A recipe for fresh, spicy ghost pepper salsa made with garden grown ghost peppers, tomato, onion, lime juice and cilantro. It's time to spice things up!
It's ghost pepper time, my friends. Time to REALLY spice things up around here. If you're seeing a lot of ghost pepper recipes coming out of my kitchen lately, it's because my ghost pepper plants are going CRAZY!
I have ghost peppers coming out of my ears! I love it. Truly.
Ghost peppers are nice and hot, and they're super fruity in flavor, if you can get past the heat. Ghost peppers, aka Bhut Jolokias, top out at over 1 Million Scoville Heat Units, which is roughly 200+ times hotter than an average jalapeno pepper.
Learn more about ghost peppers here.
Yes, that is some very nice heat there, but as mentioned, with that heat comes some excellent flavor.
So vibrant and begging for a chip to be dipped into it. Just beware. The first bite is rather addictive, but the second bite just might make you sweat a little bit.
Let's talk about how we make this ghost pepper salsa, shall we? It's super easy, as we're working with fresh ingredients.
Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa Ingredients
- Ghost Peppers. 4, chopped, or more, as desired.
- Tomato. 1 medium, chopped.
- White Onion. 1 small, chopped.
- Lime Juice. 3 tablespoons, or use the juice from 1 large lime.
- Cilantro. ¼ cup chopped.
- Salt. To taste.
How to Make Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa - The Recipe Method
First, gather up your ingredients - 4 ghost peppers, a medium sized tomato, a small white onion, a large lime (or use 3 tablespoons lime juice), 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and a bit of salt.
Chop the peppers, tomato and onion, then add them to a bowl with the lime juice and cilantro. Toss everything together to combine it.
Add in a few sprinkles of salt to your personal tastes, and BOOM!
DONE!
It's that easy. Truly. Don't you just love easy food? Salsas are easy.
Playing with the Recipe - Adjusting the Heat
You can easily adjust the ingredients to your preferences. If you're concerned about the heat, consider using only 1 ghost pepper and filling in the recipe with other peppers. You can even use bell peppers for this.
Or, if you're looking for extra heat, this recipe can easily use up to 10 ghost peppers or more.
Make it REALLY hot if you want! Sure!
Handling Ghost Peppers - Safety Information
A word to the wise. As mentioned, ghost peppers are VERY HOT, so it is best to wear gloves when handling them. The oils can get onto your skin and can cause burning. Avoid touching your eyes or other parts of your skin to avoid that burn.
If you do feel the burn on your skin, consult this page - How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn.
Ghost Pepper Salsa Serving Suggestions
Salsas are always popular on game day gatherings, or pretty much any party situation.
Try some of my Game Day Recipes for more ideas.
I also like to use salsa as a topper for any grilled or roasted meats, like chicken, pork, and especially fish. White fish LOVES a good salsa, and it makes for a healthy meal.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep it for up to 1-2 weeks. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Ghost Pepper Recipes
Try Some of My Other Popular Salsa Recipes
- Xni-Pec - Yucatan Habanero Salsa
- Habanero Salsa
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Salsa Roja
- Fresh Cranberry Salsa
- Try this authentic Salsa Verde Recipe that goes with all of your Mexican dishes, or my Restaurant Style Salsa that everyone loves.
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.
Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa - Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ghost peppers chopped, or more, as desired
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice or use the juice from 1 large lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to mingle and develop. Serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Lorna says
I have never canned raw salsa. I added a lot of lime juice and it tastes great. This is ok to process this in canner for a long shelf life?
Mike Hultquist says
You should be able to here, Lorna, though check the acidity. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for water bath canning. You can add vinegar or citrus if needed.
Dena says
is this recipe ok for canning?
Mike Hultquist says
Dena, yes, though check the pH. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home canning.
MJ says
Mike
How do you check for ph?
Mike Hultquist says
The best way is with a pH meter. See my Shop Page for the one I recommend: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/shop/
Brad cope says
Teaspoon of chopped garlic ups the flavor
Mike Hultquist says
Garlic and salsa are best buds.
Justin Schoenhardt says
I haven’t made this yet, but I want to! I just was curious how long this recipe will last in the fridge?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Justin, this should last a week in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Geoffrey says
I started growing ghost peppers, carolina reapers, trinidad scorpions and some jalapenos and serranos. I also grew, for the first time this year, the Savina Red Habanero pepper.
I discovered your ghost pepper recipes about two years ago. I've made both the cooked and uncooked versions. Everyone loves them. Except for the wimpy folks who think jalapenos are too hot.
I used your Habanero recipe for the Savina peppers. I used your ghost pepper recipe for the reapers and scorpions. They were great. I changed proportions a bit but the ingredients stayed the same.
Thanks for all the recipes you publish. It is truly appreciated. I'm going to go look for your book.
Geoff
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Geoff. I appreciate it and am happy you enjoyed the salsa. Good luck with the garden and the peppers! You are a true chilihead. Best!!
Seth says
question is there a subsitute to cilantro?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Seth, you can try other fresh herbs, like parsley or basil.
Seth says
This is an amazing salsa and i hope to make it again! thanks for all your rescipe and hope to buy your book
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Seth! I' glad you enjoyed it and hope you like my book.
Dwayne Myra Butler Mouton says
I assume you can can this?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dwayne/Myra, you can use a pressure canner to can this. If using a water bath, you may need to add in some more acid, like more citrus or vinegar, to lower the pH. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home canning. Enjoy!
Barbara says
I found this recipe on Pinterest last year. I made my first batch last summer and my husband and I both loved it! He took some to work and one of his heat-loving co-workers said it was the best he’d ever had! It’s ghost pepper season and I just finished making the first batch. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Thanks, Barbara! Glad it was enjoyed.
andrew says
i cut back on my first go round with only 2 peppers and adding one more tomato, turned out very yummy.next step is using some mild serano peppers and try that plus 2 or three ghost peppers
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! This recipe makes a great starter so you can add/subtract as much as you wish. Enjoy!!