Cholula Hot Sauce Recipe

This Mexican hot sauce is popular for its balanced and slightly smoky flavor with mild heat. The Cholula sauce is all in all. You can use the sauce as a marinade and dipping sauce. You can even use the sauce for salad dressing.

The authentic recipe for this hot sauce is proprietary. But, we come with a homemade Cholula Hot Sauce Recipe. You can get the authentic Mexican Cholula hot sauce flavor by making it with our recipe. This article presents the easiest homemade version to get the original taste.

You will get the details of the ingredients with a step-by-step preparation process. Moreover, you will get useful tips for preparing the sauce perfectly. We will also talk about the preservation process of the sauce. So! We recommend reading the article till the end.

Cholula Hot Sauce Ingredients

Cholula hot sauce is a chili base sauce that provides a slightly sweet, tangy, and fruity flavor with a complex spiciness. 2 specific chilies are mandatory for this Cholula recipe. Let us describe all the essential ingredients of the sauce recipe. 

1. Water – 1 cup

1 cup Water is required for this sauce recipe. Water will help to get the perfect consistency. Make sure the water is at room temperature. It will help for easy mixing of the ingredients. 

Tips: Our professionals suggest using water after using all other ingredients. So, you can use the water according to your desired thickness. You can reduce or increase the amount of water according to your requirements. 

2. White Vinegar – 1 cup

White vinegar helps to get a clean and tangy taste. Besides white vinegar reduces the P^H of the sauce to preserve the sauce longer. You will need 1 cup of white vinegar for this recipe. 

3. Dried Arbol Chilies – 4 pieces

We have already mentioned that you need 2 specific chilies for this sauce recipe. Arbol chili is one of them. 4 pieces of dried Arbol chilies are required here. It gives a warmth to the sauce. 

Tips: You need to select high-quality chilies. Though you need dried chilies, you have to consider the freshness of the dried chilies. The authentic flavor depends on the quality of the chilies. 

4. Dried Pequin Chiles – 9 pieces

The other type of chili is the dried pequin chilies. It makes the spiciness complex. You can use 9 dried Pequin chilies to prepare this sauce recipe. Follow the tips for selecting the chilies mentioned. 

5. Minced Garlic – 6 cloves

Now, it’s time to enhance the flavor of the sauce. You need 6 cloves of properly minced garlic. The freshly minced garlic provides a garlicky undertone which increases the palatability of the sauce.

6. Onion Flakes – 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon of onion flakes gives a strong satisfying aroma to the sauce.

Tips: You need to check that the onion flakes are not stale.  

7. Ground Paprika – 2 tablespoons

Paprika helps to achieve an attractive color. It also elevated the intensity of the spiciness. You need 2 tablespoons of paprika for the recipe.

Tips: Experts suggest to use smoked paprika. Smoked paprika provides a desirable smoky flavor.

8. Salt – 1 teaspoon

Salt balances the taste and gives a perfect flavor profile. 1 teaspoon of salt is necessary for this recipe. However, our experts suggest to use salt according to your taste. 

9. Xanthan Gum – ¼ teaspoon (Optional)

Many professionals use Xanthan gum to get the proper thickness. Xanthan gum is optimal. If you want, you can use ¼ teaspoon of Xanthan gum. Be careful while using it. A small amount of Xanthan Gum can thicken tightly.

Tips: According to some expert people in cooking, you can use a few slices of carrots instead of Xanthan Gum, if you want. Carrots have a high starch profile which helps to thicken the sauce.  

10. Cold Water – 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons of cold water is needed to dissolve the Xanthan Gum.

11. Seasoning Ingredients (Optional)

If you want more seasoning, you can use ½ teaspoon of cumin powder and ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder to improve the overall flavor profile.

Needed Equipment

You will need some necessary equipment while preparing the Cholula Sauce recipe. The equipment is as follows;

1. Saucepan: For heating the ingredients.
2. Food processor or Blender: To blend the ingredients.
3. Measuring Cups & Spoons: To measure the ingredients precisely.
4. Kitchen Gloves: To avoid irritation while handling the chilies.
5. Spatula: To stir the ingredients.
6. Strainer: To strain the sauce.
7. Funnel: To pour the sauce into a bottle.
8. Glass Bottles or Jars: For storing the sauce.
9. Induction: For heating. 

How to Make Cholula Hot Sauce: 5 Easy Steps

The process of preparing the Cholula hot sauce recipe is not so difficult. However, there are some common mistakes that most people make while preparing this sauce. We will discuss the 5 step process first. Then we will also describe these common mistakes. You should avoid these mistakes at the time of preparing the Cholula sauce. 

