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La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

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Home » Salsa~Salsa » For the Love of Hot Sauce & Salsa!

For the Love of Hot Sauce & Salsa!

January 26, 201415 Comments

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This blog post is hot! Hot sauce hot! One of the best things about summer is the abundance of hot peppers at the farmers markets. I really enjoy preparing all kinds of salsa and hot sauce recipes. When preparing a salsa, I like to keep it fresh and enjoy it while it’s fresh. But when I want a hot sauce that I can preserve for a couple of months, I like incorporating the vinegar in my recipes. It preserves the hot sauce for a long period of time and just improves with flavor the older it gets. Included in this post are a variety of recipes with and without vinegar. Pick your favorites!

Habanero Hot Sauce

What Is The Hottest Pepper You Have Used In A Recipe?

I have only been cooking with habanero peppers for the past 10 years or so. It was not a pepper that my Mom ever used in her kitchen. The habanero is used more often in the Yucatan, coastal areas of Mexico with Carribean  influences. When I finally decided to use some fresh habaneros in one of my salsa recipes, I was hooked! There is just something about the flavor that is so addicting.

For The Love Of Hot Sauce

Passion Fruit And Spicy Chile Peppers Are A Delicious Pairing!

Habanero Passion Fruit Hot Sauce. Thanks to Laylita’s Recipes, I was inspired to try the passion fruit juice. All I could find was the juice and not the concentrate, but I was happy with the results!  You must take the time to check out her site and delicious recipes!

Habanero Passion Fruit Hot Sauce

*This recipe was adapted from Laylita’s Recipes ~Passion Fruit Hot Sauce

Habanero Passion Fruit Hot Sauce
8  or 9 habaneros
4 small sweet peppers, yellow or orange
1 1/2 cups passion fruit juice
juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 teaspoons chile limon powder
salt to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Remove stems and seeds from all the peppers. Transfer to the blender. Add the passion fruit juice, lime juice and chile limon powder. Pulse to blend until desired consistancy. Transfer to a sauce pan and heat to medium. Season with salt to taste. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat slightly. Whisk the cornstarch and water together until smooth. Whisk into the sauce pan and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Habanero Passion Fruit Chile Sauce

Habanero Passion Fruit Chile Sauce

Chile Habanero-Fresno Hot Sauce

Habanero Fresno Hot Sauce

Ingredients

6 habanero peppers
6 red fresno peppers
1 large jalapeño pepper
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water until smooth

Directions

1. Roughly chop 5 habanero and 5 fresno peppers and transfer to the blender. Also to the blender add the garlic, 1 1/2 cups vinegar, 1 cup water, juice of 1 lime and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Blend on high until smooth.

2. Pour blended hot sauce into a medium sauce pan and turn heat to medium/low. While it heats up, finely dice the remaining habanero, fresno and jalapeño. Add them to the sauce pan and stir to combine. Turn heat up slightly and when it comes up to a simmer, whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Taste for salt. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Yields about 3 cups.

Habanero Fresno Hot Sauce
Habanero Fresno Hot Sauce

Charred Serrano Hot Sauce 

Charred Serrano Hot Sauce

Ingredients

*20 serrano peppers, stems removed

2 large tomatillos, washed
3 cloves garlic, leave skins on
Juice of 2 key limes or 1 regular lime
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
3 teaspoons of salt…or to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water until smooth

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle pan to medium heat. Line the pan with some foil paper. Add the tomatillos, peppers and garlic. Drizzle or spray lightly with oil. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning as needed until most sides are charred. Remove the garlic after 15 minutes.

2. Remove the skins from garlic and transfer all the ingredients, minus the cornstarch mix to the blender. Pulse to blend until desired consistency. Taste for salt.

3. Transfer the hot sauce to a sauce pan and heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Stir well and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight container or glass bottle in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few months.

Remove the stems from the peppers before roasting, poaching or grilling. When working with large quantities of peppers, the less you handle them the better.
Remove the stems from the peppers before roasting, poaching or grilling. When working with large quantities of peppers, the less you handle them the better.
I save corks from bottles of wine and tequila which fit a standard size bottle. Great for storing your homemade hot sauce.
I save corks from bottles of wine and tequila which fit a standard size bottle. Great for storing your homemade hot sauce.

Habanero Hot Sauce

Habanero Hot Sauce

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large carrot, finely diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 cup orange bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeños, diced
6 to 8 habaneros, carefully remove stems and slice into quarters(use gloves or be very careful)
Salt and white pepper, to taste
1 cup water
3/4 cup white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. In a large skillet, preheat oil to medium for a few minutes. Add the carrots, onion and bell pepper. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Add in all of the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and taste for salt. Continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Transfer all to blender and blend on high until smooth. Transfer to glass bottles with secure tops. Will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of months. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce

Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce

Ingredients

50 chile de arbol
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lime juice
6 cloves garlic, or to taste
Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, add all of the ingredients for the chile de arbol hot sauce. The salt is to your own taste, but I usually start with 1 teaspoon and as it cooks, I taste it and adjust the seasoning. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a good 10 to 15 minutes or until the peppers get soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Transfer the chile de arbol mixture, along with all of the liquid to the blender. Blend on high for 35 to 40 seconds or until mostly smooth. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep in refrigerator for weeks.

Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce

And then the Serrano Hot Sauce….My Favorite!!

Serrano Hot Sauce

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 to 15 serrano peppers
1 large poblano pepper
1/3 cup white onion
1 to 2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste
Handful of cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions 

1. Heat olive oil to medium heat in a large skillet. Roughly chop the serranos, poblano and onions and add to skillet, along with the garlic. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the water, both vinegar’s, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to mix my liquids and season with salt before adding it to the pan. It’s easier to judge the salt level one should add. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. 

3. Transfer chile mixture to the blender, add cilantro if using. Blend on high until smooth, transfer to glass bottles or glass storage container. Yields about 2 cups. Will keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 months.

Spicy Taqueria Style Salsa 3/20/14

Spicy Taqueria Style Salsa
Spicy Taqueria Style Salsa

Ingredients

5 Roma tomatoes
15 chile de arbol
2 cloves garlic
1 cup beef broth rendered from barbacoa or beef roast
*you want it to have a little bit of fat from the beef
Salt to taste

Directions 

Cover the tomatoes and chile de arbol with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tomato skins strat to tear open and tomatoes soften. Drain the water and transfer mix to blender. Add garlic and blend until smooth. Add beef broth and blend for another few seconds, taste for salt. The flavor on this will just improve the longer it sits. My sister in law Norma taught me this great recipe from when she had her own taqueria food truck. Yields about 2 cups.

Note~ This hot sauce has a shorter shelf life because of the added broth, up to a week is good.

Serrano Salsa

This is my version of the blended serrano salsa that my Mom would prepare for Caldo de Res. Instead of blending until smooth, I decided to pulse it in the mini chopper to give me a coarse chop. I don’t use the mini chopper as often as I should, lol! Most days, I find it very relaxing to dice and mince a bowl full of peppers. I pay for it later with burning hands, but it’s all part of the experience. I also added some fresh lemon juice, oregano and olive oil to give it some tang and richness. I literally could just eat this with a fresh bolillo…no kidding! 

Salsa de Chile Serrano
Salsa de Chile Serrano

Ingredients
12 serrano peppers, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions 

Add the serranos to the mini chopper and pulse 8 to 10 times until you reach a coarse chop. Make sure there are no big pieces left behind. Transfer to a glass bowl, add lemon juice, oregano, olive oil and salt to taste. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Stir well and taste for salt before serving. Makes about 1 cup.

This is a great garnish for soups, add to dressings, tacos or mix with a little mayo for sandwiches.

 Green Chile Sauce/Hot Sauce July 21, 2014. A chile sauce, slightly different than a salsa. This is a great way to stretch your ingredients for making a sauce, hot sauce that is. By adding vinegar and water and then thickening with cornstarch, you are essentially making a quick hot sauce. It has a longer refrigerator life because of the vinegar too. It can be enjoyed straight out of the bowl with chips or it can be added to various dishes as a finishing sauce or as a marinade. And for those of you experienced at canning, this is a great recipe for doing that. I especially enjoy preparing chile sauce for my favorite grilled shrimp, scallops and white fish dishes.  

Green Chile Sauce

Ingredients

6 roasted Anaheim, New Mexico or Hatch Chiles
*remove stems, seeds and blistered skins from roasted chiles
2 jalapeños, roughly chopped
1 small fresh poblano, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup water, plus more for slurry
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
2 fresh red chiles, sliced thin…optional

1. In the blender, combine all of the ingredients, minus the corntarch and 4 tablespoons of water. Pulse to blend until there are no large pieces left.

2. Transfer chile mixture to a medium sauce pan. Heat to medium, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually whisk it into the simmerring sauce.

3. Continue cooking at a simmer until it becomes thicker. Taste for salt, remove from heat. Serve at room temperature. Garnish with a few sliced red chile peppers. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Yields about 3 cups.

Green Chile Sauce

Charred Tomato Jalapeno Hot Sauce/Chile Sauce August 28, 2014. The directions for this recipe are exactly as the previous recipe, only the ingredients and quantities are different. 

Charred Tomato Jalapeno Hot Sauce/Chile Sauce
Charred Tomato Jalapeno Hot Sauce/Chile Sauce


7 roma tomatoes
8 jalapenos, stems removed
4 red fresno peppers, stems removed
6 cloves garlic, leave skins on
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water until smooth

Directions 

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle pan to medium heat. Line the pan with some foil paper. Add the tomatoes, peppers and garlic. Drizzle or spray lightly with oil. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning as needed until most sides are charred. Remove the garlic after 15 minutes.

2. Remove the skins from garlic and the skins from the fresno peppers as well.  Transfer all the ingredients, minus the cornstarch mix to the blender. Pulse to blend until desired consistency. Taste for salt.

3. Transfer the hot sauce to a sauce pan and heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Stir well and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight container or glass bottle in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few months.

