This jalapeno hot sauce is bright and citrusy, made with fresh jalapenos and lime juice, perfect for drizzling over your favorite foods, easy to make with only 6 ingredients.
Let's make jalapeno hot sauce, my friends! Are you ready for a spicy kick? This hot sauce is very easy to make, and it's perfect for drizzling onto just about anything you like for a burst of flavor and heat.
A good hot sauce can bring life and pizzazz to even the blandest of dishes. If you love a good verde sauce, this recipe will absolutely deliver.
I've been making hot sauce now for nearly 30 years, and this is still one of Patty's favorites. She LOVES a good verde sauce.
What You'll Love About This Hot Sauce
- This hot sauce hits all the flavor notes - it's spicy, savory, citrusy, and salty.
- It's very easy to make with only 6 ingredients! You'll have this ready to enjoy in very little time.
- It's very customizable, so you can add in any of your favorite spices or herbs to make it your own.
- You can scale the recipe up to make larger batches. More hot sauce is a good thing!
Let's talk about how to make jalapeno hot sauce, shall we?
Jalapeno Hot Sauce Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Fresh Jalapeno Peppers.
- White Onion. You can also use shallot, or yellow onion.
- Fresh Garlic.
- White Vinegar.
- Fresh Lime Juice.
- Salt.
How to Make Jalapeno Hot Sauce
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This is an easy hot sauce recipe! All you need to do is process all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
You can make it as thin or chunky as you prefer. If it feels too thick, add a bit more vinegar, citrus, or water to thin it out to your preference.
Check out the vibrant green color. It already smells so good, nice and fresh.
Then, simmer the jalapeño hot sauce very gently for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Be careful to not use too high of heat, as it can darken your sauce.
This is OK, but it may lose some of its visual appeal.
Boom! Done! Your jalapeno hot sauce is ready to serve. Bottle it up, my friends, or store in a mason jar, after you let it come to room temperature.
I think it's much better the next day, after the flavors have properly mingled.
Easy enough to make, isn't it? You can pour this on just about anything for a spicy kick and burst of citrus flavor.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Make it your own! Try other hot peppers like serrano for a spicier version. Tomatillos are a nice addition. A green chili powder is nice, too, like Hatch or green habanero, or your own personal blend. Also, try fresh cilantro, though it won’t last as long.
- You can strain the hot sauce for a thinner sauce, but you’ll have less hot sauce. You can dehydrate the strained solids to use as a seasoning.
- You can process the ingredients, then simmer per the recipe, or simmer them all first to soften, then puree them. The recipe works either way.
- Consider roasting or smoking the jalapeno peppers first for a great flavor variation.
- For thicker hot sauce, use half of the liquid ingredients and adjust from there.
Storage
Store your hot sauce in sealable bottles or a sealable container. Hot sauces like this will typically last 6 months out and 12 months in the refrigerator, due to the acidity. A pH of 4.6 is considered shelf stable, though I recommend 4.0 or lower for home cooks.
It is best to use a good pH meter to measure acidity. I recommend Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today (affiliate link, my friends). I am a happy affiliate.
See my post - Should Hot Sauce be Refrigerated?
You can also freeze it up to 6 months.
Heat Factor
Mild-Medium Heat. Jalapeno peppers do have a nice kick, but they are on the milder end of the Scoville Scale, measuring in at around 5,000 Scoville Heat Units.
You can make this recipe with hotter peppers, or include a spicy chili powder.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this jalapeno hot sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Where'd You Get That Hot Sauce Bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. 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.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Roasted Red Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Creamy Jalapeno Hot Sauce (Salsa Doña)
- Garlic Bomb Hot Sauce - Big garlic flavor!
- Homemade Tabasco Sauce
- Habanero Hot Sauce
- Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce
- Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Sambal Oelek
- Chili Oil Recipe (How to Make Chili Oil)
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
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.
Jalapeño Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces jalapeno peppers chopped (about 4-5 large jalapenos or 8 average sized)
- 1 ounce white onion chopped
- 1 ounce garlic chopped
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a small saucepan. Heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Cool slightly. (NOTE: The color will darken if you use too high of heat.)
- Taste and adjust for salt and lime juice. Strain if desired.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy. The flavors are better after they’ve combined for a day.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Sun Time Farm says
So Yummy! I doubled the recipe and used all fresh ingredients. Followed the recipe exactly except added a touch more vinegar to make sure the ph was good and a little extra salt. Turned out great! Just what I was looking for! Thanks for your recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! I love it!! Thanks for sharing. =)
Debi says
Hi Mike - Do you use regular vinegar or pickling vinegar (7% acetic acid)? Our family is really enjoying your recipes both online and from your book. Hoping to score some jalapeño's at our farmers market this Saturday.
