A recipe for smooth and spicy ghost pepper salsa made with garden grown ghost peppers, tomato, onion, lime juice and cilantro, all simmered together to let the flavors meld, picante style.
Looking for the best spicy Ghost Pepper Salsa? Here you go! Ghost peppers are wonderfully hot and spicy, and they have an addictive fruity flavor.
I've been cooking with ghost peppers for many years. The plants are easy to grown and quite productive. See my ghost pepper recipes to really spice things up.
If you want to cook with ghost peppers, be ready for 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.
Yes, that is some very nice heat there, but as mentioned, with that heat comes some excellent flavor.
Ready to dig in? I am! The color is so vibrant. It just wants you to dip a chip right in there. But beware.
NOTE: This recipe is similar to my Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa Recipe, but we're extending the recipe steps to include processing and simmering to make more of a picante-style sauce.
Ghost Pepper Salsa Ingredients
- Ghost Peppers. 4 chopped or more, as desired. Learn more about ghost peppers here.
- 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 Ghost Pepper Salsa
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!
Right here is my Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa Recipe. You can serve this up as it is, or! Continue on for the picante style sauce.
Next, Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and process it until it is nice and smooth.
Add the ingredients to a pan and bring to a quick boil. Simmer it for about 15 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Cool, and adjust with salt to your tastes and BOOM!
DONE!
It's that easy. Truly. Don't you just love easy food? Salsas are easy.
I like to cover it and let it chill in the refrigerator at this point to let the flavors develop even further, but honestly, you can eat it once it's cooled if you'd like.
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
Store your Ghost Pepper Salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
You can also freeze this salsa for 3 months or longer if freezer containers. Thaw in the refrigerator to enjoy again.
Can I Can This Ghost Pepper Salsa?
Yes, with a few adjustments, as this recipe was developed as a quick and easy, small batch, garden fresh salsa. For safe water bath canning, I recommend following a tested salsa ratio rather than canning the recipe exactly as written.
For each 1 cup peeled, cored, seeded, and chopped tomato, use:
- Up to 1-1/2 cups total chopped onion and ghost peppers
- 1/4 cup commercially bottled lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon canning or pickling salt
Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Ladle the hot salsa into sterilized half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Process in a boiling water bath for:
- 15 minutes at 0-1,000 feet
- 20 minutes at 1,001-6,000 feet
- 25 minutes above 6,000 feet
For canning, I recommend leaving out the fresh cilantro and stirring it in after opening.
Also, tested salsa canning recipes use chopped ingredients rather than a fully pureed salsa. For the most conservative approach, can the salsa with the ingredients finely chopped, then blend it smooth after opening if desired.
Do not increase the amount of onion or peppers beyond the ratios above, though you can reduce them if you prefer.
Try Some of My Other Popular Ghost Pepper Recipes
Try Some of My Other Popular Salsa Recipes
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.
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.
- Add the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process until nice and smooth.
- Pour the salsa into a pan and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 15 minutes to let the flavors develop. Cool.
- You can serve right away or cover and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to mingle and develop even more. Serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 9/10/26 to include canning information.
Tom Brenholts says
I saw the question about canning. My thought is, with the tomato and lime juice, the pH of this recipe should be under 4.5. If so, it should can according to standard practice. You can pick up test strips cheaply on Amazon. Your opinion?
Mike Hultquist says
Tom, yes, you can make a canning variation of this recipe. Just need some changes. I am going to make an update to reflect this, as the recipe was developed as an easy salsa, small batch, more for refrigerating. For a Canning Version: For each 1 cup of peeled, cored, seeded and chopped tomato, use no more than 1½ cups total chopped onion and ghost peppers, along with ¼ cup commercially bottled lime juice and ½ teaspoon canning salt. The ratio and specific ingredients are important.
Bring everything to a boil, simmer for 3 minutes, then hot-pack into a half-pint or pint canning jar with ½-inch headspace. Process in a boiling-water bath for 15 minutes at elevations up to 1,000 feet, 20 minutes at 1,001-6,000 feet, or 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.
For canning, I would leave out the fresh cilantro and stir it in after opening. Also, the tested process uses chopped rather than fully pureed salsa, so for the most conservative approach, blend it smooth after opening if desired. Or just enjoy it chunky. Thanks for asking. Let me know how it turns out.
Vonda says
I made this salsa a few times for my daughter and some co-workers and everyone just loves it. It's a little hot for me but it smells good when I'm making it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Wonda!
Kathy says
If you’re make this and clean my jars and sanitize I. Dishwasher. Can I just store in refrigerator. If so, for how long
Mike Hultquist says
Kathy, yes, you can store in the fridge in a sealed container. It should last a month or longer. You can always add in a bit more vinegar or citrus to make it last longer.
Vinny S says
Leave the seeds? Or remove them?
Mike Hultquist says
It's your call, Vinny. The seeds are edible, but some people find them bitter. I usually leave them in.
Joseph says
Is there a ghost pepper salsa recipe for water bath canning several pints or half pints?
My ghost pepper plant is doing great along with other hot peppers and salsa tomato, so would like to can various salsa varieties for winter use.
Mike Hultquist says
Joseph, I have some canning information you can start with here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/