Quick & easy kebab shop chilli sauce – takeaway style, authentic, no cook and as hot as you like and ready in 3 minutes. Slimming World Syn Free, Vegan and Whole 30 friendly.
Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce
A little goes a long way with this no cook easy kebab shop chilli sauce; perfect for drizzling over grilled meat and chicken, dolloping on rice, or for perking up a bolognese or stew.
This chilli sauce tastes just like the hotter than Hades sauce you get at your local takeaway, but is surprisingly easy to make with just 6 readily available ingredients. Plonk them into your blender and away you go.
As well as delicious this sauce is Slimming World Syn Free and only has 15Kcal per serving.
It is just like the sauce served at our local proper Turkish Ocakbasi kebab house, where the meat is cooked over a charcoal fire; normally on kebab skewers as well as lamb chops, chicken breast and similar cuts. It’s also our local doner kebab shop, but it’s a long way from living down to the dubious reputation that such a description might imply.
The meat is simply but well cooked on the charcoal, and served with tasty unleavened bread, rice and salads – and of course a kebab shop hot chilli sauce just like this one.
That dash of chilli sauce makes a kebab what it is, and of course is so good we had to make our own version!
I find that the real trick to a homemade kebab shop chilli sauce is actually not to overdo the heat.
You could go mad, searching out the most ridiculously hot peppers you can source and create your own substitute for edible lava, but I prefer something that’s a little more nuanced.
There are degrees of this, of course; it’s still a chilli sauce, but it does have a depth of flavour that comes from the secret ingredient: jarred mint sauce (which of course will go so well with grilled lamb).
How do I make Hot Chilli Sauce Kebab Shop Style?
This chilli sauce is SO easy to make.
Step One – Assemble the ingredients.
Step Two – Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Deseed and roughly chop the chilli – using our clingfilm trick below. Open the tin of tomatoes.
Step Three – Throw it all in a blender or food processor. Then add the mint sauce, and vinegar.
Step Four- Blitz it until it has reached your preferred consistency.
Step Five – Check the flavour and add salt as required.
If you want to make a chunkier Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce then sieve the tomatoes, then blend a couple of them with the chilli and garlic then add in the onion and the rest of the tomatoes and pulse to your desired consistency. Add in some of the drained juice to thin if needed.
Top Tip for Preparing Hot Chillies
A top tip when making a hot chilli sauce and slicing the chillies is to wrap some cling film loosely round your fingers so your don’t touch them – even after washing your hands it is SO easy to rub your eyes and the pain is intense, even when taking out your contact lenses hours later.
If you are chopping lots of chillies I would use a pair of latex gloves, but when preparing chillies a piece of cling film is ideal and a huge improvement on trying to chop up the chillies with a kitchen knife and fork; yes I have tried and failed with that, and I wish I’d thought of the cling film years ago.
Scotch bonnets are hot hot hot! Pick a different chilli if you prefer, or want more chilli flavour without the heat.
I also try and use premium canned tomatoes, finding that the extra few pennies really make a difference, as the tomatoes will be altogether better – thicker, richer, sweeter, a better colour and far more intense.
I don’t have any mint sauce. What else can I use instead?
No mint sauce? Don’t worry! Simply use an extra tablespoon of vinegar and about half a teaspoon of dried mint or one teaspoon of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Or make your mint sauce with our easy recipe!
Can I make a sweeter version of homemade kebab shop chilli sauce?
Yes, absolutely. Add some ketchup for a delicious rich sweetness
What to do with leftover homemade kebab shop chilli sauce?
Simply spoon into an ice cube tray (I keep a tray just for freezing sauces like this in) and freeze, pop the sauce cubes out once frozen and store in a plastic box.
I find that one large frozen cube of kebab shop chilli sauce is perfect for the two of us.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy your kebab shop chilli sauce on my succulent lamb shish kebabs, deliciously spiced lamb koftas, or these gorgeous chicken shish kebabs with a spiced yogurt coating. If you want to make kebabs regularly, my shish kebab seasoning is a kitchen essential.
Stuff your kebabs with no mayo slaw and kebab shop salad. Enjoy with a slice of no yeast bread to soak it up or homemade tortilla chips.
More recipes
Other easy takeaway style sauces and dishes you will love!
- Garlic Sauce
- Burger Sauce
- Peri Peri Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Nandos Rice
- Pilau Rice
- Curry Sauce
- BBQ sauce
Some cooling desserts to have for afters
Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce / Hot Chilli Sauce {Vegan, Whole 30}
Slimming World Syn Free, Vegan and Whole 30.
Ingredients
- 1 can (14.5oz / 400g) tomatoes
- 1 tbs tomato puree
- 1 small Scotch bonnet chilli (- chopped, seeds and membranes discarded)
- 1 small onion (- peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (- peeled and sliced)
- 1 tsp mint sauce
- 1 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1 pinch salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a blender and whizz. until almost smooth - I like some texture, but you want to really blitz up that chilli.
- Season to taste with salt.
Notes
- Avoid touching the chilli when preparing it - I wrap my fingers loosely in a piece of cling film.
