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copycat nando's peri peri hot sauce recipe with bird's eye chilis

Copycat Nando's Peri Peri Sauce

Author: Kelly Jensen
5 from 1 vote
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Prep 15 minutes
Cook 0 minutes
Total 15 minutes
This copycat Nando's peri peri sauce recipe is a delicious and flavorful hot sauce, made with bird's eye chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and spices! Use it as a sauce, a marinade for chicken, or brush it on meat as it's grilling.
Servings 8 2-tablespoon servings
Course Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine American, South Afircan

Ingredients

  • 1 lb bird's eye chili peppers or Fresno chiles
  • 1 red bell pepper seeds and stem removed
  • 1 head garlic about 10 cloves, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 sweet onion
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 lemons zested and juiced

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Funnel
  • Hot Sauce Jars

Method

  1. Before starting, I recommend wearing food-safe gloves to protect your hands from the pepper oils. Remove the stems from the peppers, and place the whole peppers in a food processor.
  2. Add in the garlic, chopped onion, olive oil, white vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, thyme, and salt.
  3. Zest the lemons first, then slice and add the fresh lemon juice to the hot sauce.
  4. Start the food processor on low speed, and work your way up to high. Process for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is a liquid-y consistency. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed to thin the sauce out.
  5. Pour the hot sauce into jars or bottles, and refrigerate. Enjoy for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories111kcalCarbohydrates13gProtein2gFat7gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat5gSodium153mgPotassium299mgFiber2gSugar7gVitamin A1275IUVitamin C172mgCalcium25mgIron1mg

Notes

Expert Tips
  • For a more mild sauce, you can remove the seeds from inside the peppers before adding them to the food processor.
  • Season to taste - everyone has a different preference for salt and pepper, so if more is needed, please add your desired amount.
  • If making this recipe ahead of time, make sure to give the hot sauce a good shake before serving, as it can separate.
Additions and Substitutions
You can add more garlic, or more onion to give this dish a deeper savory flavor.
If you don't have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika or omit it altogether.
Fresh herbs would be a great addition - 1/2 bunch chopped parsley or cilantro blended into the sauce would give it a wonderful freshness.
Fresh lemon juice makes this sauce - I made this recipe the first time without it, and the lemon juice and zest really added a nice flavor. I highly recommend using fresh lemons and not bottled lemon juice. Or substitute lime juice if desired.

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