This Banana Pepper Sauce is versatile and deliciously spicy. It's easy to make with just six ingredients: banana pepper, onion, and garlic. Toss it with chicken wings or shrimp, drizzle it over nachos, or serve it as a dip for chips.
Banana peppers aren’t just for pickling—they make an incredible sauce with a bold yet smooth flavor.
From my experience, this zing sauce stands out—it coats the meat beautifully, keeping it juicy and finger-licking delicious, with just the right kick of heat and tang, like this spicy teriyaki sauce!
Do you have vegetables in your refrigerator that have sat untouched for a long time? This homemade sauce comes to your rescue; stir fry them with it. The spicy kick makes the veggies vanish quickly at dinner.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It's thick and luscious!
⭐️Delicious, the best versatile sauce!
⭐️Tastes better than the store-bought & budget-friendly!
Ingredients
- Banana Peppers: Banana peppers have a milder heat than bell peppers. You can remove the seeds and membrane if you prefer a milder sauce. Multiple varieties of banana peppers are available in the market—choose regular banana peppers for lower heat or hot banana peppers for a spicier kick.
- Onion: Both yellow and red onions work well in this recipe. Yellow onions add a mild sweetness, while red onions bring a touch of heat and warmth—choose your favorite.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is always the best option, but you can substitute jarred minced garlic.
- Olive Oil: I used extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe, but you can substitute vegetable or avocado oil.
- Honey: Honey enhances the sauce with rich sweetness and helps create a denser consistency. You can substitute it with maple syrup or agave nectar for a vegan option.
- White Vinegar: You can substitute with apple cider vinegar, lime juice, or lemon juice.
How To Make Banana Pepper Sauce
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic until soft.
- Stir in chopped banana peppers and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add honey and vinegar, stir, and remove from the heat. Then, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. And Enjoy with your food!
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This sauce has a gentle heat; however, you can minimize the heat by removing the banana peppers' seeds and white membrane(these two are responsible for most of the heat).
The Leftovers
- To make ahead: Make the sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can quickly toss the sauce over chicken wings, boneless cubes, or shrimp.
- To Refrigerate. Save it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to use for up to a week.
- Freeze: You can freeze them in ice cube trays or containers for up to 3 months(like this chili lime vinaigrette).
FAQ
This sauce has a bold, peppery kick with a delicious balance of spice, tanginess, and sweetness.
Banana peppers are mild, yellow-colored peppers with a mild heat and a fruity flavor. They are about 5 to 7 inches long and have a fruity taste. Banana peppers are slightly hotter than bell peppers, with a heat level ranging from zero to 500 Scoville units.
This banana pepper sauce is a versatile condiment. It is great to drizzle over grilled meats or serve as a dip for appetizers like these jalapeno cheese sticks. It also works excellently as a spread for burgers and deli sandwiches. You can even use it as a topping for pizzas or tacos.
Can I Make the Sauce Ahead of Time?
Yes! In fact, making it ahead allows the flavors to develop fully, resulting in a more intense and rich taste.
More Hot Sauce Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Banana Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup banana peppers chopped/(see note 1)
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey (see note 2)
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Salt or to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until it turns soft(don't let it turn brown).
- Toss chopped banana peppers in the pan.
- Then stir in honey, white vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Then transfer to the blender and blend until smooth.
- Use it on grilled meats, as a spread, or in salads.
Notes
- Banana peppers have a mild heat; remove the seeds and membrane for a milder sauce or use hot banana peppers for extra spice.
- Honey enhances the sauce’s sweetness and thickness; for a vegan option, substitute with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or at room temperature; stir well before using.
Dannii says
Oooh yum! I bet this is amazing on roasted veggies.
pepperbowl says
Great to hear, Dannii!
Kris says
What a rich and delicious sauce! The use of banana peppers is genius! Will definitely make again. 🙂
pepperbowl says
Hi Kris! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Michelle says
Perfect sauce to use up all of our garden fresh banana peppers this summer!
pepperbowl says
Michelle, this makes me so happy to hear, thank you!
Beth says
This is such a tasty sauce. I love banana peppers so I was eager to give it a try. I have some in my fridge right now!
pepperbowl says
Beth, I’m so excited to hear it!
Dannii says
This was SO good. I had it with chicken tacos and it worked perfectly.
pepperbowl says
Great to hear! Thank you Dannii!
Paula says
We're grilling out this weekend, so I'm excited to have this spicy sauce to go with our grilled faves!
pepperbowl says
Happy to hear your feedback Paula!