Adding a little hot pepper to your dishes is an instant way to take them up a notch. Hot peppers make mealtimes so much more enjoyable, given how much flavor they add to any meal. And it doesn’t matter what your spice tolerance is. How hot you want your meal is totally up to you. These hot pepper recipes pack the perfect punch regardless of your preferred heat level!
1. Hot Pepper Relish
You can use any kind of hot chili pepper in this relish. If you’re a gardener, this is a great way to preserve your pepper harvest. A nice medley of colors is always nice. So, if you can, try to mix and match different chili peppers. This relish goes with just about anything. It’s fantastic for steaks, burgers, and hot dogs. So, whip up a batch and bring it to your next backyard barbecue!
2. Pickled Hot Peppers
From sandwiches to salsas, these pickled hot peppers are great in so many different dishes! Just because the pepper season has to come to an end doesn’t mean your enjoyment of them has to. Pickle them and jar them to enjoy them all winter long. Most hot peppers work well with this recipe. Try out jalapenos, Hungarian wax, and banana peppers
3. Homemade Hot Sauce (Fermented or Quick Cook)
In my opinion, a meal just isn’t complete without a little hot sauce. There’s no need to spend money on store-bought hot sauces when this homemade hot sauce is this easy to make! It’s way simpler to ferment your hot sauce than you might think. It’s really as easy as just leaving it to do its thing over 5 days. The only hard part is the waiting!
4. Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly
This homemade hot pepper jelly is the star of any appetizer! Spoon it over some cream cheese for an instant crowd-pleasing dish. Not only does it look sensational, but it tastes just as good. Yum. The jelly is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. So it’s perfect for cool and creamy accompaniments. Grab some chips and dig in!
5. Habanero Chili
A hot bowl of chili is the ultimate comfort food. But that doesn’t mean it has to be any less spicy! This recipe kicks the heat up to serious heights with habanero peppers. This chili is super spicy, but it’s also super delicious. If habaneros pack too much of a punch for you, no worries! You can always use jalapenos instead. Serve this spicy chili with a sprinkle of crumbled bacon for the final touch. Delish!
6. Easy Homemade Mango Habanero Salsa
This easy homemade mango habanero salsa has the perfect balance of flavor and spice. Throw this salsa on anything from tacos to chicken breasts. You won’t be able to get enough of this stuff! Habanero peppers add a kick of heat that is guaranteed to wake up your tastebuds. But don’t worry, the lovely and sweet mango will cool you right back down.
7. Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
If you love your sauces to be flaming hot, you have to whip up a batch of this scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Warning: this stuff gets seriously hot! The level of heat is so mind-blowing that even just a few drops can kick up the spice in any dish. The best part about making your very own hot sauce is that you control everything that goes into it. There are no nasty surprises in the ingredients like additives or preservatives.
8. Jamaican Hot Pepper Shrimp
There’s no need to take a trip to the Islands when you can cook up Jamaican seafood this good at home! These hot, peppery, and succulent shrimps are a real treat. Also known as pepper prawns, they’re fiery and packed with Jamaican flavor. You’ll want to use scotch bonnet peppers in this recipe. But if you can’t get a hold of those famous Caribbean peppers, you can always use habaneros instead.
9. Sambal Oelek
If you love Thai Sriracha, you’ll go nuts over this Indonesian sambal oelek. Sambal oelek is an Indonesian raw chili paste made with chili peppers, vinegar and salt. It’s made by grinding the raw ingredients into a paste. This makes it taste so fresh and pungent. Because Sambal oelek is less processed than Sriracha, it’s far spicier. So, be warned! Just be sure you can handle the heat.
10. Chicken with Hot Cherry Peppers
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Whip up this chicken with hot cherry peppers for a tasty weeknight treat. Breaded chicken cutlets are fried to perfection and finished with a delicious white wine sauce. Cherry bomb peppers add a burst of heat to the sauce, making it extra irresistible. Serve the chicken over a bed of white rice. The sauce absorbs into the rice, making it so much easier to scoop up. Yum!
11. Kung Pao Chicken
Need dinner on the table quick? This kung pao chicken stir fry comes together in just 10 minutes. Plus, it’s absolutely loaded with spice! Chunks of marinated chicken are quickly stir-fried with peanuts, chili peppers, and vegetables. It’s savory, flavorful, and brings the heat. A combo of both dried chilis and fresh hot peppers takes this dish to a whole other level of spicy, hot goodness.
12. Easy Romesco Sauce
This bold, zippy, and easy romesco sauce is perfect for roasted veggies, fish, and meats. This sauce is made with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and cayenne pepper. So, it’s a bright, glorious red. It’s creamy, spicy, and delicious on just about everything. You can even just enjoy it as a tasty dip with a little bread or chopped fresh veggies.
