This habanero hot sauce recipe is the perfect mix of fire and flavor with Caribbean red habaneros, carrot, shallot, garlic, and a blend of spices.
Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe
It's hot sauce making time in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. I know you love a good hot sauce.
There are many, many wonderful artisan hot sauces on the market today, and I enjoy so many of them. However, there's something about a good homemade hot sauce that really stands out.
When you make your own hot sauce at home, you control everything that goes into it - the peppers, the spices, the flavor additions, the preservatives - and you can really build that flavor and heat you prefer.
Today I'm making a fiery Habanero Hot Sauce, which focuses on the flavor of habanero peppers, with their excellent mix of fruitiness and warming heat.
Habaneros are ideal for spicy food lovers, as they push the heat factor to the edge without crossing the incendiary heat threshold of the superhots.
There are many ways to make a habanero hot sauce, but this particular recipe incorporates the flavor building additions of garlic, shallot and carrot, along with vinegar and spices to really round out the flavor.
I think you'll love this one, though it's very easy to adjust to really make it your own.
Let's talk about how to make habanero hot sauce, shall we?
Habanero Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Habanero Peppers. I'm using Caribbean red habanero peppers, but you can use orange habaneros or other variety.
- Carrot. Carrot adds body and sweetness to your final hot sauce.
- Garlic.
- Shallot.
- Vinegar. I'm using distilled white vinegar for this recipe.
- Spices. Sweet paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
How to Make Habanero Hot Sauce - the Recipe Method
Gather Your Ingredients. Add all of the ingredients (carrots, onions, habaneros, garlic, vinegar, spices) to a small pot or sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Simmer the Ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are softened.
Blend the Ingredients. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Adjust the Hot Sauce. Taste and adjust for salt and spices. For a thinner consistency, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and process to your desired thickness.
Bottle and serve. Makes about 1 cup hot sauce.
Boom! Done! Your habanero hot sauce is ready to serve. Such a great recipe with great flavor and heat. I hope you love it as much as I do! Time to make some hot sauce.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Let the hot sauce mingle and mellow out for a day or 2 before using. You can use it right away, but the flavor gets better over time.
- Heat Factor: Medium-Hot. You can up the heat factor with more habaneros or hotter peppers. Reduce the heat to medium heat by replacing some of the habaneros with milder peppers like bell peppers.
- Can't find habanero peppers? Scotch bonnets are a great replacement with their fiery, fruity flavor.
- Strain your hot sauce for a thinner consistency. You can also add more vinegar to thin it out. Save the leftover pulp for use in soups, stews, or other sauces, or dehydrate it to use as a dry seasoning.
- Consider this a starter recipe. Feel free to vary up the ratios and ingredients. Use apple cider vinegar for a tangy addition, add citrus like lemon or lime juice, and switch up the spices to really make this your own.
How Hot is Habanero Hot Sauce?
Habanero peppers are considered very hot peppers, ranging from 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) on the Scoville Scale. Some types can even reach up to 600,000 SHU, which is quite hot.
Compare this to an average jalapeno pepper, which measures 5,000 SHU, and you'll see that habaneros can reach 70 to 120 times hotter. This is approaching peppers like the Ghost Pepper, which is extremely hot.
However, because we're using other ingredients to dilute the overall habanero pepper content, the hot sauce will not be as hot as a raw habanero. This particular hot sauce is more of a Medium-Hot hot sauce.
Storage
This hot sauce will last for many months in a sealed bottle or container because of the vinegar content. Keep refrigerated for longer keeping.
If you'd like to make it shelf stable, measure the pH and adjust to 3.5 or lower for home processing, then process in a water bath. Be sure your bottles are sterilized or very clean before bottling.
See my post on "Does Hot Sauce Need to be Refrigerated?"
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this habanero hot sauce recipe. I love this recipe. Let me know if you make it and how you decided to change it up.
Tools Used For This Recipe
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!
Ninja Food Processor. I use this like crazy to make hot sauces and other sauces, and quick and easy purees.
Hot Sauce Bottles. 5 ounce woozy bottles. I have to buy these in bulk because I keep giving hot sauce away!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. 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.
Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces chopped habanero peppers seeds/innards included
- 1 ounce chopped carrot
- 1 ounce chopped garlic
- .5 ounce chopped shallot
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are softened.
- Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust for salt and spices. For a thinner consistency, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and process to your desired thickness.
