Tangy Sweet Pepper Sauce
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A vibrant sweet and sour sauce made with red bell pepper and habanero chili, balanced by honey and cider vinegar, thickened with arrowroot. Nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free. The sauce is blended smooth then simmered to deepen flavors and thicken. Perfect for dipping or drizzling. Adjust spice and sweetness to taste. A tangy kick with fresh pepper aroma and glossy finish.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
18 min
Total:
33 min
Servings:
about 1 cup
#fusion sauce
#spicy-sweet
#gluten-free
#vegan friendly
#dairy-free
#gluten-free
#easy sauce
#homemade sauce
Forget scraping jars of sickly-sweet supermarket glop. Blending fresh red bell pepper with a punch of habanero chili finally cuts through the blandness. Honey replaces the usual packed sugar—less gritty, more floral. Apple cider vinegar adds a woody depth compared to plain rice vinegar. Why arrowroot over cornstarch? Fundamental kitchen wisdom: arrowroot stays clear, doesn’t cloud or gum up. The simmer is critical—enough bubbling to smell the garlic transform, but watch the bottom or you end up with bitter burnt bits. The color shifts gradually from orange-red to a vibrant deep scarlet, glossy and tantalizing. Earlier attempts with jalapeño lacked fire. Habanero gives a vibrant heat that wakes the palate but doesn’t overwhelm salty tamari’s umami echo. The result, tangy yet sweet, fiery yet balanced. A sauce to slap on grilled meats, drizzle over roasted veggies, or toss into stir-fries.
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, roughly chopped
- 1 small habanero chili, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 100 g honey (about 1/3 cup packed)
- 50 ml apple cider vinegar (about 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon)
- 25 ml tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce alternative)
- 7 ml arrowroot powder (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 60 ml water (for arrowroot slurry)
About the ingredients
Chosen ingredients lean towards clarity and freshness. Red bell pepper for sweetness and color, picking a firm, unblemished one avoids watery, dull sauces. Switched out chili for habanero for more noticeable heat without extra seeds and bitterness. Garlic chopped coarse to release aroma but won’t pulverize into harsh bitterness like pureeing too finely. Honey replaces cassonade, providing a subtler sweetness profile and smoother mouthfeel with natural floral notes. Apple cider vinegar lends a less acidic, mellower tang than rice vinegar, adding complexity. Tamari subbed for fish sauce as a vegan-friendly alternative with similar salty depth but less fishiness; easily omitted if avoiding soy, but sauce will lose umami backbone. Arrowroot preferred over cornstarch to retain glossiness and prevent clouding; dissolve well in cold water before use to avoid lumps. Keep water measurement handy to adjust thickness. Stir often; clumps come from rushed mixing or improper slurry technique. Sauce thickens as it cools—don’t aim for pudding but a syrupy coating.
Method
- Start by roughly chopping pepper, chili, and garlic. Toss into blender. Add honey, vinegar, tamari. Blend at high speed until completely smooth. Should be vibrant red with tiny flecks of chili seeds.
- Pour mixture into a small saucepan set over medium heat. You’ll hear the sauce start to bubble gently around edges. Stir frequently to prevent burning and watch for the raw aroma to dissipate.
- Once hot and simmering, mix arrowroot powder with cold water until no lumps remain. Slowly whisk slurry into simmering sauce. Sauce will thicken quickly; keep stirring to avoid clumps.
- After about 15 minutes total simmer, sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Glossy, bright red, with a slightly thickened syrupy texture. Taste—adjust sweet or tart by adding a whisk of honey or vinegar if needed.
- Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl. Cool slightly to let flavors meld. The aroma will shift from sharp raw garlic to fragrant sweet-spicy pepper heat. Use warm or room temp. Keeps refrigerated for up to a week.
Cooking tips
Blending first creates consistent texture and ensures no chunky surprises. High-speed blender recommended: insufficient blending leads to uneven cooking, bits burning at the bottom or undercooked pepper pieces causing bitter raw flavors. Simmer on medium, never full boil; the hiss and small bubbles around pot edges indicate gentle cooking, preserving bright pepper flavor without breakdown to mush. Add arrowroot slurry gradually; it reacts instantly so adding it all at once causes clumping. Stir like mad once slurry hits pan to disperse evenly and activate thickening. Five minutes post-slurry to thicken is adequate, more times risk over-thick sauce turning gluey. You’ll smell garlic mellowing out and peppers darkening to deep red—that’s your cue to stop. Cool sauce uncovered for about 10 minutes to halt cooking and fatigue fiery sharpness. Reheating shakes flavors—always fresh simmer before service if needed. Sauce stores well but intensifies in tang after a day; adjust vinegar next batch if too sharp. Tried thicker sauces but they lost spreadability; thinner runs off food poorly. Balancing thickness via arrowroot and water is part of skill in this one. If sauce separates on standing, remix gently before use.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Chop peppers and garlic coarse to keep aroma strong. Too fine and bitterness rises. Blend on high until smooth; uneven blending causes burning or chunks. After blending, simmer gently not boil. Watch for small bubbles and fade of raw garlic scent. Use medium heat always.
- 💡 Arrowroot slurry must be cold water mix—lumps kill gloss, turn sauce cloudy. Add slurry slowly while stirring constantly; arrowroot sets instantly. Stir madly after adding to stop clumps. Sauce thickens fast. Don’t rush; thickens more as it cools. Adjust water if too thick.
- 💡 Honey sweetens better than sugar. Floral notes, less grit. Adjust sweetness after simmer by tasting. Add more honey or vinegar little by little—not both at once. Vinegar sharpens; honey rounds. Balance depends on fresh peppers; peppers vary seasonally.
- 💡 Habanero seeds control heat intensity. Remove to tame sauce if desired. Jalapeño too mild, shifts flavor. Tamari adds umami but coconut aminos work if soy allergy. Coconut aminos sweeter, salt less. Test salt before adding extra. Vinegar level affects tang too.
- 💡 Store sauce in glass to avoid plastic odors. Keeps refrigeration for a week. Freeze not advised—vegetable base separates. Reheat gentle on stove to keep consistency. Remix before use if separated. Sauce thickens more standing; thin with water or broth if stiff.
Common questions
How to fix sauce too thick?
Add cold water or mild broth bit by bit. Arrowroot thickens on cooling. Thin gradually or sauce turns gluey. Mix well. Avoid over cooking slurry or it gels too hard.
Can I use other chilis?
Jalapeño works but less heat, flavor lighter. Remove seeds for less spice always. Swap but heat and flavor shift. Habanero best balance for punch without bitter seeds. Try milder chilis if sensitive but sauce profile changes.
Why is sauce bitter sometimes?
Usually raw garlic not cooked enough or burning bits. Stir often simmer medium heat. High heat burns garlic and sauce taste spoils. Timing key; smell garlic mellowing. If bitter remakes fix by lowering heat and timing.
Best way to store sauce?
Fridge good for about a week in glass. Freeze changes texture, not nice. Cool fully before storing. Reheat gently. If separation happens, remix or add little water. Keep covered tight to keep fresh aromas.
