The simplest homemade red chili sauce, quick and easy to make with no cooking and absolutely no fuss. Hot, fruity, sharp and sweet, this pared down simple chili sauce is delicious with everything!
Basic chili sauce
This no cook homemade chili sauce is so easy to make when you know how.
Whizz up red chilies, with some vinegar, salt, sugar with a little olive oil for the freshest sauce possible, with the perfect balance of heat, sweetness, saltiness and acidity.
See Also
Our easy kebab shop chilli sauce
Nandos copycat peri peri sauce
This is chili sauce pared back to its purest form, letting that chili fruitiness and heat shine though. It works with any dish where you might want to add heat, and any cuisine.
This pouring chili sauce is suitable for drizzling to add a touch of fresh heat to all your favourite foods, Try it on kebabs or pizza, burgers, barbecue meats, sandwiches, tacos or fries.
Read on and I’ll show you which chilies to use to vary the heat to suit your taste, and which add ins to use to add your favourite flavours and completely personalise this red chilli sauce to your taste.
Why make red chili sauce?
- This minimal no cook chili sauce is very easy
- It is delicious – just pure chili flavour, balanced with salt, acidity and sweetness
- It is adaptable – adjust the heat and add your favourite extras to make your perfect chili sauce
- It can be made ahead (and will be better for it) and can be frozen.
Homemade chilli sauce ingredients
- Red Chilies – I went for regular red chilies from the store, with good rounded flavour, but not too hot
- Olive Oil – you want a good quality extra virgin oil here. It adds flavour and a silky smooth texture.
- Salt – good crunchy sea salt
- Vinegar – I use apple cider vinegar, but a good white wine vinegar would also work. You need something with flavour and astringency.
- Sugar – just a pinch of sugar for balance – the sauce won’t be sweet
- Garlic and Dried Herbs (optional) – garlic granules and woody herbs such as oregano and thyme are optional extras
How to make chili sauce – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare the chilis. Wear kitchen gloves to do this! First rinse and dry your chilies. Chop the tops off, cut them in half, and then into 2 or 3 pieces.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
If you don’t have gloves, you can wrap your fingers in cling film.
Either way, you need some protection because the capsaicin, the naturally produced irritant that gives chilies their heat, can produce a painful burning sensation on skin, especially where it is cracked or broken. and you certainly don’t want to transfer any capsaicin to your face.Most of the capsaicin is in the pith and membranes that hold the seeds in place, so get rid of the seeds and pith to moderate the heat if your chillies are too fierce.
Step Two – Put all the ingredients into a mini food processor or blender. A power blender will give you the silkiest sauce, but an ordinary blender will work too. Simply whizz your chili sauce to a smooth consistency.
Step Three – Once you have a smooth sauce, check you are happy with the flavour. If you need to add more salt or sugar you can. Transfer to a storage jar that can be sealed tight.
Basic chili sauce flavour variations
You can vary this sauce in all sorts of ways to suit your taste and fit the food on which you want to serve it.
Tomato – A natural pairing with chili, as they belong to the same botanical family. Tomato paste or sundried/sunblush tomatoes are best for flavour.
You can use fresh or canned, but these will make the sauce far thinner. To use canned tomatoes, sieve them first to remove some of the liquid.
Garlic – I like to use a pinch of fine garlic granules, but if you love raw fresh garlic, just add a peeled clove.
Herbs & Spices – Add a pinch of your favourite herbs – woody herbs like oregano make a good choice. You can also use fresh basil but this will change the colour. If you prefer, try a pinch of your favourite seasoning blend. Pizza seasoning works well.
Smokiness – Some chilis have a natural note of smoke. These include Aji Habanero, Ancho and Pequin. If yours don’t, you can add a smoky flavour to the chili sauce with a drop of liquid smoke or a 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chipotle paste.
Remember to adjust the type of chili you are using so you don’t make the sauce too hot.
