Easy Louisiana Style Hot Pepper Sauce Recipe
This recipe can also be found in my book Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners.
This easy hot pepper sauce recipe is a delicious way to add flavor to many dishes. In south Louisiana, this recipe for pepper sauce is commonly known as Louisiana Style Hot Sauce.
What is Louisiana Style Hot Sauce?
Louisiana Hot Sauce is certainly one of the more popular hot sauce varieties here in the United States. It was originally made back in the 19th century with chiles fermented in large oak barrels. With its Southern roots, it’s brought Cajun dishes to life for decades! It’s made with simple ingredients, and generally has a mild-moderate kick, making it a great “everyday” hot sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
- This is a super easy homemade recipe.
- There’s no need to worry about preservatives or other unsavory ingredients that you may find in conventional store-bought versions.
- It has the perfect balance of spice and tangy vinegar notes, with a hint of sweetness, giving it the perfect hot sauce flavor profile.
- We use red jalapeno peppers in this recipe, but it’s a great base hot sauce recipe that lends itself well to experimentation if you’re feeling experimental!
- You can use it as a sauce to drizzle, mixed into dips — you name it! It is a versatile recipe with various uses to suit your preference.
- Naturally gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and no added sugar.
Ingredient Notes
Fresh red jalapeno chiles: Red jalapenos are slightly sweeter and spicier than the red variety. You can certainly swap them out for any chile of choice to suit your taste preferences.
White vinegar: White vinegar is the most common vinegar variety found in this particular family of hot sauces. But, apple cider, white wine, etc. can be used in a pinch!
Salt: No good sauce would be complete without the addition of salt, which brings all hot sauce flavors to life.
How to Make Louisiana Hot Sauce
1. Simmer all hot sauce ingredients in a pot on the stovetop until the chiles are soft.
2. Carefully blend the chile mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth.
3. Cool, store and enjoy!
How to Store Hot Sauce
Hot sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 months. To make it fancy, store in hot sauce bottles with personalized labels!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Louisiana hot sauce the same as Tabasco?
While both hot sauce varieties are vinegar-forward, Louisiana hot sauce and Tabasco are made from different varieties of chiles, lending them different flavor profiles. Louisiana hot sauce is generally milder than Tabasco.
What makes Louisiana hot sauce different?
Louisiana is a super simple, good beginner’s hot sauce that suits a large variety of dishes.
What foods are good to eat with Louisiana hot sauce?
Louisiana style hot pepper sauce lends itself well to being drizzled on soups, salads, popcorn and roasted veggies, to name a few. You can also use it in marinades or mix into cream cheese, hummus or melted cheese for yummy dips. Regardless of how you choose to use Louisiana hot sauce, it’s certain to make for one delightful meal.
Can I use different peppers in Louisiana hot sauce?
Yes! Traditionally, Louisiana hot sauce is made from fermented long cayenne peppers. We use red jalapeno peppers which lend a similar flavor profile, however, this recipe lends itself well to using nearly any variety of chile you can think of. I recommend using organic or top quality peppers for the tastiest hot sauce!
Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners
This recipe was originally published in my book Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners. Nearly every corner of the planet has its own beloved hot sauce. This beginner-friendly hot sauce cookbook has everything you need to start making classic hot sauces and regional favorites from scratch, including this Louisiana Pepper Sauce! You can buy it on Amazon and try your hand at other easy and delicious hot sauce recipes. Your support is very much appreciated!
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Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh red jalapeños stemmed, about 10 peppers
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- In a large pot over high heat, combine the chiles, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the chiles are soft.
- Transfer the chile mixture to a blender or food processor, then blend until smooth, leaving a vent to allow steam to escape. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 weeks before using.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.
Wow this is good. Simple but yet so good. We used a couple of hotter peppers but we got the result we were looking for. Some like it hot. Never thought of making my own hot sauce but I’ll be doing it from now on.
So happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Can this recipe be canned in a water bath canner to store in pantry & have a longer shelf life? If yes, how much head space & how long to process? I have LOTS of different peppers I’d like to try this with too!
