If you’re a Cholula or Tapatio hot sauce fan, you’ll love this homemade version that can be whipped up in just 5 minutes! Using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, this 5-minute Hot Sauce recipe helps you create the flavor of your favorite hot sauce brand without having to run to the store.
The other night, we had Salmon Tacos all ready to eat on the table when I went to grab the hot sauce out of the fridge, and low and behold, we were out! I looked at the empty Tapatio bottle, checked the ingredients, and managed to recreate it in a matter of minutes. Crisis averted! It was too easy not to share. This 5-Minute Hot Sauce Recipe is made with common ingredients that are likely already lingering in your pantry. You’ll want to keep this one in your back pocket—after all, if you love hot sauce as much as we do, you’ll know there are some meals where you can’t go without! And of course, we still love our Fermented Hot Sauce, for when you have more time.
Why you’ll love this
- Simple ingredients: This 5-Minute Hot Sauce Recipe is made primarily with everyday spices, water, white vinegar, and a thickener: a little flour or xanthan gum.
- Fast and easy: Add your ingredients to a blender, blend, bottle and enjoy!
- You’ll never run out of hot sauce again! While this recipe can be made anytime you run out of your favorite store-bought brand, it also lasts up to 6 months—a great recipe to batch and always have on hand!
Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Vinegar: Vinegar is an integral part of hot sauce, giving it that tantalizing sour and tangy flavor while neutralizing the heat. This is also what preserves the hot sauce. Use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Spices: Salt, paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper (or ground chipotle powder), black pepper, and turmeric come together to build a warm, smoky, and peppery sauce with just the right amount of heat. Feel free to add more cayenne to taste if you want to bump up the heat.
- Flour or Xanthan gum: Using a little flour or Xanthan gum is the binding/thickening ingredient that gives the hot sauce its texture and prevents the spices from sinking to the bottom of the bottle. Both Cholula and Tapatillo use xanthan gum– but flour works in a pinch. You can find xanthan gum in most grocery stores near flour and other baking ingredients.
Hot Sauce Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend for 30 seconds until smooth, making sure the xanthan gum (or flour) is fully incorporated.
Taste and adjust the heat to your liking.
Pour the hot sauce into a bottle or jar, using a funnel to make it a bit easier—and neater!
Seal and refrigerate the hot sauce for up to 6 months.
Ways to use hot sauce
5-Minute Hot Sauce FAQs
This hot sauce can be kept at room temperature if kept out of direct sunlight. However, its shelf life will be extended if kept in the fridge. In the fridge, this hot sauce will last for 6 months.
You can sweeten up the hot sauce by adding a small pinch of sugar, honey or agave at a time to the blender, working up to your desired taste preference.
White vinegar is ideal for making hot sauce. Its sour taste complements the heat from the spices and it doesn’t have a strong conflicting flavor like some other vinegars do. Apple cider vinegar works too.
Sure! Get creative and try mixing and matching your own favorite spices. The spices listed here are specifically chosen to create a flavor similar to that of Tapatio hot sauce. Experiment with adding dried chilies!
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Gift it!
We think this hot sauce recipe would make a great hostess gift. Place in cute bottles and create your own label. For more fun kitchen gifts check out 20+ DIY Gifts!
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Enjoy the hot sauce recipe!
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Hot Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: sauce
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you’re a fan of Cholula or Tapatio hot sauce, you’ll love this homemade version that can be whipped up in just 5 minutes! Using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, this 5-minute Hot Sauce recipe helps you create the flavor of your favorite hot sauce brand without running to the store.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or ground chipotle powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon flour or 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Optional additions: dried oregano, ground coriander, onion powder, dried Mexican chilies ( remove seeds and stem)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds until smooth, ensuring the xanthan gum is fully blended.
- Taste and adjust cayenne to taste, adding more for extra spicy.
- Pour into a bottle or jar, seal and refrigerate for 6 months.
Notes
Using only dry spices and ingredients ensures the sauce will keep up to 6 months. For example, blending in fresh garlic cloves or fresh chilies will shorten its shelf life. Feel free to add these of course, but at your own discretion.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 5
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 116.3 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.7 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Could I make this with lemon or lime juice instead of vinegar? How long will it last in the fridge? How can I tell when it’s gone bad? The smell?
HI Sandy, I have not tried this with lemon juice. If using fresh lemon juice, it will keep up to 5 days? Just guessing here!
I’ve been looking for something like this, but would like to use my homegrown garlic, paprika, and chilies, and store over Winter. Would pasteurizing help with shelf life?
And deep thanks for your superb recipes, so easy to follow and never fail!
Thanks Espen! If using homegrown fresh garlic and chilies- I would highly recommend our fermented hot sauce! It truly is amazing!
Incredible flavor! Ran out of hot sauce last night and whipped this up in 2 minutes. Lifesaving.
Glad it was helpful Omar!