How to vary the heat using different chilies and peppers
The flavour and heat of your simple chili sauce will depend on the chilies you use. You can also include some sweet red peppers to balance out a fiercer chill if you don’t like too much heat.
Mild / No Heat – Doux des landes, Espanola and Aji dulce are among the mildest chilies, as is the yellow Trinidad perfume. You can also use sweet peppers like Corno de torro in combination with warmer chillies for a fruity sauce.
Warm / Medium – Moderate Jalapenos are often used green but ripen to a rich red chili. The striking Hungarian black is also good for a sauce with only moderate warmth.
Hot – Cayenne, Serrano, Thai dragon, Calabrian and Aleppo pepper are all medium hot chilies that make excellent chilli sauce that won’t burn the roof of your mouth.
Very hot – Slender Bird’s eye chilies are commonly used in Thai cooking. Scotch bonnets, with their distinctive shape are common in hot Caribbean dishes. Both can be fierce.
Too hot for most people (use sparingly) – Habanero chillies are widely associated with Mexican cooking and one of the hottest varieties in common use.
They vary a lot in heat and overlap with Bird’s eye and Scotch bonnet but some can rate a lot higher on the Scoville scale so handle with care.
Of course, there are hotter chilies out there but you are unlikely to come across the Trinidad scorpion or Carolina reaper unless you are really going out of your way to find them!
Storage
Fridge – You can store this simple chili sauce for three days in a sealed jar in the fridge. If anything, it will improve over that time, so feel free to prepare in advance.
Freezer – Freeze in a sealed container or for easy portioning, use an ice cube tray.
Once frozen, the cubes can be popped out and transferred to a sealed plastic bag to keep in the freezer and remove and quickly defrost one portion at a time.
Hints and tips
- Do wear protective gloves when handling large quantities of chili, and remove seeds and membranes if you don’t want the sauce to be too fierce. Choose latex free gloves if there is any chance that you will be serving your sauce to someone with a latex allergy.
- If you like a milder sauce but can only find hot chilies, use fewer chilies and include some sweet red peppers.
- For the smoothest sauce, use a power blender.
- If you prefer a more concentrated sauce, you can cook your red chili sauce down a little to thicken it.
FAQs
It can do. This very natural homemade red chili sauce only uses small amounts of salt, sugar and vinegar, and no artificial preservatives. To avoid this, keep it in the fridge and use within a few days.
Freeze any leftovers in an ice cube tray, so that you can take it out a portion at a time. This avoids any waste.
Absolutely – although this will change the flavour of the sauce, and you will need some more sugar to balance it.
No, chili sauce is an ingredient and much more concentrated than this sauce which you can drizzle over all your favourite savoury dishes.
Simple Red Chili Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) red chilies (see notes in post for heat and flavour)
- 1½ tbsp (1½ tbsp) olive oil (extra virgin for flavour)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) sea salt
- ½ tsp (½ tsp) sugar
- ¼ tsp (¼ tsp) garlic granules (optional)
- ¼ tsp (¼ tsp) woody herbs (optional)
Instructions
- Start by preparing the chiliis. Wear protective gloves. Wash, dry and cut off the tops, then quarter. If the chilis are very hot, remove the pith, membranes and seeds.250 g red chilies
- Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until you have a smooth sauce.1½ tbsp olive oil, 60 ml apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp sea salt, ½ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp garlic granules, ¼ tsp woody herbs
- Check seasoning and when you are happy with the sauce, transfer to a sealable jar. Store in the fridge for three days.
Notes
- Do wear protective gloves when handling large quantities of chili, and remove seeds and membranes if you don’t want the sauce to be too fierce. Choose latex free gloves if there is any chance that you will be serving your sauce to someone with a latex allergy.
- If you like a milder sauce but can only find hot chilies, use fewer chilies and include some sweet red peppers.
- For the smoothest sauce, use a power blender.
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