- Bottle and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Pepe says
Ho mon dieu, je pense que je viens de créer un monstre ! Merci pour cette recette !Comment conserver la sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Great, enjoy! You can store this in the refrigerator for 1 year or so, or 6 months out of the fridge in a cool, dry place.
Michael says
Would love to try this but I've already dried this year's chilies. Would I just rehydrate them in hot water first? Would the bottles be shelf stable?
Mike Hultquist says
Michael, you can use them. I have a post on that here: How To Make Hot Sauce From Dried Peppers
- https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/
Andrew Cossins says
I was given a bag of habaneros at the weekend so decided to make this with them. It tastes great to me but my wife is probably not going to eat much, if any of it. Is there a way I can rack down the heat level before I bottle it - I have already blended it.
Mike Hultquist says
Andrew, the best way is dilution, by adding other non-spicy ingredients.
Corey says
This is an awesome base recipe!
My home grown red habaneros ended up being quite hot, so for a more mild heat, I reduced the habaneros to about 1.5oz and removed the innards, subbing 2oz of orange bell pepper for the rest. The flavor was great.
I've used red bell peppers in the past and it added a bit too much sweet pepper flavor for my taste. The oranges worked much better.
Mike Hultquist says
Great! Thanks, Corey!
Andy says
Just tried your recipe, that turned out awesome! Very impressed!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Andy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jen says
Best recipe ever for EVERYTHING. Amazing combination of flavor
Thank you for sharing
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks, Jen! Glad you're enjoying it.
Tim H. says
Just made my closest version to your Habanero Sauce, Mike...But, since I had already used all the shallots from our garden, I used yellow onion instead. My wife had dried some Oregano, Rosemary & Thyme from our herb garden, and I mistakenly grabbed the Rosemary first before realizing my error, so my sauce had both Oregano + Rosemary in it. I also opted for Rice Vinegar rather than the White Vinegar - which I feel is a bit more mellow (especially with something as fiery as Habanero Peppers). My family appreciates thicker sauces, so I did not strain it either, and just ran it through our blender since that is the only type of processor that we have, but we (my daughter, son, and I) immediately applied it to some pizza last night, which complemented it so perfectly - especially with all of it's garlicky/oreganoey flavor! Thanks so much for sharing your hard-researched/worked recipes with us, Mike!!
Mike Hultquist says
I love it! Sounds great, Tim. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
hey there- do you see the peepers? I ended up using some seeds
Mike Hultquist says
I'm not sure what you mean, Lisa, but you can include the seeds. No problem.
Mike says
This a fantastic recipe, especially for someone like me who is a first time sauce maker! I ended up putting 5 home grown habeneros & 2 jalapenos - and you'd think this would burn your tongue off right? But, damn, the flavors mixed really well and is just the right kick for me! Mahalo for this!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent, Mike! Glad you enjoyed. Mahalo! Hoping to return to Hawaii early next year.
Ron says
Good morning - Have about from the garden to make this weekend - how do you feed about using onions ILO shallots - Looks loke a great recipe and plan on a large batch don't want to ruin it Ty
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Ron. Yes, onions are GREAT for hot sauce. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy!
Pete says
Recipe is simple and quick. Have been using the sauce for a few weeks now on many meals. Flavor and heat level are perfect. Thanks for posting.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Pete!
Adam says
do you just boil in the vinegar or are you adding water to the pot?
Mike Hultquist says
Adam, no water. Just boil it all in the vinegar. The vinegar won't cover it all, so give it a few stirs during the cook. Everything will soften up. Put a lid on it to help.
Leigh says
I made this over the weekend. My 17 year old son has grown hot peppers in the garden this summer and we have a bunch….Caribbean reds, ghost, reapers etc. This recipe came out great, he really likes it. I’m a hot sauce wimp so I used like 3 drops on some eggs….it was really good-hot but had flavor too. Thanks for the recipe! I have pinned a bunch of them and signed up to your mailer. Have a great day.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Leigh. Glad it was enjoyed! I appreciate you sharing your comments. Have a great day!
Jessica says
Do you cut up the peppers before boiling them I tne pot or just throw them in whole? Can’t wait to try!!
Mike Hultquist says
Jessica, I chop them up. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Deborah says
Could frozen Habanero's be used for this?
