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You are here: Home / Salsa / Habanero Salsa

Habanero Salsa

Douglas Cullen, 433 words., About 3 minutes to read this article., This blog generates income via ads

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Salsa Habanera

If you like your salsa hot, this is the one for you, a fiery red tomato habanero sauce like they make in the Yucatán. Habanero chiles have a fruity taste and are very hot, not for the faint of heart. A little goes a long, long way.

Tomato Habanero Salsa

How to Make

Gather your ingredients. You need 3 very ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb.), 1/2 white onion, 2 habanero chiles (peppers), 1 clove of garlic, 1tsp. apple cider vinegar, and 3 tbsp. oil.

Ingredients Tomato Habanero Salsa

Remove the stems from the tomatoes and chiles and quarter the tomatoes and onion.

Chopped Ingredients Habanero Salsa

Preheat 1 tbsp. oil to medium hot. Cook the tomatoes, onion, chile and garlic until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.

Cooked Ingredients Habanero Salsa

Blend with the salt, vinegar.

Habanero Salsa Ingredients in Blender

You’re salsa before being cooked. It’s starting to look good. The next step is “seasoning.”

Blended Salsa Ingredients

Fry the Salsa. This is an important step. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil to hot. Once the oil is hot, pour the blended salsa into the hot oil. This is called “seasoning” the salsa and it adds depth of flavor.

Seasoning Habanero Salsa

Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. During this time the salsa will darken in color, slightly thicken and take on a more intense flavor. It’s now ready to serve.

Reducing the Salsa

Looks good, doesn’t it?

Yucatán Style Habanero Salsa

Tomato Habanero Salsa
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4.39 from 13 votes

Habanero Salsa Recipe

Yucatán style tomato habanero hot sauce recipe. Habanero chiles have a fruity taste and are very hot, not for the faint of heart. If you like it hot, this is the salsa for you.
Course Salsa
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Habanero Salsa Recipe, How to Make Habanero Salsa, Salsa Habanera
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 61kcal
Author Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe tomatoes about 1 lb.
  • 2 habanero chiles
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 1  clove garlic
  • 1  tbsp  apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp  salt + to taste
  • 3 tbsp  cooking oil

Instructions

  • Remove the stems from the tomatoes and chiles and quarter the tomatoes and onion.
  • Preheat 1 tbsp. oil to medium hot. Cook the tomatoes, onion, chile and garlic until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Blend the browned tomatoes, onions and garlic with the salt, vinegar.
  • Heat 2 tbsp. of oil to hot. Once the oil is hot, pour the blended salsa into the hot oil to "season" it.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken and intensify the flavor.

Notes

Reducing the Heat
You can reduce the heat by only using 1 habanero chile. You can also remove the stems and seeds which will reduce the heat even more.
A Word of Caution
Habanero chiles are very hot. If you touch your mouth or eyes after handling them it will burn. Wash your hands thoroughly after working with chiles. Wearing gloves will help you avoid an uncomfortable situation.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 cup | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 6mg | Sugar: 2g

More Mexican Salsa Recipes

  • Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Salsa
  • Avocado Salsa
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ivan Yoder says

    May 27, 2017 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    I have made this twice now and I love it! Thank you for giving a SIMPLE recipe that is delicious. A lot of recipes require 48 ingredients most of which you have never heard of. This was classic, simple and I cant get enough of it!

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      May 28, 2017 at 9:17 pm

      Ivan, glad you have enjoyed the salsa. Cheers!

      Reply
  2. mjskitchen says

    May 31, 2017 at 9:09 pm

    Hand me a bag of chips…I could easily eat a bowl of this in one sitting.

    Reply
  3. Connie says

    July 21, 2017 at 7:25 am

    This salsa is amazingly good, especially over fried potato, eggs and chorizo, maybe a few slices of peppers if you have any hanging around in the fridge.

    Reply
  4. Graham Dawson says

    August 18, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    5 stars
    I used ONE habanero from my garden, tomatoes from a friends garden. I removed the seeds from the pepper. I’ll try it with two peppers next time. I can’t stop eating it! Wow, is this good!

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      August 18, 2017 at 6:26 pm

      Glad you liked it. It must be fantastic with homegrown peppers and tomatoes. I need to get some friends with gardens :) Cheers!

