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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Glen Spencer
Hello Patrick my name is Glenn I'm back again to get another recipe, I went and bought a pH tester kit and some citric acid because I was toldthis would be needed because I'm going to be carrying it out on the street and not in a refrigerator any suggestions would be very helpfulI'm also thinking about using a little bit of liquid mesquite smoke to give it a smoky flavor but if I roast the jalapenos in an oven then I may not need it but anyway helpful suggestions from you are always appreciated thank you
Patrick
Hi Glen, I always recommend storing this sauce in the fridge so I can't really comment on how long it will keep at room temp. Cheers.
Dana
Love the recipe!! How can you perverse it longer?
Patrick
Thanks Dana! I haven't tried any long term preserving yet with this recipe as it keeps so well in the fridge. Cheers.
Shaun
Hello! Just tried this and love it! Added a dash of sugar and it made it very sweet and spicy! How do you think this would freeze? I made a giant batch and I’m the only one in my household who likes spicy THIS much
Thanks
Patrick
Hey thanks much for the feedback Shaun! It would probably freeze well, but to be honest I haven't tried that yet so can't say for sure how much flavor you'll lose. Cheers.
Christoval
What goes good with Calabasas? Meat wise??
Patrick
Hi Christoval! Do you mean the Calabacitas? If so then I have to admit I usually eat that dish vegetarian style -- I've been tempted to pair it with bacon in the past but haven't tried that yet. Cheers.
Chon
Just finished this recipe and it’s awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Patrick
Thanks Chon!
Chelsea
How long will this stay fresh in the refrigerator?
Patrick
Hey Chelsea! Should keep for a month or so in the fridge. Cheers.
Aaron Cave
Hi,
Could I use dried coriander to replace the cilantro? Or is there anything else that could be used in it's place?
Thank you.
Patrick
Hey Aaron! I think I would probably just omit the fresh cilantro if it's not available -- it won't make or break the sauce and I don't think there's a good substitute for it. Cheers.
Patricia
Can you freeze this
Patrick
Hi Patricia, sorry I can't give a better answer but I haven't tried freezing this recipe yet. Cheers.
Sonya
Hey Patrick,
How would I adjust this recipe for a different pepper? I actually have a surplus of Serranos this year.
Thanks,
Sonya
Patrick
Hey Sonya! It will be fiery but you can use all Serranos in this recipe. If you have a scale use a pound and keep everything else the same. If not I would use 15-20 Serranos, depending on how big they are. Let me know how it turns out! Cheers.
Serrano vs. Jalapeno: What's the Difference?
Sonya
Hey Patrick,
You asked me to tell you how it came out so I wanted to let you know it is amazing! I brought in my serrano plant a little after I asked you about it, but it was still growing even in doors so I wanted to give it longer before harvesting. I finally did it the other day when the older ones started turning red. Used all 11 that came off the plant and the sauce tastes great! Not ghost pepper sauce hot, but hotter then a jalapeno sauce and extremely tasty. Thanks so much for the instructions!
Sonya
Patrick
Ahh awesome Sonya, I'm so glad to hear this! I will try this at some point based on your trip report. Cheers.
Rachel
Have you ever used pickled jalapenos for this recipe?
Patrick
Hi Rachel, I haven't tried it with pickled jalapenos. Cheers.