flesh peppers will work with this recipe. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Very good sauce, i made my by replacing garlic for leek.
Perfect!
Do you recommend this sauce for raw oysters?
REPLY: David, I think this would be great. I love a little hot sauce on my raw oysters with a bit of horseradish. Yes! — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Hi I’m thinking of using this recipe to create a smokey sauce and roasting all the ingredients on my Webber using indirect cooking and wood chips, would this work and what wood chips would you recommended?
REPLY: Tony, I think that would be great. I think apple wood would have a nice flavor. Please let me know how it turns out! — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Hi, how much does this make please? I want to make a couple of jars and would like to reduce the amounts accordingly…. Thanks!
REPLY: Hannah, this will make you somewhere between 12-16 ounces or so, depending on the sizes of some of your ingredients. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
You mention removing the skins from the peppers is this really necessary? Do the skins leave a bad taste or do they just not chop up? I use a Vitamix and that machine seems to liquify everything I place in it.
REPLY: Jim, it’s not really necessary, especially if using a good mixer. Some people have a hard time if the skins don’t mix thoroughly enough. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Do you keep the seed or discard them?
REPLY: Jan, you can remove them if you’d like for aesthetic purposes, but you don’t have to. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
I’ve been wanting to try a tomato based hot sauce for a while so had to give this a try. I couldn’t roast the chilies as I only had dried ones, so decided to roast some tomatoes instead and substitute them for the ketchup. I’m not sure it was the best plan.
I used 22 dried, smallish Paper Lantern Habaneros as I’ve got loads- they are really surprisingly mild and have very little flavour – I added a couple of hot Aji Red’s to up to heat and combined them with 12 roasted tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. What I ended up with is quite nice, almost like a rather posh, spicy ketchup I enjoyed it with food… but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m just eating an overly hot pasta sauce, which I suppose is essentially what I’ve made, and I suppose essentially what it tastes like. It’s nice but doesn’t taste like a “real” hot sauce – totally my fault, not the author’s!
It’s definitely not going to go to waste, it’ll be great with some fries but I’d advise others to maybe stick to the proper recipe!
REPLY: Mike, email me and I can make some suggestions on working with tomato as well as dried peppers for sauces. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Do you leave seeds in?
REPLY: Bart, you can leave them in or remove them. The choice is yours. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Hi, how long do you think the sauce will keep for in the fridge?
REPLY: Hank,this will keep for several months easily in the fridge. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Obviously the sauce won’t be red, but can green jalapeños be used?
REPLY: Denise, yes, absolutely. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness
Tomato sauce is that like ketchup or a passata
REPLY: Mark, you can use a canned tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes. Or, roast and peel several tomatoes and make your own tomato sauce. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
If you wanted thinner, I would think you coulc just add some tomato JUICE instead of vinegar or water. Maintain that tomato-y taste.
I think that would be great!