Mike Hultquist says
Deborah, yes, you can make this from frozen pods. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Jada says
Is the pepper measurement 5 oz volume or weight?
Mike Hultquist says
By weight.
Kelly says
Excellent! I substituted Malaysian goronang peppers that I grew in my garden and omitted the carrot to preserve the bright yellow color of the peppers, adding a pinch of sugar instead to balance the vinegar. Everything was just perfect! I have some Carolina reapers that I'll use in the next batch, and will make sure to add carrots to that one. Sorry to change the recipe but it's so versatile that it works anyway! Bookmarking this for future reference. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Kelly!
Bob says
I have made this several times and I do not change anything. We love how it turns out and I share this with a lot of friends, BUT... Have you made an apricot hot sauce with Habaneros?
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Thanks, Bob. I have NOT made an apricot hot sauce, but I DO use apricots to make Chamoy Sauce. So good! I think it would add an interesting flavor to a hot sauce. Curious if you give it a go! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/chamoy-sauce/
Sisi says
any way to get normal measurements instead of weights? I don't know anyone who cooks using ounces instead of teaspoons/cups etc
Cindy says
You could buy a kitchen scale or just find a different recipe that has ingredients in “normal” measurements.
Soij says
Weight is more accurate - high end recipes will always refer to grams/ounces.
Rachel says
After comparing hot sauce recipes, yours look like the one to try!
Just wondering around how many peppers equal 3.5 ounces, and is one grated carrot equal to an ounce?
Thank- you!
Mike Hultquist says
I hope you enjoy it, Rachel. Weights can vary, so it's best to get a small kitchen scale, but generally - 1 ounce carrot is about 1/2 a small carrot. 3.5 ounces of habaneros is roughly 20 pods or so. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Denise says
I have been looking through all your hot sauce recipes to find a habanero/ blueberry hot sauce. I bought a very simple one claiming only vinegar, blueberries, habanero and salt. It was incredibly good! Would love your feedback as to whether this is even possible, as I’m not a fan of lots of ingredients. I’ve used your sauces and recipes
And love them all. We’re the family with 30 different kinds of hot sauce at one time!! Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Denise. Yes, you can use blueberries in hot sauce. You can swap them in for any of the other fruit-based hot sauces here, and also vary up the ratios of blueberries to habaneros. Let me know how it goes.
Donna Marcous says
according to research, 3.5 ounces is approximately 80 peppers. that cannot be right. 1 oz equals 25 according to charts
Mike Hultquist says
Donna, the sizes of peppers can vary greatly, even on the same plant. It is best to measure at the time of recipe making.
Jenn says
I weighed my habaneros from my neighbors garden and 3.5oz is 6 of them. It’s good to own a kitchen scale if you cook from scratch.
Jason Walsh says
Hi Mike,
Do you ever use fermented Habanero's? is there any benefit to fermenting these peppers?
Cheers,
Jason
Mike Hultquist says
Jason, absolutely, all the time. Yes, there are many probiotic benefits to fermentation, as well as the addition of the funky flavor it adds.
Mike Smuts says
I've just made this recipe and "mind blown". This will be my new go-to sauce. Simple, but soo delicious. The amendments I made: I used Ghost Peppers instead of Habanero, and replaced the 1 ounce of Garlic, with equal parts onion and carrot (as I'm allergic to garlic). I also used Apple Cider Vinegar that introduced a lovely sweet undertone. 10/10!
*Will it be possible to perhaps have a switch from imperial to metric?
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Mike! Thanks! I'm trying to find a good measurement converter for metric. Apologies.
Ryan says
This is a new favorite. Thanks for the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Ryan!
Julius says
For average Lithuanians its really hot 🙂 I made double batch. its really tasty, and hot as hell 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Definitely a good heat level!
Kyle says
I made a large batch of this + mango for a Christmas party and boy did it deliver.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Kyle!
Andy says
How do make a larger batch of this? Is there a ratio you need for the ingredients or can you just double, treble etc all ingredients
Mike Hultquist says
Andy, yes, really just double or triple the ingredients. Works great. You can go easy on the liquids if you'd like, then add them in after you puree to achieve a consistency you desire. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Tom says
I have never been able to find a remotely decent Habanero hot sauce so I figured I'd give your recipe a try. All I can say is Wow! and Thanks for putting this recipe out there! I only made small changes; I had 5.5 oz of Habs (I like it hot), through in a Serrano pepper just 'cause it was near the cutting board, and upped the vinegar a little bit as I'm going for making this shelf stable. It's absolutely fantastic! Thanks again!!
