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You are here: Home / Recipes / Recipes by Course / Dips, Dressings & Sauces / Easy Peri Peri Sauce (Homemade Nandos)

Easy Peri Peri Sauce (Homemade Nandos)

Published on December 9, 2019 by Helen 32 Comments
Last Updated on September 21, 2020

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Peri peri (piri piri) sauce brings vibrant, piquant taste of Africa to your cooking. Use it to baste or marinate chicken for a  Nando’s-style ‘fakeaway’, or as a lively dip or topping for all sorts of barbecue dishes. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 

A bright orange jar of home made peri peri sauce

Table of Contents

  • Peri Peri A Global Recipe!
  • How to Make Nando’s-Style Peri Peri Sauce
  • Hints & Tips for Peri Peri Sauce
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More Sauce? 
  • Peri Peri Sauce
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
    • Instructions 
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

Peri Peri A Global Recipe!

Peri Peri sauce is a truly global recipe. Portuguese explorers brought capsicum frutescens from Brazil back to Europe.

Merchants and colonists then took the malagueta pepper to East Africa, to modern Mozambique. The plants naturalized there and evolved into the African Birds Eye or Peri Peri chilli, on which this sauce is based.

The peri peri dishes we know today arise from that meeting of cultures and cuisines. Today this African fusion food is strongly associated with South Africa. Peri peri has become immensely popular in the UK with the spread of South African restaurant chain Nando’s.

This fresh-tasting peri peri sauce recipe is easy to make with familiar ingredients. It’s great for an economical home-made ‘fakeaway’ Nando’s-style grilled chicken, so use it for copycat versions of your eat-out favourites. It’s also delicious on barbecue dishes or as a dip or burger sauce.

Peri peri makes a refreshing change from curry or stir fries, and we love it for a spicy reminder of the sun on grey winter days.

This sauce keeps well in the fridge, so you can make enough for two or three meals for two over a fortnight. Any leftover sauce can be frozen. 

How to Make Nando’s-Style Peri Peri Sauce

Ingredients for homemade peri peri sauce

Step two – Assemble all the ingredients.  You can roast and then peel fresh red peppers, or for ease and speed you can use jarred ones. 

Soaking bird's eye chillis in water

Step Two – Soak the peri peri chillis in boiling water before you start, and leave them until the water has cooled. This can be done in advance if you are going to be short of time when you come to cook. 

We usually use dried chillies, but if you can get fresh use them and skip the soaking stage.

Cooked onions with spices and herbs

Step three – Chop the onions and garlic, then zest and juice the lemons.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a shallow casserole or large frying pan. Fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the spices and oregano, and fry for a further couple of minutes.

Cook’s tip – when zesting and juicing lemons, and other citrus, give the fruit a good roll around the worktop pressing firmly with the heel of your hand, you will get considerably more juice out.

Always zest the whole fruit before you cut it in half to juice.  If you juice first it is almost impossible to zest after. 

Peri peri sauce ingrdients before blitzing.

Step four – Put the onion and garlic mixture in a blender or food processor. Add the soaked peri peri chillis, the roasted red peppers, lemon juice and zest, sugar, and cider vinegar.

Bright orangey/red peri peri sauce after 1st blitz

Step five – Blend the mixture well, until there are no large chunks.

Sauce ready to be cooked. Red and glossy

Step six – Transfer the mixture back to the pan. Add the bay leaves and then bring up to a gentle simmer.

Simmered and reduced peri peri sauce ready to add oil

Step seven – Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes, until it thickens and has reduced by a half to a third. When it is ready, a wooden spoon or spatula should leave a trace on the bottom of the pan.

Sauce ready to be blitzed in a food processor

Step eight – Transfer the mixture back to the food processor. Then blitz again, slowly adding the olive oil as you do so.  It is important to add the oil slowly so the mixture emulsifies so you get a lovely smooth sauce. 

Blitzed smooth peri peri sauce

Step nine – Blitz to a smooth paste. The peri peri sauce will take on a vibrant orange-yellow colour. It’s now ready to use. Pour the mixture into a jam jar, and keep in the fridge, where it will last for a week. For longer storage, freeze in individual portions in an ice cube tray. I find that freezing this sauce does reduce the heat, so if it’s turned out to be too spicy for you, try giving it a spell in the freezer.

