Piri-piri sauce
A bold, smoky homemade piri-piri sauce made with charred peppers and chillies, slow-simmered and blended smooth for a fiery, citrusy kick.
Updated : 02 February, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
4
Red bell pepper
10
Red chilli pepper
1
Red onion
4 clove
Garlic
5
Hot chili pepper
100 milliliters
Olive oil
1 tablespoon
Smoked paprika
1 tablespoon
Dried oregano
100 milliliters
Lemon juice
70 milliliters
Red wine vinegar
15 grams
Sea salt
1 teaspoon
Ground black pepper
1
Lemon
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Arrange the red peppers and red chillies on a sturdy baking tray. Carefully char them all over using a blowtorch, the flame of a gas hob, or by placing them under a very hot grill. Once charred, transfer them to a bowl, cover tightly with cling film, and leave for 10 minutes so they steam as they cool and the skins loosen.
Step 2
While the peppers cool, peel and finely chop the red onion, then peel and grate the garlic. Remove the green stalks from the chillies and chop them finely, keeping the seeds for extra heat.
Step 3
Rub the skins off the cooled peppers and chillies using your fingers or a clean tea towel - don’t worry if a few bits remain, as they add a subtle smoky flavour. Remove and discard all the seeds, then place the prepared peppers and chillies into a food processor. Add the chopped chillies and pulse to a coarse texture, or chop everything by hand if preferred.
Step 4
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and cook until lightly caramelised, bringing out its sweetness to balance the chilli heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the blended peppers and chillies.
Step 5
Stir in the paprika and oregano and cook for 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer it back to the food processor and blend for 4 minutes, until completely smooth.
Step 7
Season to taste with fresh lemon zest. Store the piri-piri sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Author note
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