Do you love hot sauce like sriracha or the spicy, fresh pepper flavor of sambal oelek? Try this spicy homemade red chili garlic sauce recipe. Maybe it’ll be your next go-to condiment!
It’s the beginning of fall, and I have an abundance of jalapeños in my garden right now, so I want to use them up for some special recipes.
Recently, I made stuffed jalapeños for my family and I to enjoy, but those are gone pretty quick.
It’s time to make some hot sauces!
Did you know that jalapeños turn red when they are ripe?
(There are a few exceptions, like Lemon Spice and Orange Spice jalapeños, but the majority turn red!)
We typically think of them as green because they are picked immature and taken to the grocery store before they fully ripen.
But that’s what makes red jalapeños really special.
You’ve got to grow them a while to get them to be fully mature!
Ingredients and Equipment for Fresh Red Chili Garlic Sauce
The ingredients you will need to make fresh red chili garlic sauce are:
- 1 lb spicy red peppers, like red jalapeños or serranos
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 head of garlic
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
You’ll also need a knife and cutting board, and a food processor or small blender.
Last, you’ll want to have a small glass jar to store your sauce in.
This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of homemade red chili garlic sauce.
Step One: Prep Your Peppers and Garlic
Wash and dry your fresh red peppers.
De-stem and chop up your peppers. Remove some of the pith and seeds if you want your red chili sauce to be less spicy.
You can also swap some of your spicy peppers for sweet red Bell peppers to make it less spicy.
Peel your garlic cloves. I like mine garlicky, so I use a whole head of fresh garlic. Feel free to adjust the recipe for your taste.
Step Two: Process Your Peppers
Place the chopped peppers in a food processor or blender.
Add 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp coarse sea salt to the food processor or blender.
Finally, add the peeled garlic cloves, put the lid on, and process until you get a fine paste.
Pulse once the peppers and garlic are well-chopped so you can control how finely the peppers are ground.
It should not be liquidy like ketchup or sriracha, but a thick, chunky paste.
Do not inhale the pepper fumes when you open up the food processor. It can irritate your throat and eyes.
Ask me how I know.
Step Three: Heat the Chili Garlic Sauce
Taste the sauce before continuing. You can add more salt, garlic, or vinegar if you’d like at this point.
Then, reserve the liquid from the sauce and transfer it to a small saucepan.
Stir in 1/2 a teaspoon of cornstarch, mixing until lumps are gone.
Add the rest of the sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Let the sauce cool in the pan.
Step Four: Transfer to a Jar and Enjoy
Transfer the cooled sauce to a clean glass jar with a tight lid.
Keep the red chili garlic sauce in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
This sauce should last if kept in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Ways to Enjoy Fresh Red Chili Garlic Sauce
This recipe is based on the Huy Fong’s chili garlic sauce, a condiment that I love to put on a variety of dishes.
Here are a few ways I like to use red chili garlic sauce.
- on Asian noodles, especially Pad Thai
- stirred into a bowl of ramen or pho
- in a grain bowl
- on chicken wings
- on top of avocado toast
- on scrambled eggs
You can also add it to marinades to add flavor and heat.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe!
Fresh Homemade Red Chili Garlic Sauce
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- food processor or blender
- saucepan
- small glass jar with lid
Ingredients
- 1 lb spicy red peppers like red jalapeños or serranos
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 head of garlic
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash and dry your fresh red jalapeños. Peel your garlic cloves.
- De-stem and chop up your jalapeños. Remove some of the pith and seeds if you want your red chili sauce to be less spicy. You can also swap some of your spicy peppers for sweet red bell peppers to make it less spicy.
- Place the chopped peppers in a food processor or blender.
- Add 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt, and peeled garlic cloves to the food processor or blender. Put the lid on, and process until you get a fine paste.
- Reserve the liquid from the sauce and transfer to a small saucepan. Stir in 1/2 a teaspoon of cornstarch, mixing until lumps are gone. Add the rest of the sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Let the sauce cool in the pan. Transfer the sauce to a clean glass jar with a tight lid.
- Keep the red chili garlic sauce in the fridge until you are ready to use it.