Hints & Tips for Peri Peri Sauce

  • Chillis do vary in fierceness, even when they are the same variety. Taste and check as that you are happy with the degree of heat, and adjust to suit your taste. 
  • If you can’t get African peri peri chillis, Brazilian malaguetinhas are very similar. Alternatively, just use another chilli such as Asian bird’s eye chillis. 
  • For speed and ease we use jarred roasted red peppers for this, you can of course roast your own from fresh if you prefer. 
  • Try lime juice instead of lemon or add a couple of tablespoons of coconut milk. 
  • This Nando’s style peri peri sauce will keep for about two weeks in the fridge. Freeze leftovers into individual portions in an ice tray.

Serving Suggestions

  • Use it to baste or marinate chicken. 
  • Use as a dip for chips (fries) alongside a burger or on baked sweet potatoes, or on all sorts of grilled food.
  • This peri peri sauce recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans – why not try it with halloumi vegetable skewers or vegeburgers?

A close up of piri piri sauce on a china spoon.

More Sauce? 

We love sauces, dips and dressings. Browse all our sauce recipes, or choose from our favourites. 

  • Burger Sauce
  • Curry Sauce
  • Stilton Sauce
  • Chilli Sauce
  • Garlic Sauce
Orange peri peri sauce

Peri Peri Sauce

Helen Best-Shaw
A piquant taste of Africa - perfect for Friday-night Nando's-style fakeaways!
4.88 from 24 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Sauce
Cuisine Mozambican, Portuguese
Servings 20 1 tablespoon servings
Calories 55 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 10 peri peri (African bird's eye) chillis or other hot chillis dried
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 roasted red peppers we use bottled ones for convenience
  • 2 lemons juice and zest
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 100 ml cider vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • pinch salt
  • 80 ml olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Soak the chillis in half a cup of boiling water until the water has cooled. You can leave them soaking overnight if you wish.
  • Chop the onion and garlic into large pieces.
  • Heat the one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole dish. Gently fry the onion and garlic until it is translucent. Then add the herbs and spices (except for the bay leaves). Fry for a couple of minutes longer.
  • Transfer the fried onions to a blender. Add the soaked peri peri chillis, the roasted red peppers, lemons juice and zest, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until nearly smooth, but still with a little texture.
  • Return the mixture to the frying pan or casserole. Add the bay leaves, and heat on a low-medium heat until just simmering. Turn down to a very gently simmer.
  • Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes, until it thickens and has reduced by a half to a third. When it is ready, a wooden spoon or spatula should leave a trace on the bottom of the pan.
  • Transfer the mixture back to the food processor. Then blitz again, slowly adding the 80ml of olive oil as you do so.  It is important to add the oil slowly so the mixture emulsifies so you get a lovely smooth sauce. 
  • Blitz to a smooth paste. The peri peri sauce will take on a vibrant orange-yellow colour. It’s now ready to use. Pour the mixture into a jam jar, and keep in the fridge, where it will last for a week. 

Notes

Hints & Tips for Peri Peri Sauce
  • Chillis do vary in fierceness, even when they are the same variety. Taste and check as that you are happy with the degree of heat, and adjust to suit your taste. 
  • If you can't get African peri peri chillis, Brazilian malaguetinhas are very similar. Alternatively, just use another chilli such as Asian bird's eye chillis. 
  • For speed and ease we use jarred roasted red peppers for this, you can of course roast your own from fresh if you prefer. 
  • Try lime juice instead of lemon or add a couple of tablespoons of coconut milk. 
  • This Nando's style peri peri sauce will keep for about two weeks in the fridge. Freeze leftovers into individual portions in an ice tray.
Serving Suggestions
  • Use it to baste or marinate chicken. 
  • Use as a dip for chips (fries) alongside a burger or on baked sweet potatoes, or on all sorts of grilled food.
  • This peri peri sauce recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans – why not try it with halloumi vegetable skewers or vegeburgers?
Nutritional Information
  • This recipe is 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

Nutrition

Calories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 175IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Peri peri sauce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

For more chicken fakeaway recipes, try these Sticky Asian Chicken Wings or these Barbecue Chicken Thighs.  

If you love chilli in your sauce, we think you will love this Easy No-Cook Kebab-Shop Chilli Sauce.

