Fresh jalapenos are arriving soon, have you tried making this Jalapeno Hot Sauce yet?
It's still one of the most popular recipes on the site, and I love keeping some in the fridge for a quick blast of zippppp!
It's super easy to make, so for any green hot sauce lovers out there.... please consider giving this one a go, you won't be disappointed!
How To Make Jalapeno Hot Sauce
This batch relies on a single pound of fresh Jalapeno peppers.
That turned out to be 11 of these medium-sized beauties:
We'll start by sweating 1/2 onion and 2 whole, peeled garlic cloves over medium heat in some oil.
Once the onion is starting to brown you can add:
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano What is Mexican Oregano?
1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
some freshly cracked black pepper
Briefly cook and then add:
the rinsed, de-stemmed jalapenos
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Bring to a simmer and then add everything to a blender along with:
8-10 sprigs cilantro
the juice of 1 lime
And now give it a good whirl!
I usually leave it a bit chunky but you can always blend it thinner if you want.
Hello fireball Jalapeno Hot Sauce!
Give it a taste but keep in mind it has real zip, so maybe a small taste only 🙂
If all went according to plan then even the smallest of tastes should have:
Fiery sharpness from the jalapenos
Lip-smacking tang from the vinegar
Hint of sweetness from the browned onions
A bit of extra flavor and depth from the Mexican oregano
It's got a fresh, vibrant flavor that you won't get from store-bought hot sauces. Awesome 🙂
And with the amount of vinegar in each bottle it should keep for at least a month in the fridge. (Note: instructions not designed for long term canning or preserving.)
A pound of jalapenos will make enough hot sauce for three 5 oz. bottles.
For storage you can either save your old hot sauce bottles, buy some for a buck each on Amazon, or simply use a small Mason jar.
This Jalapeno Hot Sauce will work anywhere you employ your normal hot sauce, with a special nod to egg dishes. Like this Egg Breakfast with Jalapeno Sauce. That's definitely one way to wake up in the morning 🙂
And if you like the idea of making your own hot sauce on a regular basis then here are two other options on the site to consider:
Both of those are just as easy to make as this one. And yes, there is something quite satisfying about making a hot sauce that beats the pants off the watered down versions that have become the norm 🙂
Enjoy!
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Jalapeno Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. jalapeno peppers (approx. 10 jalapenos)
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
- 8-10 cilantro sprigs
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Give the jalapenos a good rinse and de-stem them. Be sure to wash your hands after handling them. More info on handling hot chiles.
- Saute a roughly chopped 1/2 onion and 2 whole, peeled garlic cloves in a glug of oil over medium heat.
- Once the onion is browning you can add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, some freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional). Briefly cook until fragrant and then add: the de-stemmed jalapenos, 3/4 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and then add everything to a blender.
- Add 8-10 sprigs cilantro and the juice of 1 lime to the blender. Combine well or to your desired consistency. I usually leave it a bit chunky but you can always blend it thinner.
- Add mixture to three 5 oz. bottles or a small Mason jar. Store in the fridge where it will keep for at least a month.
Notes
Disclaimer: Yes, there are affiliate links on this page. That means I get a small percentage of the sale if you decide to try out one of the linked products, at no additional cost to you. But my opinion is not for sale and I only recommend products that I actually use and trust. Email me if you have questions about this.
Want to see the latest recipes? Try this awesome Birria de Res:
And these Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas:
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Lisa Champion
Hi Joyce, I just got sauce to a slow boil then sealed in pint mason jars,(turn them upside down for a few hours and check for seal) I didn't feel the need to water bath. Good Luck , Lisa
Lisa Champion
Awesome! I was so impressed with the ease of the recipe and the great comments I went ahead and quadrupled the batch (cutting back on the vinegar a bit, but adding more lime juice and unfortunately, for now, I don't have any Mexican oregano but will order it). After the blender process, I re-heated just to a slow boil and sealed in 1 pint mason jars to allow for longer shelf life (refrigerate after opening). Patrick, I have a ton of Tabasco peppers as well..... do you think this recipe will work with them? Thanks again for sharing.....
Patrick
Ahh good to know, thanks much for your note Lisa! I haven't tried this recipe with Tabasco peppers, but if you have a surplus I would definitely be tempted to just go for it and try it out. Keep in mind that Tabascos are significantly hotter than Jalapenos, so feel free to add more vinegar if it seems like the heat is just overwhelming everything. Cheers.
Joyce
How long did you process the jars?
Athan
This hot sauce is EPIC!! WOW!! Thank you! Do you know how long this will stay good not being refrigerated? My uncle is a hot sauce addict and I was going to send him a bottle but it will be 2 day shipping so I'm wondering if it will still be good. Sending today so please let me know if you can. Thank you!!!
Patrick
Thanks Athan! Hmmm tough one...it's loaded with acidity so it should keep at room temp for a bit, but I always refrigerate it so I can't say for how long. Sorry I can't give a better answer. Cheers.
Mrs. Alaska
Delicious recipe and easy-to-follow directions.
My husband pronounced this the best jalapeno lime sauce he has tasted... and he lived in Mexico City for three years! Yea!
I divided this recipe in half. Left one as is. Mixed the other with mayo and yogurt as a salad dressing. For that purpose, I felt it was too spicy, but my husband devoured that, too, and I would certainly use it over pork, for instance. This is certainly a wonderful sauce. Thank you.
(note: I did not have fresh jalapenos but used those from a pickled jalapeno jar and adjusted the vinegar volume).
Patrick
Ahh good to know and thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Mrs. A!
Yeah I could see it being too concentrated to use as a salad dressing, but your experiment does make me think you could combine it with just mayo or Greek yogurt to make a Jalapeno Mayonnaise for sandwiches or burgers. Cheers.
Troy
Can you substitute Mexican tarragon for Mexican oregano?
Patrick
Hi Troy, I would probably just omit the Mexican oregano before using tarragon, but you can still get a good result without the Mexican oregano. Cheers.
Kickitup
This recipe is so good I had to hold myself back from drinking it straight from the bottle! No need to buy store bought sauce any more❣️Thank you for sharing it.
Patrick
Ha I had same problem 🙂
Rod Fitz
This sauce is excellent. When prepaing the sauce I thought it would be to hot and spicy; however, its tangy heat pairs good with beef, chicken, pork and fish. I will definitely keep a bottle on hand for some kick to my food and to impress my family and friends.
Patrick
Hey thanks much for your feedback Rod! Cheers.
Mary Clayville
This is fantastic! I was looking for a sauce like this and so glad I tried it! I toned the heat down by removing the ribs and seed because I literally pour this stuff on everything! When I say pour I mean pour! No little drops for me! I did add 2 more limes (love lime) and 2 more garlic cloves. So good! Thank you for sharing!
Patrick
Ahh good to know, thanks for your note Mary! And thanks for mentioning your adjustments. Cheers.
Dawn
I’m going to do the same
DC
Awesome -- thanks! I really enjoy all your recipes.
Patrick
Thanks DC!
Chef Mimi
I printed this! I usually dehydrate jalapeños when I have too many of them, but this summer I’m making this. Too many recipes aren’t “flavorful” like this one. I like the depth of flavor from all of the ingredients!
Patrick
Thanks Mimi, I hope it treats you well 🙂