- If you don't have any mint sauce, you can use a tablespoon fresh mint or half a tablespoon of dried mint and add one tablespoon more vinegar.
- If you want to make a chunkier Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce then sieve the tomatoes, then blend a couple of them with the chilli and garlic then add in the onion and the rest of the tomatoes and pulse to your desired consistency. Add in some of the drained juice to thin if needed.
- Keeps for a week in the fridge.
- Leave for 24 hours before eating to allow the flavours to meld.
- Freeze in a silicon ice cube tray for individual portions.
- Most Paleo diet followers are ok with consuming vinegar, if not, then omit.
- This recipe is Zero Weight Watchers Smart Points!
Video
6 Facts about chillis
- Chilli heat is measured on the Scoville scale. The current hottest chilli is the Carolina Reaper, with over 1.5 million Scoville heat units. This makes it five hundred times hotter than tabasco sauce. A bell pepper has a rating of 1.
- The heat in chillis is from a compound called capsaicin, which is concentrated in the seeds and membranes. Discard or keep these according to how much heat you want.
- Chillis originated in the Americas, and are a member of the nightshade family. This means they are related to potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines and bell peppers.
- Chillis are a great source of vitamin C, with a higher concentration than oranges.
- The best way of counteracting the heat of a chilli is with milk. A cool beer might seem like a good idea, but a cold glass of milk works better against the heat.
- Chilli can be spelled either chilli or chili, depending which side of the Atlantic you are from.
If you love sauce you may also enjoy my Quick and Easy Healthy Tartare Sauce
Or for another spicy sauce, make my easy peri peri sauce.
Love canned tomatoes? Find lots of fuss free easy recipes using tinned tomatoes here …
Jacqueline Meldrum
This looks glorious. It would be great on a burger too. I am a chilli wuss, so a small layer for me.
Helen
it would be ace on a burger!
AndyB
Really good recipe, but varied according to some Persian and Turkish friends – add 1/2 a stick of celery, and a handful of flat leaf parsley and you’re into some really extraordinary flavours. Thanks
Helen
Hi Andy, I’ll try that versions next time I make some, I wanted to keep it as simple as I could, but they seem great additions!
Benny
Time to cook up some fried chicken! I found a new promising dipping sauce!
Helen
it would be amazing with fried chicken.
Jane
Brilliant recipe Helen, shall be keeping hold of this one.
Jane x
Helen
We love this one. So good!
Cliona Keane
This looks great! I love a hot chilli and the idea of having proper kebab shop chilli sauce at home is great!
Helen
I love chillies, really like the flavour, but not too much heat!
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube
What a great and easy recipe! Thanks for the inspiration. I’ve been growing my own chilies so definitely trying this.
Helen
Thanks Julia,
So easy – just bung it all in a blender or food processor! I wish I could grow chillies without killing them!
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
We don’t have kebab shops here, but we do love chili sauce and this looks like a great one to add some spice to all sorts of dishes! And I’ll have to give the plastic wrap trick a try. I’ve done the fork and knife thing too and it never works as well as I wish.
Helen
The plastic wrap works a treat – such a simple hack.
Musings of a tired mummy...zzz...
I’ve always been scared of using scotch bonnets! Maybe I’ll get my (braver) partner to make this as he loves cooking and spicy food
Helen
They sell massive scoops of them in the market for £1 – who on earth can get through 50 of them I wonder?
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
When my friend was here visiting from Turkey, we’d make lamb kebabs all the time. I sure do miss the authentic recipes he’d share with me. Can’t wait to give this a try!
Helen
I love a good lamb kebab!
Lilinha
Hubby loves chilli sauce, so will be making him some! :)
Helen
how hot will it be? Hope he enjoys it.
Kara
I love anything with a spicy kick and this looks yummy – definitely making this
Helen
It is so good Kara, and it freezes really well too.
Baby Isabella
We’re not great with chilli but would be tempted to give this a go as dipping sauce for chicken kebabs forour summer BBQs :) yummy x
Helen
it would be lovely as a dipping sauce!
Anosa
I think if I did try this at home I would go a little crazy on the hotness of it lol but it looks delicious
Helen
Just use less chilli and make sure to scrape off all the membranes and seeds
five little doves
Ooh we love chilli sauce and put it on everything! I’ve never thought to make our own though! Must give it a try!
Helen
So easy to make your own, also no preservatives etc in it.
Ana De- Jesus
I love anything that is spicy and this kebab shop chilli sauce sounds amazing. I will be careful to not touch my face though lol!
Helen
it is so easy to touch your face, even after scrubbing your hands.
Natalia
sounds delicious! I wouldn’t add too much chili because I can’t deal with it but the rest of the ingredients sound yummy! Thanks for sharing x
Helen
I love the taste buy equally cannot stand too much heat – just use less or a different type of chilli.
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
This chilli sauce sounds really good. I love chilli sauce with kebabs but know what you mean if the chillies are too hot it doesn’t work so well.
Helen
I think less of really hot chillies rather than more of a milder one works better.
Mummy Gummie
Looks great. Thanks for chilli preparing tips very helpful!
