I promise I nailed Homemade Sriracha that tastes like the original, blows grocery-store jars out of the water, and can be made with fresh or fermented peppers.

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I am obsessed with Homemade Sriracha because it hits like raw heat and garlic punch that grocery bottles pretend to do. I love the tang, the bright red blur that stains my fingers, and how it screams real chili instead of sweet mystery.

I use ripe red chilies or red jalapeños and garlic cloves for that honest, teeth-rattling flavor. And yeah, the vinegar bite makes it sing.

This is Hot Sauce From Fresh Peppers done right, messy, and addictive. I want it on eggs, ramen, tacos, everything.

I will probably put it on breakfast. Because I just can’t stop now.

Ingredients

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Basically ripe red chilies: bring the heat, bright fruity notes, and that iconic red color.
Garlic cloves: punchy savory kick, makes it garlicky and a little addicting.
Granulated sugar: balances the heat, smooths sharp edges, keeps sauce mellow.
Fine salt: pulls flavors together, makes everything pop without being salty.
Distilled white vinegar: adds tang and shelf life, keeps it lively and bright.
Water: thins it when needed so it pours like a proper sauce.
Fish sauce: Basically umami depth, a meaty backbeat without tasting fishy.
Pinch more sugar: Plus you can tweak sweetness to calm extra heat.
Overall mix: It’s bold, tangy, and simple — perfect for bowls and sandwiches.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (about 450 g) ripe red chilies or red jalapeños

4 to 6 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt (kosher or sea salt works)

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons water (optional, to thin if needed)

1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional, for deeper umami)

Pinch of sugar more or to taste (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Wash about 1 lb (450 g) ripe red chiles or red jalapeños, remove stems (seeds are optional if you want less heat), then roughly chop. Peel 4 to 6 garlic cloves and set aside.

2. Choose fermentation or quick method. For fermentation: pack chopped chiles and garlic into a clean jar, mix in 1 teaspoon fine salt and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, press down so liquid covers the veg or add a tiny bit of water if needed, weigh them with a clean small jar or fermentation weight and cover with a loose lid or cloth. Let sit at room temp 5 to 14 days, check daily, skim any white scum, taste when tangy and bubbly. If it smells off, discard.

3. For the fast (non fermented) route: skip step 2 and proceed to step 4 right away.

4. Whether fermented or fresh, transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender. Add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce if using, and a pinch more sugar or up to your taste. If you used fermented chiles, include their liquid for extra tang.

5. Blend until super smooth. If the mixture is too thick or your blender struggles, add up to 2 tablespoons water to help it move. Stop and scrape down sides so everything gets pureed.

6. Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, using a spatula to press through. This gives you that silky sriracha texture and removes skin bits and seeds. You can skip straining if you like a chunkier sauce, but it wont be traditional.

7. Simmer the strained sauce gently over medium-low heat for 10 to 20 minutes to meld flavors and thicken. Stir often so it doesn’t stick. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or fish sauce. If it gets too thick, add a little water. If too thin, simmer longer.

8. When it reaches the thickness you want (it should coat a spoon), remove from heat and let cool. Remember it will thicken a bit more as it cools.

9. Bottle the sauce into clean jars or squeeze bottles. Keep refrigerated for best flavor; homemade sriracha will last several weeks in the fridge if kept clean. If you fermented first and bottled hot, it can last longer. Always use a clean spoon so it doesn’t spoil.

10. Quick hacks: roast a few peppers first for smoky notes, add extra garlic if you want more bite, or a splash more vinegar for brightness. Don’t throw away the seeds if you want more heat, but be careful, they get hot fast.

Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board
2. Sharp chef’s knife
3. Measuring spoons and kitchen scale (for tsp, tbsp, and 1 lb)
4. Clean wide-mouth jar for fermenting plus a small jar or fermentation weight
5. Loose lid or clean cloth and rubber band
6. High-speed blender or food processor
7. Fine mesh strainer or chinoise and a flexible spatula to press through
8. Medium saucepan and wooden or silicone spoon for simmering
9. Funnel and clean jars or squeeze bottles for bottling and storing

FAQ

Q: Can I make this without fermenting the chilies? A: Yes. This recipe is a quick blender style sauce that uses vinegar to give tang and preserve it, so you do not need to ferment. It tastes brighter and is ready in under an hour, though flavors mellow after a day or two in the fridge.

Q: How do I control the heat level? A: Use milder peppers like red jalapeños or remove some or all seeds and membranes to cut heat. For hotter sauce keep seeds and use hotter chilies. Taste and adjust, you can always add more peppers but you cant take heat away.

Q: How long does it keep and how should I store it? A: Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator. It will keep 1 to 3 months, sometimes longer if everything was very clean, the vinegar helps preserve it. If you see off smells, mold or weird color change, toss it.

