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.
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 56.
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
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!