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A clear glass jar filled with a thick, textured red Mexican hot sauce, with visible chili seeds, sitting on a white marble countertop.

Mexican hot sauce: How to Make It Right

By Nancy
Don't ruin your dinner! Avoid common mistakes when making Mexican hot sauce. Our troubleshooting guide has the solutions. Learn the tips.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Sauce, Condiment
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 12 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Fresh jalapeño peppers
  • 1 Serrano pepper
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • Salt
  • Tomatoess – About 4 tomatoes:
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt – to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • fresh cilantro

Instructions
 

Step 1:

  • In a large pot filled with water and set over medium heat, add the onion, jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers, and garlic—but not the tomatoes.
    Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Let it simmer slowly until the hot peppers and onion begin to soften—about 5 minutes.
    Top view of a pot filled with water containing halved onions, whole green jalapeño peppers, and garlic cloves, ready to be boiled for a spicy Mexican sauce.

Step 2:

  • Once the ingredients are nearly tender, add the tomatoes and let them cook for another 5 minutes, or watch until the tomatoes are soft, split open, and their skins begin to peel.
    A pot filled with water, red tomatoes, whole green jalapeño peppers, and onion pieces is simmering over low heat to make a spicy Mexican sauce.

Step 3:

  • Once the ingredients are cooked, transfer the cooked tomatoes, onions, and both types of chili peppers, along with their cooking liquid, to a blender
    Don’t forget to reserve half a cup of the cooking liquid for later use. Add the fresh cilantro and blend the ingredients until they reach the desired consistency.
    Top view of a food processor containing cooked tomatoes, whole green jalapeño peppers, onions, and broth, ready to be blended into a Mexican sauce.

Step 4:

  • Transfer the mixture from the blender to a bowl and taste it to check the salt and pepper levels, then pour the mixture into a glass jar and place it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
    Top view of a food processor filled with a thick, textured red Mexican hot sauce, containing chili seeds and small pieces of chopped vegetables.

Notes

Nutritional Information

  • Calories: 12
  • Fat: 0.3 g
  • Carbs: 2 g
  • Sodium: 90 mg
  • Vitamin C: 5% DV
Note: The nutritional values provided are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities, and brands used.
Keyword Mexican hot sauce: