The Best Jalapeño Hot Sauce Recipe (Simple and Tasty)

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When harvest time comes around, making hot sauce is one of our favorite things to do with our jalapeño peppers. We’re known for adding a generous amount of hot sauce to any dish, morning or night.

This is a basic recipe for a simple jalapeño hot sauce. The flavors of the peppers, as well as the garlic and onion, are brought together by roasting them on a cast iron pan. This recipe is not fermented, so it can be made quickly and served right away.

You can also let it sit in the fridge for a few days and let all of the flavors meld together. If you liked our habanero hot sauce recipe, you’ll love this green sauce as well!

jalapeño hot sauce

Jalapeño Hot Sauce (Video):


Why you’ll love this jalapeño hot sauce recipe

  • It’s a great way to use up a large harvest of jalapeño peppers.
  • It’s very versatile. You can experiment with additional ingredients for a more personalized flavor.
  • It tastes great on a variety of dishes, from chicken tacos to pizza.
  • All the ingredients are easy to find at a standard grocery store.
  • You can make this sauce with any type of jalapeño you’d like. Yes, there are many different types of jalapeños!
  • It’s not too spicy. This makes a great sauce to prepare for friends and family members that may be sensitive to spicy foods. You can also make it spicier by adding serrano peppers.
  • This recipe makes just enough sauce. (About 2-3 cups). We typically use it up within a week and even share some with our friends and family.
jalapeño hot sauce

About the ingredients

  • Green jalapeños. While red jalapeños make for a great hot sauce, green ones are easier to find (unless you grow your own). By charring them in a cast iron pan, you’ll end up with an exceptional, smoky flavor.
  • Onion and garlic. These essentials add richness to the hot sauce. Pan-roasting them takes away the astringent bite and adds a subtle, caramelized sweetness.
  • Cumin. This spice is a staple in our kitchen for cooking delicious Indian food, sauces, and salsas. If you’re feeling fancy, try toasting and grinding your own cumin seeds for the most vibrant flavor!
  • Cilantro. While this herb isn’t everyone’s favorite, it is essential to this hot sauce recipe. Don’t shy away just yet, as it isn’t too overpowering.
  • Sugar. A touch of sugar adds just enough sweetness without overdoing it. If you’d prefer to let the natural sugars speak for themselves, feel free to skip this ingredient. But, we think a little goes a long way in this sauce.
  • White vinegar and water. The liquid components of the sauce help reach the right consistency while adding acidity for longer storage and a zingy flavor. If you’d like, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a more citrusy flavor.
  • Salt. Sea salt, kosher salt, or regular table salt are all good options. Salt helps accentuate the flavors and bring it all together.

You may think it’s hard to go wrong with an ingredient list like this, but the magic happens in the preparation method. Get your cast iron skillet ready!


How to make jalapeño hot sauce

What I love about this sauce is that virtually everything in it can be grown in the garden. If you haven’t started growing your own peppers yet, you should start this year with a simple salsa garden! Here’s how to make the jalapeño hot sauce.

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb. jalapeño peppers, about 6 large peppers
  • ½ medium onion, quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced in half
  • 10 sprigs fresh cilantro, rough chopped
  • ⅔ cup white vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 cup water (as needed)
  • Vegetable or olive oil, about 1/2 tsp to coat the pan

*Makes about 2.5 cups of hot sauce, or around 3-4 5oz woozy bottles worth.

Steps:

  1. Bring a splash of oil to medium-hight heat in a cast iron pan. Roast the jalapeño, onion, and garlic for about 5 minutes, turning the ingredients with tongs for even searing.
  2. Remove the seared peppers from the pan and carefully slice them into rings on a cutting board. We prefer to leave the seeds in for simplicity, but you could remove them at this point if desired.
  3. Simmer the roasted jalapeños and onions in a medium pot with about 1 cup of water for an additional 5 minutes.
  4. Add in the garlic, salt, cumin, and sugar, stirring until combined. Simmer an additional 1 minute.
  5. Remove from the heat and add the simmered mixture into a blender along with the cilantro and vinegar.
  6. Blend until smooth and allow to cool at room temperature.
  7. Season to taste by adding more salt and/or cumin.
  8. Add into hot sauce bottles, mason jars, or another sealed container of your choice using a small funnel.
how to make jalapeño hot sauce

Recipe FAQs

How do I thicken or thin the hot sauce?

To thicken the sauce, simmer it over low-medium heat to reduce it. This process cooks off some of the moisture, though it may compromise flavor. Try to start with less liquid to start, as thinning out the sauce is much easier. For more options, we have an article about how to thicken hot sauce.

