Quick & Easy Habanero Sauce

A super easy orange habanero sauce that tastes delicious, the perfect hot sauce for everyone who loves a dipping sauce that works with chips, crisps and nachos.

I love the smell of habanero peppers, and I add habanero sauce to everything. If you also love habaneros, and you want to start making your own habanero sauce, this is the habanero hot sauce recipe for you. I know you can buy it in the store, but making your own sauce is super quick, easy and much cheaper. No, really, it works out so cheap. Plus, you can make it as sweet or spicy as you want without having to compromise.

For this homemade habanero hot sauce recipe you will need a food processor and a sauce pan. The bright flavor of the habanero hot sauce is so good, you will want it with tortilla chips all the time. This is a great recipe is you wish to make hot sauce for your friends and family and offer small jars as Christmas gifts. They love it so much, and they always come back to ask for more.

If you are a habanero lover, then read on!

What is habanero hot sauce

Habanero hot sauce is my favorite sauce in the whole world, made from habanero peppers. Habanero peppers are fiery hot which is why you need something sugary to make a milder sauce that everyone can enjoy.

Making my own habanero sauce always terrified me! It seems too scary, especially because I had no idea how much habanero pepper to start with. The mighty habanero is one of the hottest peppers out there. But it's actually super easy, once you know how to "tame" your habanero hot sauce. I mean, all you need is a pan and a blender and a wooden spoon.

Some people like to make the hot sauce with roasted peppers. I think you should use fresh habaneros, always. This is the best way to preserve that awesome flavor of the habanero. They smell so fantastic, don't they!

Once my habanero hot sauce is done, I transfer it to a glass bottle and I leave it in the fridge. I use it within 2 weeks and add it as a dipping sauce to pretty much everything. I use it for polenta chips especially, tofu nuggets, crispy tofu sticks. If you have any habanero peppers left over, just make a delicious habanero salsa with fresh pineapple or mango.

The options are limitless and thanks to how flavoursome and aromatic habanero peppers are, it really does complement almost all savoury dishes.

Ingredients for the perfect habanero hot sauce

Habanero peppers - This is the star ingredient in your hot sauce. And you should use habanero because of their amazing flavor. Homemade hot sauce is best when used fresh habanero peppers. I do recommend that you use just one single habanero pepper per batch of hot sauce. Also, remove the stem and the seeds if you don't want it to be too hot. This will result in a medium heat level. You can try this recipe with scotch bonnets too, if you prefer, as they are a variety of habanero peppers.

Yellow bell pepper - You can use any other coloured bell pepper but I recommend going for the yellow one because it will maintain the superb yellow hues of your hot sauce. Any other colour bell pepper might make your sauce look not as nice. Besides, a yellow pepper is just a green pepper that had ripened which is a sweeter, fruiter flavor.

Carrot - Pick the best look carrot from the market. You will want a juicy, perfect ripe carrot. Organic is even better here.

Orange juice - This is the secret ingredient for this recipe. Hot sauces tend to taste so much better when you add a little sweet acid to the ingredient list. Besides, it can go into the healthy recipes category thanks to the vitamin C content.

Lime Juice - You will need to lower the pH of the sauce a bit and so you need either lemon juice, lime juice or apple cider vinegar. If possible, the lime juice is the best for your hot sauce recipe as it's more tart, acidic with the slightest hint of sweetness. If you decide to use vinegar, don't use white vinegar but use apple cider vinegar instead.

Sugar - Use brown sugar or caster sugar, it doesn't matter. We use sugar to make the hot sauce recipe taste just perfectly balanced. The sugar will balance the hot peppers but also the acid from your citrus juices.

How to make habanero sauce (step by step)

As I mentioned, making habanero sauce is super easy. And you know I have a thing for spicy sauces and jams because I already made Thai sauce, sweet chilli jam and Jalapeno jelly. All of them are super delicious so I recommend you try them all.

Right, habanero sauce. You will need habanero peppers, a yellow bell pepper, a carrot, water, orange juice, sugar and lime juice.

Remove the stem and seeds from your bell pepper, then chop it. Remove the stem from your habanero and carefully chop it. You can leave the seeds, although note that they are spicy! I recommend using kitchen gloves when handling habanero. Whatever you do, don't touch your face after washing your hands thoroughly. Trust me on this one.

Add the chopped carrot, the water, sugar, orange juice and lime juice. Transfer to the hob. It's time to boil the mixture!

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix occasionally.

Transfer the liquid to the blender and and blend until smooth. You should have a smooth bright yellow liquid. It smells fantastic!

Transfer the sauce back to the pan and bring to a boil again.

Simmer for 10 minutes and mix almost constantly to ensure the sauce doesn't stick to the pan. When ready, allow it to cool slightly and transfer to a glass bottle.

Store it in a fridge and consume within two weeks. This is how simple it is to make this wonderful habanero sauce. Enjoy it with the dishes of your choice.

Kitchen Tips for making the perfect Habanero hot sauce

In the unlikely event that your sauce feels too thin, simply simmer for a longer time until is reduces. Keep an eye to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan.

If your sauce feels too thick, add a little more orange juice, one tbsp at a time.

If you want your sauce to be spicier, add another habanero to the mix. I recommend tasting it after adding one habanero peppers at a time. They really are potent peppers.

If you want your sauce sweeter, add a bit more sugar.

If your sauce lacks that acidic kick you will need to add a bit more vinegar or lime juice.

Wear gloves when cutting or handling the habanero. The spice can otherwise linger on your fingers for hours. It's quite difficult to wash off as well.

This fantastic recipe will result in 1 small bottle, which is enough for about 8-12 hot sauce servings. For a double batch, simply double the ingredients.

You are now ready to make your own best hot sauce. Please let me know you get on in the comments section below.

FAQ

Need more tips about this habanero hot sauce? Here are your questions with all the complete answers.

How hot is orange habanero hot sauce?

The orange habanero hot sauce is quite hot, but it can be made according to your own taste. While the orange habaneros are very hot peppers, the orange and sugar combined will make this hot sauce perfect for almost everyone who loves a good spicy kick but doesn't enjoy that burning sensation.

Which is hotter red or orange habanero?

The red Savina habanero used to be the hottest peppers. This red habanero is almost twice as hot as the mighty orange habanero you can buy in the shops. However, the habanero is no longer the hottest pepper in the world, behind The Carolina Reaper and the ghost peppers.

How long does homemade habanero hot sauce last?

This homemade habanero hot sauce lasts for up to two weeks in the fridge. You can, however, transfer it to sterilized bottles in hot water bath and seal it, in which case it will last for a very, very long time.

Is Habanero Sauce same as Tabasco?

No, it is not. Tabasco is made from tabasco peppers, a variety of chilli peppers from Mexico. Habanero sauce is made with Habanero peppers.

What can I do with extra habanero peppers?

You should turn them into habanero salsa, a delicious side salad with fresh fruit. It's quick and easy to make.

Are habaneros good for hot sauce?

Habanero peppers are ideal for hot sauce because they have a bright and aromatic flavor. They are also versatile as you can make a fantastic hot sauce ranging from medium hot to extra hot sauce.

What do you use habanero sauce for?

Use it as a dipping sauce for a variety of things including vegan chicken wings, vegan chicken nuggets, tofu and more. You can also add it to salads or serve it with tortilla, chips or crisps.

This recipe has been developed entirely by Yuzu Bakes. Any resemblance with other recipes is purely coincidental.