Step 1: Preparing the Chilies

Chilies are the main ingredients for this sauce recipe. You have already been informed how to select the chilies. Now, you will know how to prepare the chilies for preparing the sauce.

• First, you need to remove the stems of the chilies.
• Then remove the seeds from the chilies. Deseeding is very important. Otherwise, the sauce will be excessively spicy.
• If you want to make the sauce flavorful with the authentic fragments, you need to toast the chilies over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Toasting the chilies also helps to get consistent pepper heat. But, be careful during toasting to avoid burning.

Step 2: Soaking the Chilies

• Now, put the toasted chilies in a bowl.
• Add water to the bowl. ( Use water in that amount which is enough to immerse the chilies)
• Then, cover the bowl with a plate.
• Let the chilies soak for 20 minutes to make the chilies soft.
• If you observe that the chilies do not become soft after 20 minutes, you should continue soaking for longer.

Step 3: Blending the Ingredients

• Put the soaked chilies, minced garlic, onion flakes, white vinegar, water, paprika, salt, and other seasoning ingredients into a blender bowl. All the ingredients should be properly measured.
• Turn on the food processor or blender.
• Blend all the ingredients properly.

Step 4: Cooking the Sauce

After making a smooth paste, you need to cook the paste to make the sauce.

• Put a saucepan on an induction.
• Pour the mixture into the saucepan.
• If you want, you can add Xanthan Gum for thickening nicely. (Dissolve the Xanthan Gum in cold water before adding in the sauce)
• Then simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat.
• In this process, you do not need to stir continuously.
• Stir the mixture occasionally, it will help in thickening.
• After cooking for 15 minutes, you will get the final puree. This is our desired sauce.

Step 5: Cooling & Storing

• After you get the final puree, cool the sauce for 20 – 30 minutes at room temperature.
• If you want, you can strain the sauce with a fine mesh strainer. 
• Pour the sauce into a glass bottle or jar by using a funnel.
• Close the lid.
• Store the jar in the refrigerator.

Common Mistakes While Making the Cholula Hot Sauce

1. Careless Handling of Chilies

Careless handling of chilies can irritate your hands. So, always wear hand gloves while handling the chilies.   

2. Overcooking the Sauce

Overcooking can give burnt flavor. So, avoid overcooking. After cooking for 10 minutes, observe the sauce frequently to avoid burning.

3. Insufficient Blending

Insufficient blending can leave chunks of chilies or other ingredients which is not desirable. So, it is necessary to blend the ingredients perfectly.

4. Xanthan Gum Clumping

Xanthan Gum clumping will happen if you add the Xanthan gum directly. You need to dissolve the Xanthan gum in water. Then add to the sauce.

5. Inadequate Cooling

Inadequate cooling can affect the shelf life. It also hampers the texture of the sauce. So, do not rush during the cooling process. Cool the sauce properly at room temperature.

6. Improper Storage 

Improper storage can spoil the sauce very fast. So, you should always follow the storage process. 

How Long Does Homemade Hot Sauce Last?

The shelf life of homemade hot sauce is up to 1 year. But, you must follow the proper storage process. Otherwise, the quality of the sauce will deteriorate very fast. Let us inform you of the correct storage procedure.

• It is recommended to use glass bottles and jars for storing.
• Make the bottles or jars properly clean. It will be great if you can sterilize the bottles and jars.
• Now, dry the bottles and jars and be sure that the jars and bottles are moisture-free.
• Pour the cooled sauce into the bottle or jar.
• Close the lid and make the bottle air and moisture resistance.
• Keep the bottle or jar in the refrigerator.
• You need to close the lid properly every time after using the sauce.
• Never, forget to keep the sauce bottle in the refrigerator after using it.

You should follow these rules if you want to store the sauce for up to 1 year. When you are not aware of the storage process, you can’t store the sauce for even a month.

Conclusion

The Cholula Hot Sauce Recipe is an all-in-all recipe for people who love Mexican cuisine. But this recipe is not an open secret. You may find many recipes online but most of them are not trustworthy.

After experimenting a lot, our experts have come up with a homemade version of the Cholula sauce recipe. We have shown you the ingredients, process, and common mistakes so that you may not face any trouble during the whole process.

Follow the preservation method to tire the sauce for a long time. Be connected with us for more popular recipes like this and learn recipes with easy techniques.