Tom
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Tom! Very happy you enjoyed it! Yes, I LOVE this one and make it all the time.
Danette says
Can I ask how much vinegar you used to make it shelf stable? I am wanting to do the same thing. Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Danette, it is best to go by pH measurement rather than a specific amount. Using a pH meter or strips (which aren't as accurate), shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home keeping. 4.6 is considered shelf stable. This recipe uses 1 cup vinegar, so it should be close to 3.5 already, but you may need to add a tablespoon or 2 more.
Deborah says
Thanks for the receip. I made the Ghost pepper hot sauce it was fantastic. I like the heat. I want the heat from this one also. What can I do?
Mike Hultquist says
Deborah, you can either add in some ghost peppers for heat, or add in some ghost pepper seasoning to kick it up a notch. Enjoy!
Cosmas Herrera says
Do you have to refrigerate this hot sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
You don't have to. It has enough vinegar to help it last. I like to refrigerate, though.
Cosmas Herrera says
Thanks. Made a batch and tastes great. Can't wait to start experimenting!
Peter Male says
I made this and am loving it. Since we grew so many peppers this year, I tried it a couple of different ways, one time mixing in some jalapenos. I just used your recipe as a basic guide and wasn't concerned with exact quantities. I swapped out the shallot for red onion, but the rest of the ingredients were the same. I chopped everything up and threw it all in a mini crock pot and let it slow cook together all day and then put it in the blender until smooth. For the second batch, I used half white vinegar and half apple cider vinegar, and a few cherry tomatoes from the garden. This batch was also excellent.
Mike H. says
I am glad to hear that, Peter. Enjoy!
Sam G says
Thanks for many years of sharing such amazing recipes, I love the mix of carrot and habaneros plus white vinegar
Mike H. says
Thank you Sam! I am glad that you are enjoying it.
Jacob Blanchard says
Tips on water bathing to make it shelf stable? Water bath directly in the glass jar or is that only for canning?
Mike Hultquist says
Usually 10 minutes in a hot water bath is enough, but up to 20 minutes, depending on your elevation. You need to be careful with the plastic woozy bottle caps. You might want to store it in small jars instead.
Jacob Blanchard says
Thanks, I've been looking for metal caps but can't seem to find them anymore. Like the ones taco bell uses on their sauces they sell in the store.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, hard to find. You might try Amazon.
Wylie says
Does vinegar reduce the heat of the chile?
Mike Hultquist says
Not really, Wylie, though it will dilute it a touch. It is mostly there for flavor and for preserving.
Matt M says
Thanks Mike, just had a massive harvest yesterday and can't wait to try this one. Question - is there any benefit from, once blended, adding everything back to a saucepan and letting simmer? Assume I would need to add more liquid, but will it help with the flavor development at all? Thanks, as always!
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Matt. Yes, simmering will meld the flavors more. You don't have to cook it again, but you surely can if you'd like. I would add a touch more liquid if it reduces too much and gets too thick. Let me know how it goes! Enjoy!
Joe says
I love this pepper website. I grow a lot of things including peppers. I am combining a lot of your recipes but love fermenting the peppers. Is their a ratio not to exceed when adding habanero and fruit? I have made a batch with habanero and cayenne, garlic, oregano, lemon balm, and carrots (awesome but now gone) but but have one fermenting now that is the same plus pears, figs, and, pumpkins.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Joe. I like to play with ratios. I prefer more pepper and just the flavor of the fruit, so maybe 3:1, but 1:1 is interesting as well.
Pam Madziarz says
My husband makes this hot sauce also uses ghost peppers, in larger batches then freezes them or keeps them in the refrigerator. I saw you mentioned hot water bath. Is this the same as canning salsa?
Or is there more to add to the recipe?
Pam
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Pam. Yes, the water bath processing would be the same as with salsa. You only need to make sure there is enough acidity. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home preserving.
Maithilee says
Thanks for the recipe. How long will this keep?
Mike Hultquist says
This should last months, longer in the refrigerator.
Maithilee says
Thanks. Can't wait to try the recipe! I'll let you know how it turns out and if I make and tweaks.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy!
