Make your own peri peri, or piri piri, sauce at home with this recipe. A traditional African sauce made from African Bird's Eye chilies, perfect for making Peri Peri Chicken and so much more!
Homemade Peri Peri Sauce Recipe
If you have not tried Peri Peri Sauce, this is one you need to put on the list.
What is peri peri sauce? Peri Peri sauce is a traditional South African sauce made by Portuguese settlers to the area made with spicy African Bird's Eye chili peppers. It is also known as piri piri, or pili pili. It's perfect for any spicy food lover.
What You'll Love About My Peri Peri Sauce
- I use African Bird's Eye chili peppers for authentic, fiery flavor, though you can use other peppers available to you as demonstrated in the video recipe. This sauce delivers genuine heat that's true to its roots.
- This sauce is incredibly versatile, perfect as a marinade, dip, or condiment. Its ready to help you elevate chicken, seafood, and more with spicy zest.
- It's simple and fresh! We're using fresh ingredients and minimal fuss, a quick and easy way to spice up your meals..
You may have heard of the world's most famous brand of Peri Peri sauce - Nando's. This is a homemade version that is fairly similar.
Homemade Peri Peri sauce (or should I say Homemade Nando's?) is simple enough to make.
It requires no actual cooking, just some chopping and processing of the ingredients. It's an oil-based sauce, at least it is with our version, ideal for dipping, and it goes GREAT with chicken and seafood.
Featured Reader Comment
"I LOVE this stuff! I made it with ripe red jalapeños with a few ghost chilis thrown it to kick it up a bit. My favorite so far is on fried chicken but it's great for cooking on the grill or broiler. Great mixed with Buffalo wing sauce!" -- Bob
Let's talk about how to make peri peri sauce, shall we?
Peri Peri Sauce Ingredients
- Chili Peppers. African Bird’s Eye peppers are traditional, but you can sub with other red peppers available to you, including red bell peppers. Roasted red peppers are wonderful here. Try it with fiery habanero peppers, ghost peppers, or a mix.
- Fresh Garlic.
- Smoked Paprika.
- Fresh Herbs. Cilantro, basil (or use fresh oregano, which is more common).
- Olive Oil. Or vegetable oil.
- Lemon Juice.
- Salt. To taste.
How to Make Peri Peri Sauce - the Recipe Overview
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process to form a smooth sauce to your preferred consistency. You can strain out some of the excess liquid if you'd like, or just use it as-is.
Enjoy! Refrigerate until ready to use.
BOOM! That's it. It's an incredibly easy recipe to make.
What to Serve with Peri Peri Sauce
Peri Peri sauce goes particularly well with grilled chicken of any kind. Peri peri chicken is the most common use for it, and I love it for peri peri chicken wings or peri peri chicken on the grill.
However, it's also wonderful with seafood, such as shrimp or whitefish. Try it on grilled vegetables!
Recipe Tips & Notes
If you can't source African Bird's Eye chilies, you can sub in an equivalent amount of red peppers of your choice.
I have made this with long red cayenne peppers, red jalapeno peppers, and fingerling peppers, even red habanero and ghost peppers, all to similar results.
Traditional ingredients also call for a variety of herbs, though ours incorporates basil and cilantro. You might try oregano, tarragon, or rosemary. Nando's uses a rosemary extract for their herb flavoring.
You'll find regional differences throughout Africa and Portugal.
Storage
Peri peri sauce 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 3.5 or so, to account for errors.
It is not recommended to process sauces with oil in a water bath.
This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS
Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 52.
Hot Sauce Bottles
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.
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
Peri Peri Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound red chilies chopped – African Bird’s Eye peppers are traditional, but you can sub with red peppers available to you
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika you can sub in other chili powders
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped oregano (I enjoy fresh basil as a substitute)
- 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process to form a smooth sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Enjoy! Refrigerate until ready to use.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
This sauce is gluten free.
This recipe was updated on 3/19/25 to include new photos and a video. It was originally published on 2/10/16.
Harry Vick says
Would you simply go heavier on the garlic using this recipe if you wanted to emulate a nando's garlic Peri Peri?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, I would add more garlic, and maybe skip the basil. You can add a bit of rosemary, though, as Nando's includes rosemary extract in their ingredients list. Let me know how it goes for you.
Jerry van West says
What about any vinegar/ACV to get the ph levels down. This looks absolutely amazing btw.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jerry. Yes, vinegar would definitely make it more acidic. Enjoy!
Peter Punky says
Where did you get the idea to add the basil? You say you were recreating Nando's, but that's sans herbs, even less powerful ones. I gave it a go with a bit less, and it's not bad, but it's definitely a different experience.
Mike Hultquist says
Peter, this is NOT claimed to be a Nando's Copycat recipe. Nando's uses a rosemary extract, whereas I chose basil out of preference. Of course this is not identical. You can obviously play with similar ingredients to get closer to the Nando's you prefer. Adios.
Michelle Barrett says
Hi - I made some of this sauce the other day, and left it on the side - it seems to have expanded in the jars - would you know why this is please?
thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Michelle, I'm not sure why it would have expanded, unless there was some type of fermentation starting, though I doubt that. Make sure there are no bad/off smells, like rot or infection. I've never had this particular issue.
Kristan says
We have an abundance of Portuguese green peppers in our garden...can we sub out the red chilis for these, or do you have a different recipe using Portuguese green peppers you'd recommend? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Kristen, you can make this recipe with the green pods, though the flavor will be more "green", unripened. You can use them in many, many recipes here.
bob says
Made this the second time today - simple and oh - so tasty!
the jar gets gnarly after a few weeks but... I need to give some away sooner- sharing is good.
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, yes! Good to share, Bob! Glad you like it. =)
Sankalp Packaged Foods says
A truly remarkable sauce that adds excitement to every meal.
robert J adams says
made this with a little extra heat from 1.5 habaneros - It is terrific and I keep looking for ways to use it.
thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Nice level of heat! Enjoy, Robert.
Douglas says
Loved the recipe made my mouth watering ,cant wait to prepare the sauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Douglas!
Matt says
I got hooked on Peri Peri in the UK at Nando's. I smoke the red pepper and red onion on my smoker to get some of that rich smoky goodness and add homemade chipotle - everyone should have this!!
Mike Hultquist says
I hear you, Matt! Great stuff for sure.
Ross says
Can I make this sauce without using oil as I’m on an oil free diet?
Mike Hultquist says
You surely can, Ross. Enjoy.
Becky Quoos says
Holy hotness! I ordered the chilies online. it came with the seeds mixed with the dried chilies. I'm trying desperately to tone it down. It's good, but way too hot. Help a girl out?
Mike Hultquist says
Becky, sorry to hear. The best way to beat the heat with a batch like this is to make another batch with NO chilies, then combine them. Or incorporate more of the other ingredients in a similar fashion. Dilution.