13. Tomatillo Salsa Verde (Green Salsa!)
Refreshing and bright, this tomatillo salsa verde is as good to eat as it is to look at! This green salsa is always a hit at parties. Its vivid green colors always attract a crowd. One bite, and they won’t be going anywhere! Serve this fiery salsa verde with tortilla chips, tacos, and burritos. Delish.
14. Peri Peri Chicken with Homemade Peri Peri Sauce
One taste of this peri peri sauce, and you’ll want to smother it on anything! It’s that delicious. Juicy, spiced, and fall-apart-tender, this peri peri chicken is a flavor explosion. The tongue-tingling spice is just so addictive. If you’ve never learned how to spatchcock a chicken, this is a great recipe to try and challenge yourself! Impress yourself with what you’re capable of in the kitchen.
15. Ghost Pepper Ranch Dressing
Now, ghost peppers aren’t for beginners. So, if you think you can handle the heat, give this ghost pepper ranch dressing a go. But don’t worry too much, as the other ingredients in this dressing help tone down the heat. Don’t let those ghost peppers scare you! Pair this spicy ranch dressing with salads, chicken wings, vegetable trays, and more.
16. Pineapple Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
If you love your hot sauces to be super-hot and slightly sweet, you need to try this pineapple ghost pepper hot sauce. For a little extra depth of flavor, dry cook your ghost peppers so they develop a lonely char. It adds a wonderful smokiness to your sauce. Hot tip: As the ghost peppers cook, make sure you stay well away from the steam. (Unless you want to experience a coughing fit!)
17. Queso Dip
This ooey-gooey cheese dip with a hot kick of spice is the perfect appetizer for game night. It’s also way better than any of the pre-made kinds you can get from the store. It’s absolutely loaded with melted cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, and spices The great thing about it is that you can make it as spicy as you want. Have a friend that can’t handle much heat? No worries, just add fewer jalapenos!
18. Keto Green Chile Chicken
Looking for a quick-and-easy low-carb dinner? This keto green chile chicken is bursting with so many delicious flavors. It’s creamy and rich and makes for an amazing mid-week comfort meal. And it only needs 10 ingredients! Plus, the only cleanup you’ll need to do is a single bowl and spoon. Yeah, that’s it!
19. Hot Pepper Vinegar
If you have leftover hot peppers from your summer produce, whip up this hot pepper vinegar. You can use whatever peppers you have on hand. I definitely recommend serrano peppers or cayenne peppers. Just remember, the hotter the peppers, the hotter the sauce!
20. Bicol Express
Bicol express is a tasty Filipino dish made with pork cubes cooked in coconut milk and chili peppers. This dish is creamy, spicy, and all-around delicious! If you love Southeast Asian food, you have to give this dish a go. The spice in this dish is not for the weak! In fact, you need 14 pieces of Thai chilis and 2 cups of finger chilis. Whew, that’s hot!
21. Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate
Take your hot chocolate to new levels of tastiness by adding spice! This Aztec hot chocolate is made with chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and chili pepper. It’s definitely not your average cup of hot cocoa. The longer you let the chili pepper sit in your mug of hot chocolate, the spicier it will be. So, try not to forget it’s in there!
22. Tom Yum Soup
In my opinion, tom yum is the King of hot soups! This popular hot and sour soup from Thailand is loaded with shrimp and chili peppers. The broth of this Thai soup is just chef’s kiss. Stock is simmered with aromatics like smashed Thai peppers, kaffir lime, and lemongrass. These pungent ingredients add so much flavor. Simmer the shrimp in that flavor-packed soup until they become deliciously tender. Are you drooling, too?
23. Habanero Apricot Jelly
If you’re obsessed with hot pepper jellies and jams like me, you’ll love this habanero apricot jelly. The habanero peppers give this jelly just the right amount of spice. They balance out the sweet apricots perfectly. Serve this sweet and spicy jelly over a block of cream cheese and dig into it with some crackers. It’s the best appetizer you can make in mere minutes.
24. Honey Habanero Chicken
Sweet and spicy, these honey habanero chicken drumsticks are insanely addictive. And the marinade is so easy to make. You only need 6 ingredients. Just toss your drumsticks into the marinade and leave them be for up to 24 hours. Serve these sticky chicken drumsticks with spicy pickled beets, cauliflower rice, and salad. Yum!
25. Habanero Margarita (+ Habanero Infused Tequila)
If you’re searching for a show-stopping cocktail, this habanero margarita is it! Now, this cocktail is certainly spicy. But don’t worry, it’s not burn-your-face-off hot. The spice tingles your tastebuds before being overwhelmed with a smooth, sweet flavor. The key is to infuse the tequila with the habanero peppers. Leave it to sit for up to 5 hours, depending on how spicy you want things! Click on a star to rate it!
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