Have a taste for a little extra spice? Try this top-notch homemade peri peri sauce recipe and experiment with different flavor profiles.

🌶️ What is Peri Peri Sauce?
Peri peri sauce, also known as piri piri sauce, is a complex and versatile hot sauce made from African bird’s eye chiles, which are native to Mozambique. These small red chilies are also known by the name pili-pili. Peri peri is a complex and versatile sauce with roots in Africa, by way of Portuguese settlers.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super easy to make.
- Can be used many different ways.
- Medium spicy. A perfect fit for true hot sauce lovers!
- Naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and free of added sugar.
📓 Ingredient Notes
Peri Peri Chiles: You can use dried or fresh peri-peri chiles (African bird’s eye chilies) in this recipe. Dried chiles come out slightly spicier and smokier, and fresh chiles offer just that — a fresher flavor.
Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves greatly complement these particular chili peppers and I do not recommend omitting them.
Olive Oil: A good quality olive oil will adds flavor and texture to this delicious sauce.
Lemon Juice: The acidity of lemon really adds additional flavor to the sauce mixture, while also cutting some of the heat.
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro really adds some complexity and freshness to the flavor notes and I do not recommend omitting it.
Salt: A half teaspoon salt is just enough to enhance all flavors in this recipe.
🥣 Instructions
- If using dried chiles, you will soak them in boiling water prior to using. If using fresh chiles, you will skip this step.
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Enjoy!
🍴How to Use Peri Peri Sauce
Salad: Mix one part perr-peri sauce with one part mayo or yogurt for a delicious salad dressing recipe.
Marinades: Peri peri sauce makes a wonderful marinade for vegetables, tofu, tempeh and more.
Dipping: Peri peri sauce makes a great dipping sauce for french fries and other fried foods.
Drizzle: Over roasted veggies, burrito bowls, tacos, nachos, wraps — you name it!
❓FAQ
African.
Peri peri sauce has a medium level of heat.
No. The African bird’s eye chile and Thai bird’s eye chili have a lot of similarities, but are not the same chili pepper.
Keep peri peri sauce stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
💭 Top Tip
The quality of the peri-peri chiles and the olive oil can greatly impact the taste and quality of this hot sauce. If you are able, indulge in organic chiles and organic cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil for best results.
📗 Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners

Turn up the heat on any dish with homemade hot sauce!
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. What sets this hot sauce recipe book apart:
- Intro to hot sauces—Learn the fundamentals for making homemade hot sauces, the fermented and non-fermented methods, and what you need to know about chiles—from tame poblanos to scorching habañeros.
- Stocking the saucy kitchen—Discover the must-have staples you should stock in your pantry along with the equipment you’ll need and tips for preserving and storing your creations.
- Regional flavors—Go on a heated world tour with recipes divided by regions and explore different palates and spice profiles. Plus you’ll find more than a dozen recipes for cooking with hot sauces you made.
Spice it up in the kitchen with the easy-to-make recipes in the hot sauce cookbook, including this amazing peri-peri sauce!

🔥 More Delicious Hot Sauce Recipes

Amazing Homemade Peri Peri Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 dried peri peri chiles or 10 fresh
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
Method
- In a small bowl, cover the chiles with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes (skip this step if using fresh chiles).
- Drain the chiles, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro and salt. Blend until smooth, leaving a vent to allow steam to escape.
- Enjoy right away or keep stored in the fridge for up to one month. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.



This is seriously amazing!! Homemade sauces are the best!
I couldn’t agree more. I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
This was a such a delicious and easy recipe! It went perfect with my dinner meal. So good!
We make your peri peri sauce so often! I especially love dipping my fries in it.