I love the flavour of habaneros, but I find it challenging to get the right amount of pepper in recipes because they are so much hotter than other peppers. That's why I like to use habanero sauce on things like tacos, chill, etc. Since I've been doing so much more fermenting lately with my fermentation kit, I thought I might try making my own fermented habanero hot sauce using fresh peppers I bought at a farm stand. It turned out perfectly, and way more flavourful than any store bought sauces I've had in the past. And because I used orange bell peppers as a sauce filler, instead of peaches or mangos, which more more traditional, and omit added sugars too, I was able to make it a low-carb, keto-friendly version. Try it!

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 habanero peppers chopped in half
  • 2 orange bell peppers, chopped into 1-2" pieces
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed with flat of a knife
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Dissolve salt into the water to make a basic brine. (*You may need to warm the water up a little for the salt to dissolve, but make sure you cool it to lukewarm before using for this recipe.)

  2. Add all the peppers and garlic to a 1-quart mason jar, filling it to the shoulder.

  3. Add the basic brine to the jar until the peppers are covered. Leave an inch of space from the top. Add a fermentation weight and an airlock lid if you have them. Set on the counter away from direct sunlight for at least 10-14 days. (*You can do it for longer for a tangier brine. It's totally up to you. I fermented mine for 6 weeks and loved the flavour I got.)

  4. Strain the pepper mixture from the brine, saving the brine. Pour the pepper mixture into a blender, turn it on medium and slowly pour the brine into the blender until you get the thickness/ consistency you like. Pour the hot sauce into a jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator. Hot sauce will last up to a year in the fridge. If you have leftover brine you can mix it with vinegar to make a Tabasco style hot sauce, though this will kill the healthy probiotics in the brine. I just used the brine on it's own to add to dressings and dips.

Did you make this vegan keto fermented habanero hot sauce recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)