      Reply
      • Graham Dawson says

        October 11, 2017 at 2:15 pm

        5 stars
        So I did the one habanero above, next time I did 2, the next time 3 and that was what we wanted. HOT. I am making it again with my homegrown habaneros and homegrown heirloom tomatoes. We just can’t get enough of this. Thanks again for the idea!

        Reply
  5. Andy says

    August 28, 2017 at 9:41 am

    5 stars
    I added another pepper from my garden, I only had to buy garlic, my mouth is pleasantly on fire. Any other, yes I would recommend 2 but I love the heat. Great recipe

    Reply
  6. Mike viront says

    September 07, 2017 at 11:38 am

    I made this for the first time for our labor day cookout.Everyone loved it.It’s hot but not to hot.I cut out the vein and the seeds of 2 Hibernos that I grew this year.Can’t wait to make more.the taste is amazing.

    Reply
  7. Hans Christian Linnartz says

    November 25, 2017 at 8:44 am

    Excellent recipe! I used four habaneros and will probably add a ghost pepper next time, but I can take the heat and adore the flavors behind it. I also blended the peppers with about half the onions and tomatoes, but then threw in some cilantro and the rest of the tomatoes, garlic, and onions and chopped the remainder. This gave a salsa with a little more varied texture and the lovely taste of cilantro.

    Reply
  8. brent says

    December 11, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    I have 2 questions, and hope you can reply in a short turnaround. I am going to make this for my students in the next 24 hrs.

    First–why shouldn’t I char the veggies? In Mexican salsa making, what is the school of thought about salsa frita (like your recipe) vs. charred salsa? I’ve done them both but can’t determine why the variations are considered.

    Two–If I double this, it would not be as simple as X2 your ingredients. would it?

    Been to your MFJournal a few times and love it. Thanks for any reply.

    Reply
  9. Monica says

    March 04, 2018 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best salsa I’ve ever made and probably the best salsa I’ve ever eaten. I used one habanero and the heat is perfect. I’m in love.

    Reply
  10. AP says

    July 29, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this salsa a bunch of times over the last year. I was so excited when my local farmer’s market started selling habaneros. Most of my friends don’t care for super hot food, so I eliminate most of the seeds. It’s a hit every time.

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      July 29, 2018 at 4:51 pm

      That’s awesome! Glad the recipe has been a hit with your friends. Fresh habaneros have even more flavor. Cheers!

      Reply
  11. Aaron says

    August 14, 2018 at 3:44 pm

    Can this recipe be canned and stored without refrigeration?

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      August 14, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      Aaron, It definitely needs to be refrigerated. I’m not sure if it can be canned safely. I have never done any canning so you’ll have to check with another resource for safe canning tips. Hope that helps. Provecho!

      Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      August 16, 2018 at 4:39 am

      Aaron, you will need to check with a resource on safe canning to verify if it can be canned and then stored without refrigeration. I have never done any canning so I am not a good guide. Cheers!

      Reply
      • Aaron says

        September 01, 2018 at 2:29 pm

        Thank you for the response. How long woulda sealed jar be good for with refrigeration?

        Reply
  12. Ben says

    August 24, 2018 at 4:09 pm

    Nice recipe! Do you think cilantro is out of place in this salsa?

    Reply
  13. Micky says

    July 20, 2019 at 10:47 am

    5 stars
    First time I made this and it was an instant HIT! I gave 2 batches away and now my friends are asking for more. I doubled the recipe and used 3 habaneros and it was just right for me. I didn’t want it too hot.
    Thanks for the excellent recipe!

    Reply
  14. Robert Guillaume says

    August 14, 2019 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    Great salsa, however I have to point out a discrepancy in ingredients list. The list at the top of the page calls for 1 teaspoon of vinegar, but the list at the bottom of the page calls for 1 TABLESPOON of vinegar. I have made it both ways but like it more with a tablespoon of vinegar. The amount of vinegar will definitely affect it’s shelf life when canning

    Reply
  15. Anna says

    September 07, 2019 at 6:33 pm

    4 stars
    This was quick and easy and a great solution for the abundance of habaneros that my garden produced this year. I used one habanero for the same number of other ingredients and it was the perfect spice level ie tolerable by most “people who vaguely like spicy”. I could have gone with the two of making for myself, but if your habaneros are anything like mine that will be very spicy! Delicious!

    Reply

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Douglas Cullen
I am Douglas C. – Share my love of Mexican Cuisine that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico. More…

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