Hi! Yes, most definitely. I’ve processed a variation of this for about 15 minutes with 1/2″ headspace with good results. 🙂
Thank you! Will be doing tonight 🙂
can this be diluted after made if it is too hot
Hi, Gloria! Yes, you have a few different options. You can add some water to dilute or adding sugar or a sweetener can help soften the heat, too. Alternatively, if I have a hot sauce that is extremely hot, I often mix it with mayo, plain yogurt, sour cream, ranch or another cooling cream-based condiment and it helps offset the heat a lot, while keeping some of the delicious flavor of the hot sauce. I hope this helps!
So delicious! Homemade hot sauce is so much better than storebought!!
Perfection! The heat was just right and the tanginess balanced it out perfectly. I want to put this sauce on everything!
This was so easy to make!!!
My husband eats hot sauce on everything! breakfast lunch and dinner!
So I made a batch up for him as a birthday present and he was so impressed.
Thank you for such a unique birthday present!
Excellent! No need to buy hot sauce with this easy, delicious recipe!
I can’t believe how easy this was! Definitely going into the regular rotation!
I put this over some red beans & rice and it is spectacular. I can’t believe it’s so easy to make! Thank you for a great recipe.
This hot sauce has the perfect flavor! I keep adding it into dips for movie night and it gives everything such a yummy kick. I even swirled it into regular hummus and hubby loved it!
This hot sauce is a perfect condiment to have at hand. I drizzle them on my veggies, salad etc. and it gives the perfect spicy kick.
My new go-to hot sauce recipe! So incredibly effortless and way more flavorful than store bought!
Thanks for this awesome Hot Pepper Sauce recipe. Homemade is always the best. Thanks for all the detailing too.
I have made this sauce now a couple of times and it is my go-to hot sauce now. Thank you!
I can’t believe how easy it was to make! I should have been doing homemade hot sauce forever – I love it! Thanks for the great step-by-step recipe.
So very very easy and what a delicious flavor. Love it!
Whoa, this is super easy to make and so much better than store bought. Can’t wait to start making this.
The flavor was outstanding and I love how it’s made with just a few ingredients! It’s perfectly spicy!
I had no idea it was so easy to make hot sauce at home until I tried your recipe!! This turned out delicious – I don’t think I’ll be going back to store bought hot sauce again!
I love adding hot sauces to my dishes, but never thought about making my own. This one looks really easy to make and right up our alley!!
This hot sauce is so good! It’s super easy and way better than anything you’d get at the store. Loved it!
Oh my, such a simple hot sauce recipe. This is godsend when living outside of the US and craves hot sauce on food.
I’m wondering how you got the photo with the fire in it because that’s pretty cool! I’ve not made my own hot sauce before, but from-scratch is always better than store-bought, so I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Hi! Had no idea hot sauce was this easy to make. Will be making my own from now on.
I learned to like hot sauce after moving to America many years ago. This recipe is super easy and truly delicious.
Such a tasty recipe for classic hot sauce. Perfect with so many different dishes!
Such few ingredients needed for so much flavor!! YUM!
Love that I can make my own now with this recipe. Not a fan of the added ingredients, emulsifiers, etc. in store bought brands. Had no idea it was so simple!
This hot sauce was so easy to make but was PACKED with flavor!! I’ll never go back to store bought again!
I love that this is so easy to make!! Will make it again soon!
The sauce is ready and stocked . I am so happy we have a flavourbomb for the meals. We tried it with potato cakes it was mind blowing good.
This Louisiana hot sauce sounds so good. I don’t usually make hot sauces but I can’t wait to try this one. Thanks so much!
I’m a major hot sauce lover, and this was fabulous! It’s so much better than anything you’d buy in the store, and it’s super simple. Highly recommend!
I love hot sauce, but had never made it before until now. It was much easier than I thought. I will always keep a batch on hand.
Thanks!
Love how simple yet flavorful this hot sauce is!
Thank you!!