Creamy Habanero Sauce Recipe

4.67 from 3 ratings

Creamy habanero sauce made Mexican restaurant-style, like Salsa Doña. Smooth, spicy, and perfect as a salsa or sauce for tacos, burritos, and more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: hot sauce, Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: habanero

Servings: tablespoons

Calories: 36kcal

8-12 ounces fresh habanero peppers (8 oz for thinner sauce, 12 oz for thicker salsa) chopped (20-30, depending on size / 2-2.5 cups for 12 ounces - it is best to go by weight for accuracy)
1 small onion chopped (about 4 ounces)
4-5 garlic cloves
½ cup Neutral oil + more as needed use corn oil, avocado oil, or a neutral vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

Add the habaneros, onion, garlic, and oil to a small pot or saucepan.
Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the peppers and onion have softened enough to pierce easily with a fork.
Let the mixture cool slightly, then transfer everything to a food processor. Add the salt.
Process on high 4-5 minutes, until the sauce becomes very smooth, lighter in color, and starts to cling to the sides of the processor bowl.
If the sauce seems too thick, drizzle in a little more oil while processing until smooth and creamy.
Want it thinner? Add water or fresh lime juice a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Adjust for salt and enjoy!

Want it Milder? Replace some of the habaneros with sweet peppers or orange bell pepper. Using only 1-2 habaneros will give you plenty of heat.
For extra flavor, sauté the ingredients before simmering. Heat the 1/2 cup of oil over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and habanero until softened (3-4 minutes), then add the garlic for another 1 minutes until lightly charred. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and proceed with Step 2 to finish softening before blending.