Peri Peri Sauce

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This peri peri sauce recipe is my latest obsession for… like everything! I first made it to serve with peri peri chicken, but since then I’ve dunked baked chicken wings in it, drizzled it over different kinds of roasted vegetables, and even used it to marinate grilled dishes. Try it and let me know if you’re as hooked as I am!

Why You’ll Love This Peri Peri Sauce Recipe

Perfect balance of fiery, tangy flavor and spicy heat
Customize how much heat you want
Fresh, natural ingredients
Easy to make
The perfect condiment for seasoning meats, veggies, and more

What Is Peri Peri Sauce?

Peri peri sauce, also known as piri piri sauce, is a bold, fiery red pepper sauce made with hot chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and spices. It originates from Africa, but has Portuguese influence. Today, Nando’s is a popular world-famous brand of this sauce, but you can easily make it at home!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for peri peri hot sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Bell Peppers – Red bell peppers make up the base of the sauce. Yellow, green, or orange will work if that’s all you have, though they would be less authentic.
Onion – I used a red onion for this peri peri sauce recipe, but you could substitute it with a yellow onion if you prefer a milder flavor.
African Bird’s Eye Chili Peppers – African bird’s eye chilies are the star of this dish (and “peri-peri” literally translates to this type of pepper!), so look for them if you can. They add heat and fruity flavor. However, in a pinch, you can substitute Thai red chili peppers or other spicy red chilies. The level of heat in this peri peri sauce is medium, so just use more or fewer peppers to adjust the spiciness. Feel free to throw in some red pepper flakes to taste, if you like extra heat.
Olive Oil – Used for roasting the peppers and onions. Avocado oil or any neutral oil would also work.
Lemon & Red Wine Vinegar – Both add tang and contribute to the flavor. You can use just one of them if you don’t have the other, but it will affect the flavor.
Garlic – Fresh minced garlic cloves will give the best flavor, but you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred garlic or 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder for convenience.
Herbs & Spices – Smoked paprika (or regular), dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.

Peri peri sauce recipe ingredients measured out.

How To Make Peri Peri Sauce

This section shows how to make homemade peri peri sauce, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Prep the vegetables. Preheat an oven. Toss red pepper and onion pieces in olive oil.
Roast the veggies. Spread the vegetables onto a baking sheet and roast, flipping halfway through, until blistered and darkened.

Peppers and onions tossed in olive oil in a bowl.

Roasted peppers and onions on a sheet pan.

Puree the peri peri sauce. Transfer the roasted red peppers and onions to a food processor or powerful blender. Add the chili peppers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and zest, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pulse until smooth.
Simmer to bring out the flavors. Transfer to a small pot and simmer over low heat. (ou can skip this step if you really want to, but the flavor is much better after simmering!)

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. Stir or shake well before using.
Reheat: Warm up peri peri sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freeze: Cool to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat frozen sauce in the microwave at low to medium power.

Peri peri sauce spread over chicken on a plate.

Peri Peri Sauce Uses

This homemade sauce can add a fiery kick to a variety of dishes. I just love it! Try it in these ways:

Chicken – The most common way to use peri peri sauce is for peri peri chicken (of course… shown above), but you can add it to juicy baked chicken breast or for dipping air fryer chicken wings.
Seafood – Add heat to your grilled shrimp skewers or replace the lemon butter sauce in pan seared salmon.
Vegetables – For a spicy kick, add it to your roasted eggplant, easy roasted zucchini, or toss it in a vegetable stir fry.
Potatoes – It can even be used as a seasoning for roasted potatoes (or roasted rutabaga for a lighter option), or as a dip for garlic parmesan fries.
Marinade – Coat chicken, fish, pork, or steak with peri peri sauce and let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before cooking.

Recommended Tools

Food Processor – My favorite! I’ve had it for years and it’s so durable. It makes this sauce smooth enough to spoon over anything.

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7 Comments

Sheryl Murphy
0 August 19, 2023Reply

I’m a little unclear on the bird’s eye peppers; are these fresh or dried?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 August 23, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Sheryl, The peppers are fresh.
Liz
0 August 2, 2023Reply

This sauce was really good! It had such a great flavor, I’ll definitely make it again!
Sarah
0 August 2, 2023Reply

I can’t tell you how much I love this sauce! The perfect combo with garlic and chili peppers. I’ve been putting this on everything, including chicken sandwiches, wings, and even my turkey burger last night. so good!!
Julianne
0 August 2, 2023Reply

What a tasty sauce! It was really easy to make and I served some over some mahi mahi that I got locally. This will be great over chicken and shrimp too!
Jenn
0 August 2, 2023Reply

I loved this sauce! It wasn’t too spicy and was great on grilled chicken. Yum!
Gina
0 August 2, 2023Reply

I always buy the dry spice blend for peri peri seasoning not realizing how easy it is to make the sauce at home. This was perfect for the roasted chicken I made the other night. Big flavor, great spicy kick and now I have leftovers for another meal too!