This Jamaican-style Scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce brings bold heat and the warm spice of allspice and ginger to every bite. Made with Scotch bonnets, carrots, garlic, and onion, it delivers the vibrant, fiery flavor that makes Jamaican pepper sauce so iconic.
This recipe is originally from my book Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners.
5-Stars From Our Readers
“My son loved this sauce, it’s just like what we had in the Islands when we visited a little spiciness that gave it just the right heat!”
— Claudia
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A Note From Kristen
This Scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce was one of the first recipes I insisted on including in my cookbook, Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners. I always come back to it when I want bold, from-scratch heat with Jamaican-inspired flavor from allspice and ginger. It’s rich, creamy, fiery, and packed with flavor and warmth. I hope you love it too!
~Kristen
Serving Ideas
- If you aren’t vegetarian, you can spoon this over grilled chicken, shrimp, or seafood dishes.
- Use as a marinade or finishing sauce for vegetables, tofu, or tempeh.
- Drizzle onto tofu tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or quesadillas.
- Add to eggs, avocado toast, or breakfast bowls.
- Serve alongside Caribbean favorites like Jamaican rice and peas, gallo pinto, or pan de yuca.
- Finish pizza, soups, oven fries, grain bowls, or roasted vegetables with a splash of heat.
How hot is scotch bonnet pepper sauce?
This will vary based on tolerance, but for most people, scotch bonnet pepper sauce is considered very spicy.
Should you take the seeds out of scotch bonnet peppers?
This should be based on personal preference. Contrary to popular belief, the spicy components of chiles do not reside in their seeds, but rather their pith (the white spongy part of the flesh).
What are chayotes?
Chayote is a mild green fruit from the gourd family, widely used in Caribbean and Latin American cuisines for its crisp texture and subtle flavor.
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Jamaican-Style Scotch Bonnet Pepper Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 6 carrots chopped
- 2 chayotes peeled, pitted, chopped
- 10 allspice berries about 1 teaspoon
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 1-inch knob fresh ginger root peeled, cut into 1/8" slices
- 8 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers stemmed and chopped
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Method
- In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots, chayotes, allspice, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the allspice is fragrant.
- Add the chiles and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chiles soften, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, leaving a vent open to allow steam to escape.
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the mixture, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Keep stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.
My son loved this sauce, it’s just like what we had in the Islands when we visited a little spiciness that gave it just the right heat!
Wow, Fantastic Recipe!! Thanks, Kristen for sharing this!
As a island girl this is a MUST in our household. You did a great job attempting such a complex sauce 🙂
This was the spicy kick I was looking for. It was easy to make and so much better that any store-bought hot sauce! Love it!
Wow, we made this sauce a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it with a range of different things by now. Rally great with just pizza or potato wedges, but we also love it with Mexican dishes! Great sauce!
Complex and flavourful, if you want a “caribeña hot sauce” follow everything but use 50% Scotch Bonnet peppers minimum by volume. Don’t use Habanero most people say they are close/interchangeable but there is a huge difference in the finished product if you are looking for a really spicy sauce instead of a sauce with a bit of heat.