Think, Eat, Be Healthy

Simple Hot Sauce Recipe

Good hot sauce is fast and easy to make and adds spice and nutrition to a healthy whole food diet.

Good hot sauce is fast and easy to make and adds spice and nutrition to a healthy whole food diet.

This simple hot sauce recipe makes a wonderful condiment that can be used to spice up any dish. It is quick and easy to make, full of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds and needs only five ingredients. The capsaicin in chile peppers is also a proven pain killer, the vitamin C in the peppers boosts the immune system and the vinegar helps keep a healthy pH in the body.

Fresh-picked poinsettia chile peppers from the backyard garden

Fresh-picked poinsettia chile peppers from the backyard garden

Start by mincing 3 tablespoons of fresh garlic and 1/4 cup of fresh onion. Stem 1/2 cup fresh hot chile peppers. For this recipe I used poinsettia chiles because that is what I have growing now. Do not remove the seeds or membranes as that is where the capsaicin concentrates.

Note – any hot(spicy) chile pepper variety can be used and the flavor and heat will vary with the type of pepper. Dried chile peppers can also be used for this recipe.

Minced garlic and onion and chile peppers with the stems removed

Minced garlic and onion and chile peppers with the stems removed

Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and onion. Add the stemmed chile peppers. Stir often until the onion is fully transparent and the peppers are quite soft, about 10 minutes.

Cooked onion, garlic and chile peppers.

Cooked onion, garlic and chile peppers.

Add 3/4 cup of good vinegar to the vegetables without removing the pan from the heat. I use apple cider vinegar for this recipe. Different vinegars such as mirin, white wine, red wine, etc… will give the finished hot sauce different flavors, so please experiment to find what you like best. Also add 3/4 cup water to the pan. Again, different ratios of vinegar/water will change the final taste of the hot sauce, so experiment.

Vinegar adds flavor and help to preserve the hot sauce for a longer shelf life.

Vinegar adds flavor and help to preserve the hot sauce for a longer shelf life.

Let the pan slowly come to a low simmer without increasing the heat. Simmer slowly until all of the vegetables are very soft. Remove the pan from the heat.

The vegetables are done when they are all very soft.

The vegetables are done when they are all very soft.

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor. Run the processor until the sauce is very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl several times to eliminate all of the pieces. Add sea salt to taste and process a few more seconds. Pour into a glass jar with a tight lid and refrigerate until fully chilled. Taste again and add more sea salt if needed.

This sauce should last for several weeks if kept refrigerated.