Delicious, garlicky raw hot sauce is the quickest, easiest condiment you can make. Here's how to make hot sauce from fresh peppers - any sort you like!
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Have you ever tried making your own hot sauce? It's super easy and fun! And this raw hot sauce recipe might be the easiest yet. You can make it using any fresh peppers you like!
I love both cooked and raw hot sauce, and I tend to go for raw when I have just a few peppers handy. Cooking your peppers mellows their heat level, so going raw lets you achieve more heat with fewer peppers.
This hot sauce is freaking amazing and only uses six fresh, hot peppers to make.
As a bonus, since you don't have to boil any vinegar to make it, it doesn't make the whole house smell like vinegar. My husband was pretty happy about that part.
I've been using this hot sauce on pretty much every meal I make.
Ingredients and substitutions
- hot peppers - Choose your favorite fresh peppers to make this hot sauce! If you don't have fresh peppers, check out my recipe for dried pepper hot sauce instead.
- garlic - Garlic gives this hot sauce such an amazing flavor and ups the heat level, since we are leaving it raw. Feel free to use more or less garlic, to taste. Just blend between additions, so you can get a sense of the flavor.
- apple cider vinegar - This is my favorite vinegar for making hot sauce! You can use white vinegar, but you may need to add some water, because it's more acidic than apple cider vinegar. Vinegar acidities can vary, so just add water by the tablespoon, if needed, to get the tanginess you want.
- sugar and salt - This is really up to your personal tastes and the peppers you used. Sometimes, I don't use any sugar or salt. Sometimes, I like to add a little of one or both. Taste your hot sauce and adjust the flavor, adding a little bit at a time and blending in between additions until you reach your perfect flavor. You can also use alternative sweeteners, like agave nectar, for a different flavor profile.
How to make fresh pepper hot sauce
Chop the tops off of the peppers, and toss them into your blender or food processor along with the garlic. If you cut the peppers into big chunks, too, your sauce will blend up faster.
Add just enough vinegar to cover them by ½ to ⅔, then blend until smooth. Taste and add salt and sugar, if needed, blending in between additions.
Helpful tips
- Because we aren't cooking this sauce, it will separate as it sits. Just shake or stir before using to get it back to an even mixture.
- If you want your sauce less hot, you can remove the pepper seeds and/or the veins.
- You can use a mix of peppers, but know that if you mix red and green peppers, you can end up with a sauce that doesn't have the most appealing color. It will still taste great!
Serving and storage directions
Store fresh pepper hot sauce in a jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for two to three weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! All that will change is the amount of vinegar that you use. I have found that a 1:1 pepper-to-garlic ratio works with basically any fresh, hot pepper. Have fun with this recipe!
More hot sauce recipes to try
📖 Recipe
How to Make Hot Sauce from Fresh Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 hot peppers - of your choice
- 6 cloves garlic - or more, to taste, depending on your peppers
- apple cider vinegar
- salt and sugar - to taste, optional
Instructions
- Chop the tops off of the peppers, and toss them into your food processor along with the garlic.
- Add just enough vinegar to cover them ½ to ⅔ of the way, then blend until smooth. Taste and add salt and sugar, if needed, blending in between additions.
James
Can you post a chart showing the amount of White Vinegar or lemon juice to add to a mason jar of Hot Sauce? Not one article explains HOW MUCH to use...
Tanya
Thank you I was looking for simple easy recipe. I heard since it’s got vinegar it can last forever. I’m sure it won’t last forever in my household lol.
Becky Striepe
You are welcome! Haha I know what you mean about it lasting. Hot sauce goes fast in this house. Enjoy it!
Liza
Thank you, Becky! This is now my go-to hot sauce. I have been making this for weeks now and I have always got some in the fridge! If you add some agave to it, it makes a great sweet chili garlic sauce for dipping spring rolls or drizzled on popcorn!
Becky Striepe
Ooh I'll have to try adding agave. What a great tip! Thank you, Liza.
Cadry
Wow! I had no idea that making hot sauce was this easy. I'm a huge hot sauce fan. I can't wait to try this!
Becky Striepe
Enjoy it, Cadry!
Anonymous
I add 5 different hot peppers total weight 1 lb. of peppers. Came out great used different spices
Dianne
This is so helpful! Thank you! I always say that I want to make my own hot sauce, but it seems to daunting, but you've shown how easy it is! Thank you!
Beth
Just wanted to let you know we used a jar of this hot sauce as verde enchilada sauce and it was SO GOOD!!
Becky Striepe
I am so glad you liked it. There's a jar in my fridge right now that I've been putting on everything!
meemsnyc
Is it possible to use dried peppers too?
Becky Striepe
Ooh good question! I have some dried red peppers - I'll give that a shot and let you know how it goes!