Peter says
Hi Mike, I had some bhut jolokia instead of Habanero's, so I made up a batch today, and it's cooling in the refrig at the moment. I think I have underdone the chili by only putting 1 x bhut with 4 x cayene, cause it is nice and fruity but needs more punch, so next batch i will be upping the bhut's and maybe adding some thai birdseye. I have some Habanero plants and am hoping for a good harvest later in the year.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Peter. Yes, happy mixing and experimenting!
Richard says
Hi Mike. This sounds intersting. A question: I have a load of dried Piri Piri which I need to use up. Would this work if I rehydrated them?
Mike Hultquist says
Richard, yep, you can use dried pods. I have a post on How to Make Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers that you can review to help: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/
Jeannette Buettell says
Hi,
How come my salsa turned out just sour/acid? I live all your recipes. am I doing something wrong?
Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Jeannette, are you cooking them too long? Scorching anything? Really just need a good simmer. Hmmm. Maybe a touch of sugar/honey to balance it out?
Jeannette Buettell says
Hi Mike’, I follow your recipe and no I didn’t over cooked, used destilled white vinegar, I’m not giving up, I’ll try again. I love and enjoy your website.
Thank you for your reply and your wonderful recipes.
ryan says
The sauce has now cooled and I'm incredibly happy with it. I mostly followed the recipe, but substituted raw apple cider vinegar. In addition to one red habanero from the garden, I added two more bhut orange copenhagen pods to turn the heat up just a bit. It turned out just as I hoped it would. Next time, I'll add some more spices and a scotch bonnet for more of a Caribbean jerk flavor. Thanks for the recipes!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds GREAT, Ryan! I love it!
Mark says
Hi Mike, I used 3.5 ounces of fermented habanero peppers from a year ago and this sauce is amazingly hot. I even added half a peach. I’m willing to let it sit a while and see if it mellows a bit, but if it doesn’t, how do you suggest I tame it?
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great! The best way to tame would be to dilute it with other non-spicy ingredients, like milder peppers, tomatoes, or fruits. You could make another batch with mild peppers, then combine them.
Tony says
Mike, thank you for this recipe. The wife was gone so I had a chance to make it. ( she's not a fan of too much heat ) Having made it , I am glad she wasn't here. The fumes would have her complaining loudly. The recipe turned out fabulous, and more importantly you have inspired me to start experimenting with other peppers. I will try some others that are less heat for my wife. She does put tabasco on her eggs in small amounts and I saw you have a recipe for that as well. Thank you sir for allowing me the opportunity to make my own.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad to be helpful, Tony. Yes, happy sauce making!
Mark says
Would you consider this a true Caribbean hot sauce? Years ago I purchased some locally produced Caribbean hot sauce at an open air market in Toronto. The guy who made it was from one of the islands. He looked and sounded the part and his sauce was fabulous. it had similar coloring and included carrots.
Also, thanks for scaling this recipe to one cup. It's the right quantity for a first time, personal use, recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
It could be, Mark, maybe a bit more universal. The same or similar ingredients would be in the Caribbean, though I've seen Caribbean sauces more with tropical fruits and such. I wouldn't be surprised, though, with Scotch Bonnets, etc. I appreciate it.
Bill says
Just wondered how long the sauce lasts.
Mike Hultquist says
Bill, it should last months due to the vinegar content.
Michael says
Love a good homemade hot sauce and this one really fits the bill! Had an abundance of jalapeños this year too so I used this recipe to make a nice green sauce!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Michael!
Marlene Buckley says
Hi! Wondering if this recipe can be doubled easily? Or if you even recommend that?
I am growing habanero peppers in my garden for the first time and am excited to try this recipe with them!
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Marlene. Absolutely, this scales very easily. Just double or triple (or more) the ingredients. You can always thin it out with extra water/vinegar if you'd like. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Nancy says
I’m super excited about trying this! My question to you is how do you test the ph so that it does go bad? I’d rather ‘kill’ people with heat then my sauce! Lol
Mike Hultquist says
Nancy, I use a pH meter. pH strips are OK, but not always 100% accurate. Haha, heard! =)
Roland Leupold says
Oh yes, love my hot sauce made with ghost peppers, can ruin food if not careful with amount.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, a good balance is best! Thanks, Roland!
Peter Parris says
Will be trying this one later today, just pulled about a pound of red bonnet and orange habanero from the garden, let you know how it went!
Mike Hultquist says
Very cool! Happy hot sauce making!