Q: Do I need to peel the garlic or seed the chilies? A: No need to peel garlic, just smash or chop it so the blender can handle it. Seeding chilies is optional depending on heat preference. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin and avoid touching your face.

Q: My sauce is too thick or too thin. How do I fix it? A: To thin, add the optional 2 tablespoons water a little at a time, or a splash more vinegar. To thicken, simmer the blended sauce gently to reduce it, or add a small pinch of sugar and cook until it reaches the body you like.

Q: Can I skip the fish sauce and what can I use instead? A: Yes you can skip it. Fish sauce adds salty umami but soy sauce, tamari or a little miso dissolved in water are good vegetarian substitutes. You can also just add a bit more salt and a pinch of sugar to balance flavors.

Homemade Sriracha Hot Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chilies: if you don’t have red chilies or red jalapeños, use Fresno chilies, serranos (for more heat), or a mix of red bell pepper plus a small hot pepper to keep color but lower heat.
Sugar: substitute brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup for a slightly deeper sweetness; if using liquid sweeteners, cut back the vinegar a little so the sauce isn’t too thin.
Distilled white vinegar: apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar both work well and add a fruitier, milder tang; use the same amount but taste and adjust.
Fish sauce: swap with soy sauce or tamari for a vegetarian/vegan umami note, or use miso paste thinned with a little water if you want a richer savory backbone.

Pro Tips

1. Roast a few chiles first for a smoky edge, but dont overdo it or you lose fresh brightness. Char, then cool and peel where you want less skin bits.

2. If fermenting, weight everything so veg stay submerged. Check daily and skim any white scum, but dont freak out at tiny bubbles or cloudy brine, thats normal.

3. When blending, add liquid in very small amounts so you can control thickness. Too much water means longer simmer to thicken and weaker flavor.

4. Taste and tweak at the end, not the start. Add salt or sugar a little at a time, and let the sauce cool before final judgement because flavors change as it chills.

Homemade Sriracha Hot Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

I promise I nailed Homemade Sriracha that tastes like the original, blows grocery-store jars out of the water, and can be made with fresh or fermented peppers.

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Cutting board
2. Sharp chef’s knife
3. Measuring spoons and kitchen scale (for tsp, tbsp, and 1 lb)
4. Clean wide-mouth jar for fermenting plus a small jar or fermentation weight
5. Loose lid or clean cloth and rubber band
6. High-speed blender or food processor
7. Fine mesh strainer or chinoise and a flexible spatula to press through
8. Medium saucepan and wooden or silicone spoon for simmering
9. Funnel and clean jars or squeeze bottles for bottling and storing

Ingredients

1 lb (about 450 g) ripe red chilies or red jalapeños
4 to 6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt (kosher or sea salt works)
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons water (optional, to thin if needed)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional, for deeper umami)
Pinch of sugar more or to taste (optional)

Directions

Wash about 1 lb (450 g) ripe red chiles or red jalapeños, remove stems (seeds are optional if you want less heat), then roughly chop. Peel 4 to 6 garlic cloves and set aside.
Choose fermentation or quick method. For fermentation: pack chopped chiles and garlic into a clean jar, mix in 1 teaspoon fine salt and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, press down so liquid covers the veg or add a tiny bit of water if needed, weigh them with a clean small jar or fermentation weight and cover with a loose lid or cloth. Let sit at room temp 5 to 14 days, check daily, skim any white scum, taste when tangy and bubbly. If it smells off, discard.
For the fast (non fermented) route: skip step 2 and proceed to step 4 right away.
Whether fermented or fresh, transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender. Add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce if using, and a pinch more sugar or up to your taste. If you used fermented chiles, include their liquid for extra tang.
Blend until super smooth. If the mixture is too thick or your blender struggles, add up to 2 tablespoons water to help it move. Stop and scrape down sides so everything gets pureed.
Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, using a spatula to press through. This gives you that silky sriracha texture and removes skin bits and seeds. You can skip straining if you like a chunkier sauce, but it wont be traditional.
Simmer the strained sauce gently over medium-low heat for 10 to 20 minutes to meld flavors and thicken. Stir often so it doesn't stick. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or fish sauce. If it gets too thick, add a little water. If too thin, simmer longer.
When it reaches the thickness you want (it should coat a spoon), remove from heat and let cool. Remember it will thicken a bit more as it cools.
Bottle the sauce into clean jars or squeeze bottles. Keep refrigerated for best flavor; homemade sriracha will last several weeks in the fridge if kept clean. If you fermented first and bottled hot, it can last longer. Always use a clean spoon so it doesn't spoil.
Quick hacks: roast a few peppers first for smoky notes, add extra garlic if you want more bite, or a splash more vinegar for brightness. Don't throw away the seeds if you want more heat, but be careful, they get hot fast.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.