Easy Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce With Peppers
A versatile hot sauce that’s made all in one pan, no roasting or baking required! Peri-Peri sauce can be used in lots of ways, from adding to dips to marinating chicken. It tastes so much better than anything you can buy and you control exactly what goes into your food! Plus, it can be frozen and kept for 3 months too!
Recipe Overview
Skill Level:
SKILLED BEGINNER
Prep Time:
15 MINUTES
Prep-Ahead?
Yes!
Cook Time:
40 MINUTES
What Makes This Recipe Great
The heat level is easily adjustable so you can control the spiciness of this sauce. We’ve added 3 chillis to make it a milder spicy sauce kids will enjoy, but you can add more if you like to fire things up!
Homemade Peri-Peri sauce can be frozen for 3 months, so scale it up and make a big batch for future meals.
There is no need to turn on the oven for this simple hot sauce recipe. All the cooking is done in one pan on the stove top. This means less washing up and a much more energy efficient way of making it.
Check Out More Peri-Peri Recipes:
Equipment Needed:
- Sharp Knife: and Chopping Board To slice up all the ingredients.
- Grater: Use a grater to grate the red onion and mince the garlic.
- Large Saucepan: This is used for cooking the sauce. Choose one that comfortably fits all the ingredients without over-spilling.
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula: You’ll need a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the vegetables and sauce.
- Blender: After cooking, use a blender or food processor to blend the sauce until smooth. A blender helps achieve a fine texture by mixing and pureeing the cooked ingredients. You can also use a stick blender too.
Ingredients:
- Sunflower Oil: Used for sautéing the vegetables.
- Mixed Bell Peppers: If you want the sauce to have a more vibrant red colour, stick with red peppers, however, you can use a mixture of yellow, green and orange peppers too.
- Red Onion: You can use white onion instead if you prefer.
- Dried African Birds Eye Chillis: These are easiest to find, fresh Birds eye chillis aren’t as easy to come by, but can be used if you do happen to find them.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves that you mince before use.
- Smoked Paprika and Cayenne Pepper: Gives a smoky and spicy flavouring to the sauce.
- Sea Salt: Used as a seasoning.
- White Sugar: A simple white granulated sugar is fine.
- White Wine Vinegar: Used as a preservative and gives acidity to the flavour of the sauce.
- Water: Used to adjust the consistency of the sauce and help in cooking the ingredients.
- Dried Rosemary and Dried Parsley: You can also use fresh herbs if you prefer, just double the amount as dried herbs are more concentrated in flavour.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Use unwaxed lemons and take them out of the fridge to warm to room temperature before juicing to yield the most juice.
Substitutions and Additions:
Wondering if you can substitute or add an ingredient? Here, I will tell you if that’s possible.
Substitutions:
- Sunflower Oil: Can be replaced with olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
- Red Onion: Substitute with yellow onion or shallots.
- Dried African Birds Eye Chillis: Other dried chillis can be used giving different heat levels and flavours.
- Garlic: Garlic powder can be used as an alternative; use about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of fresh garlic.
- Smoked Paprika: Regular paprika can be used, though it will lack the smoky flavour.
- Cayenne Pepper: Chilli powder can be used for heat, though it may alter the flavour slightly.
- Sea Salt: Table salt or kosher salt can be used; adjust quantity to taste.
- White Sugar: Brown sugar can be used to add sweetness.
- White Wine Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar used as an alternative.
Additions:
- Herbs: Basil, thyme, oregano or cilantro can be added at the end for a different flavours.
- Spices: Additional spices like cumin or coriander can be used to introduce more depth to the sauce.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce
Prep-Ahead Time Saving Tips for Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce
Planning ahead makes this recipe even faster! Here are some ways to streamline your prep:
TOTAL TIME SAVED:
10 MINUTES
Chop It Up (Save 10 minutes): Slice the bell peppers and grate the red onion in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3 days. You can also store them in the freezer for 4 months.
Frequently Asked Question
Yes, but be careful when blending hot liquids. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before blending or blend in batches, ensuring the blender lid is slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.
If the sauce is too thick, simply add a little more water to reach your desired consistency. Stir well and let it simmer for a few more minutes if needed.
Blending the sauce creates a smooth and uniform texture. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, you can skip the blending step and simply cook the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. Mash or pound it with a pestle and mortar if you prefer.
Mastering This Recipe – Expert Tips
- Control the Heat: Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and dried chilies based on your heat preference. Remember that the heat level can intensify as the sauce simmers and also while the sauce is stored. Using 3 chillis might not seem like much, but these little chillis really do pack a punch.
- Blend in Batches: If you have are scaling up and making a large quantity of sauce, blend in batches to avoid overloading your blender. Preventing spills and making the sauce easier to manage.
- Don’t Rush Let It Simmer: Allow the sauce to simmer for the full 30 minutes at a low temperature to develop its flavours fully. The longer it simmers, the more the ingredients meld together. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat, otherwise the ingredients may burn.
Storage
Allow the sauce to cool completely then store in one of the following ways:
- Fridge: You can store the peri-peri sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-6 days.
- Freezing: This hot sauce is suitable for freezing. Simply store in portion sizes, in an airtight container for 3 months.
- Defrosting: Defrost the sauce completely before use.
Easy Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce With Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
- 250 g Mixed Bell Peppers
- 1 Red Onion
- 3 Dried African Birds Eye Chillis
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tbsp White Sugar
- 60 ml White Wine Vinegar
- 70 ml Water, plus more if needed
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1/4 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 50 ml Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Finely slice the bell peppers and grate the red onion, mince the garlic.
- In a large saucepan, heat the sunflower oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced bell peppers and grated onion to the saucepan and sauté gently until they are soft.
- Add the dried African bird's eye chillis and minced garlic to the saucepan and continue to fry for a couple more minutes.
- Stir in the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and white sugar, mixing thoroughly to release the flavours.
- Pour in the white wine vinegar, lemon zest, and water.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture gently for around 30 minutes. If the sauce begins to dry out, add a little more water.
- After 30 minutes, stir in the dried parsley and dried rosemary. Heat for another minute.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Once the sauce is smooth, stir in the lemon juice and blend briefly again to distribute it evenly.
- Allow the sauce to cool before using, or storing.
Recipe Notes
- Consistency: If the sauce is too thick after blending, you can add a little more water or lemon juice to reach your desired consistency.
- Substitutions: Dried African Birds Eye Chillis: Substitute with another type of dried chilli for different spice levels and flavours. White Wine Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar as a substitute if white wine vinegar is unavailable.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost before using.