Charred Jalapenos and Fresno Peppers

Tips~ I like to keep my hot sauce in the coldest part of the refrigerator and only pour out what I may eat. The constant temperature change sometimes may affect the flavor and cause it to spoil faster.

Spicy Pepper Jelly September 6, 2014

Spicy Pepper Jelly. Savory, Spicy and Slightly Sweet
Spicy Pepper Jelly. Savory, Spicy and Slightly Sweet

3 red fresno peppers
3 serrano peppers
1 guero (caribe) yellow pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
Salt to taste (I used about 6 teaspoons)
1 box pectin (1.75 oz) (no sugar)

Tips~ You can use any combo of hot or sweet peppers

Directions

Add all of the ingredients in medium sauce pan, minus the pectin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and taste for sugar and salt. Whisk in the pectin and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to glass jars or storage containers and let cool at room temperature. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator. Yields about 1 1/2 quarts.

Hot and Sweet Peppers for Quick Pepper Jelly
Hot and Sweet Peppers for Quick Pepper Jelly
Spicy Pepper Jelly ove Cream Cheese Served with Chips
Spicy Pepper Jelly over Cream Cheese Served with Chips

Chile De Arbol In Vinegar

Preparing vinegar based hot sauce is easier than you think! I enjoy preparing these types of salsa/hot sauce to keep in my refrigerator for extended periods of time. You can do this with any fresh chile peppers as well.
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Print Pin Rate
Course: Salsa
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 50 chile de arbol, 23-26 grams weight stems removed
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 6 cloves garlic or to taste
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • . In a medium sauce pan, add all of the ingredients for the chile de arbol hot sauce. The salt is to to taste, but I usually start with 1 teaspoon. As it cooks, I taste it and adjust the seasoning. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a good 10 to 15 minutes or until the peppers get soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  • Transfer the chile de arbol mixture, along with all of the liquid to the blender. Blend on high for 35 to 40 seconds or until mostly smooth. Transfer back to sauce pan and cook at a steady simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar or bottle with a tight lid or cap. It will keep in refrigerator for weeks.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

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Filed Under: Hot Sauce, Salsa~Salsa Tagged With: Chile Sauce, Hot-Sauce, Pepper Jelly, Salsa, Spicy Taqueria Style Salsa

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ofeyalex

    April 6, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Todas se ven deliciosas, con lo que me encantan las salsas, las voy a hacer TODAS.

    Reply
    • soniayrich

      April 6, 2014 at 7:50 pm

      Gracias prima! No puedo vivir sin las salsa! Jajja!

      Reply
  2. Paladin

    September 20, 2014 at 3:31 am

    For your Spicy Taqueria Arbol salsa, you don’t mention tomatoes in the ingredients, but you do mention in the directions? How many?

    Reply
  3. NEW ORLEANS HONEY

    September 20, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    LOVE THESE RECIPES! CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE SOME. PLEASE PUT A TRANSLATION BUTTON BY COMMENT SECTION. SOME OF US ARE FLUENT IN SPANISH BUT WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT YOUR RECIPES.
    THANK YOU.
    HONEY

    Reply
  4. Jessica

    June 24, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    Hello! For the Chilie de Arbol recipes, are you using dried chilis or fresh?

    Reply
    • Sonia

      June 24, 2015 at 10:44 pm

      Always dried chile de arbol. I have never seen the fresh version around here. Good question!

      Reply
  5. Monique

    February 8, 2016 at 8:25 pm

    Want to try them all!!! I can feel the burn!!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      February 9, 2016 at 5:22 pm

      Hahaha! One chip at a time! Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Lori

    October 23, 2016 at 10:47 am

    wow! Wonderful sauces!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      October 23, 2016 at 11:26 am

      Thank you Lori!

      Reply
  7. Sonja

    February 26, 2018 at 9:37 pm

    Hi, I wish I could pin these recipes. I get an error message when I try to do so.

    Reply
    • Sonia

      February 26, 2018 at 9:41 pm

      Sonja, do you have the Pinterest icon on your browser? If not, you have to go to my Pinterest board La Piña en La Cocina and pin from there. If you have the Pinterest icon on your browser, it will only let you pin the selection with the text, no pictures. Still waiting to hear from Pinterest about this problem. Sorry.

      Reply
  8. Rob

    July 12, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    I’m anxious to try some of these recipes. I love all things spicy. Last year I developed a couple of fermented hot sauce recipes with red jalapeños and fresnos. Then cooked them at the end. They turned out very good. Do you have any similar recipes for fermented chili sauces?

    Reply
    • Sonia

      July 12, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Hi Rob, I actually just started experimenting with some fermented hot sauce recipes. I have not posted them yet.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Camarones Al Pastor(Shrimp Al Pastor) - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    June 28, 2018 at 7:00 am

    […] and pepper. The scallops were then basted with spicy serrano hot sauce. See recipe for hot sauce Here The tostadas are grilled with no oil. I prepared a quick slaw of shredded cabbage, jalapeño, […]

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

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