Homemade African Pepper Sauce enjoys the flavors of habanero, garlic, onion, basil, and other spices. This versatile sauce makes a great condiment, dip, and appetizer component.
In West Africa, pepper sauce is an essential partner for puff-puff, grilled meat, fish, and eggs. Actually, it’s splendid with any food. Something about pepper sauce takes a dish from bland and boring to flavorful and enjoyable. As you might have guessed, pepper sauce is delightfully hot because of the spicy blend of hot peppers.
Although ingredients vary from one cook to another, one thing is constant—hot peppers. You can use so many kinds of pepper in this sauce: habanero, scotch bonnet, serrano, jalapenos, and more. My preferred chili pepper is my beloved scotch bonnet. However, habaneros are a good replacement if that’s what you have available. Fresh hot peppers are the biggest difference between hot sauce and African-style pepper sauce.
Content…How Hot to Make It |
How Hot to Make African Pepper Sauce
The most authentic West African pepper sauce I’ve had the pleasure of trying contains a negligible amount of vinegar if any at all. The basic ingredients are pepper, salt, vegetable oil, and Maggi, ranging from mild to ferociously hot with a thick texture. I’m kinda of a wimp, so I’m somewhere in between.
In this sauce, I added extra tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and parsley to create a versatile sauce that makes a fantastic condiment, dip, or appetizer component. Adjust the tomatoes to suit your taste buds and spice tolerance, or just omit them.
Ingredient List
- Hot peppers are a given. While I love scotch bonnets, you can use habaneros, Thai chili, red jalapenos, or any other hot pepper you love. Feel free to replace it with aji dulce and red bell pepper if you want a mild sauce.
- Seasonings – Onion, garlic, bouillon powder (Maggi is my go-to), basil, and parsley add intense flavor.
- Roma tomatoes bulk up your sauce without adding extra heat.
- Vegetable oil brings it all together and provides a smooth texture. Olive oil or sunflower oil also works well.
How to Make African Pepper Sauce
- Puree Veggies – Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onions, and discard the pepper stems. Then, puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, parsley, basil, and bouillon powder in a food processor with as much oil as needed to make a thickish puree.
- Simmer – Pour the pepper mixture into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and slowly simmer for about 15 minutes—stirring frequently to prevent burning. Adjust seasonings for salt.
- Serve – Let it cool, pour it into a mason jar or a container with a lid, and store it in a fridge for up to a week. For your pepper sauce to last longer, fully cover it with oil.
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Lacto-fermented. With fermenting your own veggies becoming the rage, why not try it with pepper sauce? Replace the oil with brine from previously fermented veggies and store the puree in a glass jar on the countertop for 6-8 hours. Keep it in the fridge, and it should last 2-3 months.
- Make it milder by replacing some hot peppers with milder ones like red bell or sweet banana peppers.
- Another way to make pepper sauce is to boil the ingredients with a little water for about 15 minutes, then blend with oil and serve.
How to Use African Pepper Sauce
Ramp up your favorite stews and soups with a spoonful of this goodness. Jamaican stew peas, African chicken stew, Instant Pot beef stew, Ethiopian lentils, and fish stew all enjoy having this sauce in them.
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Watch How to Make It
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Robert says
I want to make this recipe but I’m not familiar with Maggi so I looked it up and they have many products under that brand. For this recipe do you use beef or chicken bouillon powder or do you use another Maggi product?
Imma says
Hi Robert! Either beef or chicken bouillon powder will work just fine.
Kitty kat says
How long would this last in a jar just about to finish making it
Imma says
Hello Kitty Kat. This pepper sauce can last up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Fred says
I’ve been making this recipe for at least 5 ye
ars now. I just can’t get enough of it. I really enjoy eating it with breakfast, eggs or fish. Give it a try..you won’t be disappointed!!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Fred,
Wow, five years? That’s incredible, and I’m so honored that this recipe has been a staple in your kitchen for so long! It’s always amazing to hear when a dish resonates with someone to the point of becoming a regular part of their meal rotation.
I love your idea of pairing it with breakfast foods like eggs or fish. It’s a testament to the recipe’s versatility, and I’m sure other readers will appreciate the suggestion as much as I do.
Thank you so much for your continued support and for sharing your experience. It truly means the world to me!
Best,
Imma
Troy K. says
Replace the vegetable oil with red palm oil
Imma says
Would try that! Thanks for the suggestion, Troy!
Nkyira Ama McCarthy says
This pepper sauce is a favourite.
ImmaculateBites says
HiNkyira,
I’m absolutely happy to hear that . It is a favorite too in my household.
Thanks for support.
Gerardo Ramírez says
Excelente receta
Imma says
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
LC says
Love it. Thanks so much!
Imma says
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
Pauline says
It was very appetizing my guests loved it
Imma says
Amazing to hear that, Thank you 🙂 Browse the blog to have more amazing recipes on your go to list.
Sipamandla says
Thank you for the recipe, it looks really straight forward and easy to follow.
Imma says
Yeah, it is very easy to try and very amazing in taste, I am sure it won’t let you disappoint if you try. Don’t forget to share how it goes for you.
Imma says
Thank you so much for your support and feedback, Don’t forget to share how it goes:)
Beatrix says
I love love love this!!! This will definitely be a permanent fixture in the fridge!! I tasted it before cooking and it can be eaten like that as well 100% Like a salsa!! It’s so good!
Amina says
yeah, it is something you can have in your fridge every time, it helps you to enjoy your regular meal in a special and spicy way:) Thank you for your love and support!!!
Shirley says
Can i use can tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, you can! 🙂
Lesley Arendt says
I presume that you must chop the pepper also as it just says to discard the stem. Also, you need to amend the word ‘through’ to throw. The word Maggie should be Maggi. I am just helping you with your English grammar and spelling and I was born in South Africa and now live in Australia. Nice recipe.
Thanks, Lesley
Tracy says
I always add fresh ginger, cilantro, and my own sundried tomatoes in olive oil, plus I use jalapeños because they’re less spicy but full of flavour. And a good dash of Bragg’s liquid aminos.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback
Joanne says
I have frozen it in small canning jars and it works great as gifts.
ImmaculateBites says
Nice.
Nicole Akers says
So simple and delicious! I only added one tomato, as I wanted to keep it spicy. However, one more would probably have been just right. I’m going to stir in some tomato paste to calm it down a bit.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback.
Alex says
Love it. Just made another batch, this time doubled the volumne.