To thin out the sauce, add additional vinegar and/or water in small amounts. Blend to test the consistency, adding 1-2 tbsp at a time.

How long does this jalapeño hot sauce last?

Store the sauce in the fridge and consume within one week. For longer storage, test the pH level of your hot sauce, aiming for a value below 4.0.

You may need to adjust the amount of vinegar to achieve a pH suitable for longer term storage. In our experience, the pH of this hot sauce has always been below 4.0, but the water you use may vary in acidity.

Either way, we always use this sauce up well before it spoils. It’s just so easy to dump it on anything and everything.

Can I use other types of peppers?

Yes! We are all about experimenting. Try adding a couple serrano peppers for a spicier sauce. If you try any variations or substitutes, let us know in the comments how it turned out, as we may have to try it ourselves.

Can I omit the cilantro?

Cilantro is key to the flavor in this jalapeño hot sauce. While we have never made it without the cilantro, you can experiment with different herbs and see how it turns out.

If you are not a fan of cilantro, I still recommend giving this recipe a try. The flavors combine to create a unique essence that is not cilantro-focused.

What does this sauce go best on?

This jalapeño hot sauce goes particularly well on Mexican foods like tacos, enchiladas, and rice and beans. However, it is also a great everyday sauce, amazing on pizza, cheese and crackers, eggs, and even sandwiches!

jalapeño hot sauce

Expert Tips

  • Roast the jalapeño peppers and onions in the cast iron for a smoky flavor – Using a cast iron pan is a great way to achieve a smoky, roasted flavor without the hassle of using a grill or oven.
  • Hand protection for spiciness – Be sure to use gloves or clean your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers. The capsaicin will transfer to your skin and can result in an unpleasant surprise if you rub your eyes after handling them.
  • Make it spicier with serrano peppers – To make it spicier, throw some serrano peppers in with the jalapeños.
  • Use a high-powered blender – For the smoothest texture, use a powerful blender. Our Vitamix pulverizes the pepper seeds into tiny bits without a problem.
  • If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll love our salsa verde recipe as well!
homemade jalapeño hot sauce in bottles
jalapeño hot sauce

Jalapeño Hot Sauce

This simple jalapeño hot sauce is the perfect way to add some spice and flavor to your meal.
4.94 from 59 votes
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Keyword: Hot Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb jalapeño peppers about 6 large peppers
  • 1/2 onion peeled and quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed and halved
  • 2/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 10 sprigs cilantro roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup water
  • oil to coat the pan

Instructions

  • Bring cast iron pan to medium-high heat and add a splash of oil.
  • Add the whole jalapeño peppers, quartered onion, and garlic to the hot pan.
  • Roast ingredients for about 5 minutes until lightly browned, turning frequently for even searing.
  • Remove the peppers and carefully slice them into rings.
  • Simmer the jalapeños and onions in a pan with the water for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add in the garlic, salt, cumin, and sugar, stirring to combine. Simmer an additional 1 minute or so.
  • Add the simmered mixture into a blender along with the cilantro and vinegar.
  • Blend until smooth and let cool.
  • Season to taste by adding more salt and/or cumin, as desired.
  • Add into hot sauce bottles, mason jars, or container of choice and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Use a cast iron pan for the best flavor and even heating.
  • Don’t cut the peppers before roasting, as cooking sliced hot peppers may release capsaicin into the air and cause coughing.
  • Do not cook the vinegar, add it just before blending. Cooking vinegar can lead to a metallic flavor.

Crystalyn

Crystalyn loves spicy food and getting creative in the kitchen. When she isn’t finding new ways to use hot sauce, shes very busy watching cat videos on the internet.

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122 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    A very nice summery hot sauce! I added some lime juice, and that enhanced the flavor even more!

  2. Used this as a starting point (base) for my Jalapeno Hot Sauce. Used 18 Jalapeno and 2 Serrano peppers, 1 yellow onion, 1/4 red onion, 5 cloves of home grown garlic. Roasted the ingredients in the toaster oven w/ a little bit of olive oil. 1 Cup Water, 1 Cup 50:50 White/Apple Cider Vinegar. Used an immersion blender – definitely a chunkier consistency. I really need to get some woozy bottles; mason/ball jars are just too big, messy & time consuming for sauce. This year’s Jalapeno crop is huge! Thanks!

  3. 5 stars
    We just made this recipe and it is delicious! We thank you so much for sharing this. We have an abundance of different peppers from our garden. We will be making many more batches and canning them.

  4. 5 stars
    I like the recipe, but was wondering how much sauce does it yield? I have about 2 pounds of peppers, and I want to make sure I have enough bottles when I make the sauce. Thanks so much.

    1. The recipe as is should yield around 3-4 bottles of sauce, so I would have at least a dozen standard 5 oz woozy bottles, maybe more depending on if you’re leaving the ribs/seeds in

  5. 4 stars
    I followed the recipe exactly other than adding one homegrown poblano I had that needed to be used. Your recipe has a depth of flavor not usually found in commercially available hot sauces. The closest commercial one I’ve had to this is Dexter Holland’s Gringo Bandito, and that’s a compliment. The cilantro and pinch of sugar perfectly complement the reasonable spice of the red jalapeño peppers, the savory of the salt and cumin, and the muted, delicious pungency of the roasted garlic and onion. Well done, Chef! Thank you for sharing this gift!

    I tried to leave 5 stars, but it would only let me leave 4.

    1. Thanks for the review, I’m glad you enjoy the recipe. I love Gringo Bandito sauces too, they’ve got a powerful flavor where a little goes a long way. No worries on the stars 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    This was my first time making a hot sauce. It was excellent! Family loved it.
    Thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    I made this today with Jalapeños and Serrano Peppers as I did have enough Jalapeños. Howe I will be making more with just jalapeños and see how different the taste will be. This batch though is really really good I got a pint and half! Thanks

  8. Tried making the sauce for the first time. accidentally put in too much vinegar. Is there anyway to remedy the sauce? I hate to throw it out. Please advise. Thanks so much!
    Linda

    1. Oops! The best way to remedy is to calculate how much extra you’ll need of the other ingredients and add them into the sauce. If you put 2X the recipe’s vinegar, then you’ll have to double everything else (cooking it up beforehand) and blend it in with the rest. Hope you can use it one way or another!

  9. 5 stars
    This was so easy to make!
    I used a green pepper widespread in Hungary, as I had a bunch that needed to be used before going bad. They have a higher water contrpent than jalapenos, I tried to take that into account with the recipe. Used white wine vinegar, and as I had no cilantro but grow oregano, basil and mint, I added a lot of oregano and a bit of basil and mint to achieve an “aromatic green herb” taste. I ended up reducing it a bit further to thicken, it tastes great, a mildly hot sauce, appr. Tabasco strength.

  10. 5 stars
    Made this today and it is amazing! Instead of the cast iron pan, I coated with oil and charred on my grill. I also added two tomatillos that I needed to use up. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe!

  11. 5 stars
    Love this hot sauce. First batch I add one habanero and a large Serrano. Second batch same as the first, but decrease a few of the jalapeños and add three med poblanos. Sooooo good

  12. 5 stars
    I just made a double batch using serrano peppers from my garden – nailed it. Thanks for the recipe- can’t wait to bust it out on the family for burrito night.

      1. 5 stars
        I was going to ask that as well. The website you said to look into for canning does not give times and such. Would these sauce bottles (which I do have) stand up in a canner and would you can them using the usual cap tops. Not sure how those would hold up, being plastic. What type of cap would I need to WB them then if not plastic? I am guessing, from experience, that these would be WB for 5-10 minutes.
        Thank you for sharing this recipe.

        1. I would only can it in a normal ball/mason jar, not in hot sauce bottles. The caps need to allow air to escape and form a vacuum after canning. For this I’d start with a 10 minute processing time and go up if you’re at a higher elevation.

  13. 5 stars
    My 10 year old found your recipe on YouTube towards the end of 2023 growing season. We only swap out jalapeños for orange bell peppers, and keep the rest of the recipe as is.
    Holy moly is this version amazing with the huge change out in pepper type!!!!!

  14. 5 stars
    This is a great sauce, I used all the ingredients however I did use 2 serrano peppers because I had a lot left due to having to buy a bag because the store didn’t sell them separate. It really had a nice flavor and some heat.

  15. 5 stars
    Super easy recipe and nice heat! We used common chili peppers that were on sale and the sauce came out great! Will be making this again for sure.

  16. 5 stars
    I make this all the time now. I have created a monster! I keep making it for friends who want refills! This is a wonderful “every day” sauce like Texas Pete or Franks…I heated it up further by adding habaneros…we love it!! Perfect and easy. My new go-to sauce. Thank you!!

  17. 5 stars
    Delicious 😋! Made it second time now from peppersfrom my garden. First timei made with red jalapeños, OMG! The color so gorgeous red! Second time with green jalapeños.
    Didn’t have cilantro, next time I will.
    Love this recipe because low sodium. Thanks!

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