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Filed Under: Dips, Dressings & Sauces, Poultry, Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Recipes Ingredients: Chilli

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Hollie Jackson

    5 stars
    I really love Peri Peri sauce, but had no idea it came from Africa. I love that I can make my own, as I find shop bought can be really pricey.

    Reply
  2. Maggie T

    5 stars
    This is the perfect dip for movie snacks. It goes really well with our homemade parsnip chips. A winner with all the family.

    Reply
  3. Jamie

    5 stars
    This is such a flavorful sauce! I love all the spices and chili in here. Definitely gives it a kick!

    Reply
  4. Patrice

    5 stars
    This looks delicious! Enjoyed reading about the history of this sauce and your many tips.

    Reply
  5. Genevieve

    5 stars
    This looks like such a unique recipe! So colorful too!

    Reply
  6. Kelly Anthony

    5 stars
    I love how versatile this peri peri sauce. It will taste amazing on just about anything!

    Reply
    • Helen

      it does!

      Reply
  7. Jen

    5 stars
    This may sound weird but I love Peri peri sauce as a fry dip, haha! It’s so good and I’m obsessed

    Reply
    • Helen

      I like it with a bit of mayo as a fry dip.

      Reply
  8. Nina

    5 stars
    Living so close to a Nandos is so tempting but a recipe like this will be the perfect excuse to resist! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  9. rhian westbury

    4 stars
    I love nando’s, but not too hot a spice. So i’d have to tone down the chilli’s, but my dad would love it as hot as possible x

    Reply
    • Helen

      This is the beauty of making your own – complete control over the heat level!

      Reply
  10. Yeah Lifestyle

    5 stars
    I love eating Nando’s Peri Peri chicken and have always wanted to learn how to make it, so will give your recipe a go

    Reply
    • Helen

      It is so much better to make your own!

      Reply
  11. Jenni

    5 stars
    I have only recently discovered Nandos, but I absolutely love it! This sounds amazing and I will definitely be giving it a go!

    Reply
    • Helen

      Far better and certainly more frugal to make your own!

      Reply
  12. Natasha Mairs

    4 stars
    This sauce looks delicious! And much healthier than the shop bought ones. Will have to save this recipe

    Reply
  13. Becky

    5 stars
    This peri peri sauce like delicious! If love to try it on a homemade burger

    Reply
  14. Jess Howliston

    5 stars
    Oo this looks absolutely delicious, thanks for sharing! I have to admit I have never been to Nandos but I do love trying out different “fakeaways” at home so will definitely add this to our list to try!

    Reply
  15. Kara Guppy

    5 stars
    I love peri peri sauce but must admit I tend to use the premade stuff. Will have to try and make my own

    Reply
  16. Rachael

    5 stars
    Oh my days! This looks amazing, definitely putting this on the list to make.m over Christmas. My other half would love me if I made this for him. Fab recipe, thanks.

    Reply
    • Helen

      Homemade is so much better than buying!

      Reply
  17. Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too

    5 stars
    This would make a wonderful gift idea for my husband’s friends. I’m sure they live in Nandos

    Reply
    • Helen

      it would be the perfect gift!

      Reply
  18. Emily Underworld

    5 stars
    Ooh I love Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauce! I definitely need to make my own version, I’ll try this out ASAP.

    Reply
    • Helen

      This is so good and so addictive!

      Reply
  19. Anosa

    5 stars
    I am sold, I never thought I would ever consider making sauces at home specifically Nandos inspired ones.

    Reply
    • Helen

      it is SO good!

      Reply
  20. Marisol

    4 stars
    Hi! We don’t have lemons where I live, just limes, so I used those (+ the cider vinegar) but even after letting it simmer the taste is way too sour. Do you know how I can fix it?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Helen

      Possibly a touch of sugar, maple syrup or honey. It will also mellow with a day or two in the fridge.

      Reply
  21. Emel

    Hi, just about to try this recipe. I noticed olive oil is mentioned twice, once as 1 tbsp olive oil, second as 80 ml olive oil. Steps only mentions adding the oil once so will add the 80ml at the start. Hope it works!

    Reply
    • Helen

      thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ve updated the recipes card to reflect the rest of the post.

      Reply

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Headshot of Helen Best-Shaw, Food Blogger at Fuss Free Flavours I'm Helen, full time freelance food writer, photographer and blogger. On this site you will find my fuss-free recipes, travel and reviews. Learn more here
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