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Debi. I use regular vinegar, the vinegar you typically have in your kitchen for eating with other foods. It's plenty acidic enough. Happy hot sauce making!
Lisa says
Could you water bath can this sauce. I have a large amount of peppers from my garden and would love to have a way to can.
Mike Hultquist says
Lisa, yes, you can, though check the acidity. Shoot for 4.0 or lower pH for home canning. Enjoy!
jamie parisi says
Mike, i have a hotel pan full of cooked with garlic italian spicy peppers and i want to make a sauce so we dont waste them. Any ideas?
Mike Hultquist says
Jamie, a pan full of ?? Sorry, this wasn't clear to me. Happy to try to help.
victoria says
I made this recipe, and I found it to be to be too vinegary. I used lemon juice from a bottle instead of lime juice. Could that have affected the outcome?
Mike Hultquist says
Victoria, it could have, or even just the vinegar you used. There isn't even that much vinegar in it compared to other hot sauces. However, you can always make another batch without vinegar and combine them to adjust for flavor.
victoria says
Can I use onion powder and garlic powder instead? And if so, how much of each?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, and 1-2 teaspoons each will be sufficient. Enjoy.
victoria says
Does this hot sauce need to be refrigerated?
Mike Hultquist says
You can leave this one out and it will still last many months, but it will last even longer and stay fresher in the fridge. See my post on "Should Hot Sauce Be Refrigerated?" - https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
jlc says
Thinking of making a big batch for Christmas presents this year. Can you double or quadruple the recipe for the same results or is their a tweaking method you recommend?
Mike Hultquist says
Great for gifts! I love it. This does scale up wonderfully. You may want to adjust for salt and vinegar (use less, then add more to taste) if making more than 1 gallon at a time. Otherwise, I hope they enjoy the gifts!
S V Wint says
FANTASTIC. I've been making your cayenne hot sauce for the last 3 years (love growing those peppers!) but this was the first year that I grew jalapeños for real. I've been freezing them for the last 6 weeks and today decided to give your recipe a go, using the half dozen I had frozen. 1 cup made it into a jar, the rest was consumed immediately. So glad I found your page, back during covid!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it! Great way to use up those peppers.
Peggy Snider says
Just made this recipe X3 as I’m having a bumper jalapeño crop. The sauce is delicious! I’m not a jalapeño fan so this was a pleasant surprise.
I did buzz the heated sauce through the immersion blender to make it really smooth.
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds wonderful, Peggy!
Michael Munoz says
I made this hot sauce last week with my own twist to it… I added fresh peach to the blend. Turned out wonderful. I didn’t go heavy and it gave the hot sauce a nice fruity touch. I also made a habanero hot sauce with peach. Definitely a hit with my coworkers.
Mike Hultquist says
I love it! Perfect addition! Thanks, Michael.
Michael Munoz says
Quick question about how to adjust the heat. My sauce was pretty hot and I love it that way, however not everyone likes it like that.
Is there an ingredient that I can add to the process to bring the heat down a little bit?
Mike Hultquist says
Michael, you can make another batch with milder peppers, like poblano or even no-heat green bells, then combine the batches. Dilution is the best way.
Kimberly says
I love spicy everything. Habaneros are an absolute favorite of mine. Ghost peppers are equally yummy. I'm ashamed to admit I have never made my own sauce. I always buy it. Well, I decided today that I was going to give it a try...but was going to start simple. I followed the recipe just as written and the sauce came out.....AMAZING!!!!!! You are right, Mike! Fresh squeezed lime juice is the way to go! I know limes can be expensive....at least they are here in Florida.....but it should be mandatory to use them!! LOL!!!! I love this jalapeño hot sauce so much and will never buy bottled again. Now I'm off to make some habanero hot sauce. Whooooo hoooo!!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Awesome! I love to hear it, Kimberly. Once you start making your own hot sauce, it's hard to go back!
Lorna says
A few years ago I bought one of your recommended ph meters, but I never used it. In fear of poisoning my whole family with botulism. I dug it out today. The reading we got was 4.5, so, does mean it should be stored in fridge or should I add more vinegar to obtain a 4.0 reading? BTW: It's delicious as all of your recipes are.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Lorna. Shelf stable is actually considered to be pH of 4.6, so you're likely OK. I tell people to shoot for 4.0 or even 3.5 to account for errors.