Helen
I love my cling film trick! So very very useful.
Stephanie
I bet that tastes amazing, great to have to hand for some tasty BBQs!
Helen
It would be perfect for BBQs!
Rachel @ Coffee, Cake, Kids
My mouth is watering! I love kebabs and I adore the sauce – I always order extra to dip chips in!
Tom ADAMSON
Nice chilli sauce but I found its best to cook off the ingredients first then blend much nicer
Helen
Great addition to the recipe Tom, I quite like the pungent uncooked onion flavour for the full kebab shop experience.
Thomas Adamson
Yeah it was nice but I found the garlic a bit over powering I also used jalapeños instead of scotch bonnets
Helen
Good move to tone down the chilli – I’ll add a note about how to tone down the garlic and onion without the need to cook it.
Tom ADAMSON
Okay I also cooked another batch and added 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 tablespoon of coriander then finished it off with fresh coriander it makes a lovely curry
john hamilton
i am a chilli sauce fanatic and have been with 32 years . this by far the best i have ever had , on chicken and beef kebabs . well done 10/10.Bottle it and sell it , you would make a fortune .xx
Helen
Thank you John – what kind words. It would seem a it mean to bottle it as it is so easy to make.
john hamilton
how altruistic you are .[ my word of the week.]
Jake
Some really interesting chili facts. I cannot imagine trying the Carolina Reaper, is that even edible? Great sauce and hugely versatile.
Nikki Ward
I so often wish I could have the sauce they serve at the kebab shop at hand, not just with my kebab. This is a fantastic recipe and perfectly easy to make.
Carly
I’m totally no good when it comes to chilli, I break out in sweats with even the slightest touch. My husband thinks it is hilarious because he is the opposite, he can eat the hottest. And he would love this with just about everything.
Jenna
Great easy blender recipe, love it. Would be great with fajita’s.
Riley Watson
This would be such a great sauce to make up for a barbecue. Am supposed to be having one this coming weekend, weather depending. Ideal find, thanks.
Rachel Hutchings
I pretty much did this. It looks exactly like my local pizza takeaways chilli sauce but I know this sounds weird but it just tastes too fresh. Also I think I used the strongest garlic clove ?.
Tastes good though haha
Helen
Maybe leave it in the fridge for a day or two – then all the flavours meld together Glad you like it.
William Bailey
Thank you, my son lives in New Jersey U.S. and moans that the doner kebabs he can get locally are adequate but the sauce is poor. Your very detailed, illustrated account, with video should be just what he needs. I will be in N.J. in a couple of weeks and hope to spend a happy few minutes preparing your recipe. Cheers.
Tom
I’ve made this before and really enjoyed it. I fancied it as a pizza base but only had 2 well past it scotch bonnets…I whacked in a big heap of birds eye chilli flakes instead.
Just as good as the original.
It’s a good adaptable recipe, that would work even without any heat, but keeping the freshness of tomato, onion, garlic and mint!
Thanks for sharing – it’s a taste that takes me back to my beer soaked youth!
Ed
Thank you for this recipe – it was delicious! I like chilli and I added a heaped teaspoon of chilli flakes as well. I didn’t have any white wine vinegar, instead, I used the juice of 1 lime – ’twas perfect – remainder has been frozen (cubed) ready for Bloody Mary’s !
Helen
that sounds delicious with the lime!
Adam
How large and what kind of tomatoes did you use?
Helen
Hi Adam,
Use every day plain old canned tomatoes.
Marc
Fabulous, I make mine really hot with four or five hot home grown chillis.
Helen
Even better with homemade! I’ve never had any success growing chillies sadly.
Patrik Agren
Absolutely brilliant! Just like my local Tukish grillhouse ! 10 out of 10 , really simple, cheap , fast and delicious!
Helen
So pleased you like it. It is always a winner here!
Denise Johnson
Delicious. I only had chilli paste in . But honestly I wont every buy chilli sauce again !d
Helen
So happy you enjoyed it!
Catriona J
Fabulous, so glad I’ve found this site, kebab sauce so simple and delicious.
The curry sauce recipe is now my go to for comfort food night, easy and so much better than the supermarket stuff, try it with oven chips and pickled chilli slices, you’ll love it.
I am looking forward to trying more recipes here.
Helen Best-Shaw
Pickled chilli sounds an excellent addition1
Vanita Jarvis
your chilli sauce is amazing just like my favourite kebab recipe, the only other ingredient that makes it is a few gherkins, yummy
Helen Best-Shaw
I love the idea of adding some gherkins.
Simon
I mean this is the absolute bomb, even if you take the basics you can build and adjust it to taste because its no cook!
I couldnt get scotch bonnets (SB) during my regular shop so I replaced 1 SB with about 10 finger chillies and a pinch of chilli flakes and it was perfect.
I have been looking to replicate the minty tomato & chilli sauce you can get in many grilled chicken shacks, and this is spot on. Thank you, barbeques have just been made even better.
James
Have made this a few times now. Each time I add some tomato purée and a touch of sugar. Now have it down to a tea. Absolutely lovely
Helen Best-Shaw
so pleased you like it James!