This Mango Habanero Sauce is more than just hot sauce! This versatile condiment adds pizzazz to almost any dish. Slather it on vegan wings, drizzle it on tacos or nachos, use it as a salad dressing to give your greens a tropical flair, or whisk it into hummus to create a dip that's shockingly addictive! Easy to make in just 15 minutes, this sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce is vegan, gluten-free and fat-free, too!
My husband has been growing habanero and jalapeno peppers for a few years now, and it was about two summers ago that I truly began to appreciate the habanero's unique flavor and floral notes.
The peppers bring a delightful complexity to this sauce, with their heat level varying from mildly spicy to surprisingly fiery.
Both their floral undertones and their heat pair perfectly with the sweetness of mango.
If you love mangoes, be sure to check out my Mango Smoothie, Mango Pudding, and Jackfruit Salad with Mango and Dill next.
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Why You'll Love Mango Habanero Hot Sauce
- Quick & Easy: With just a few ingredients and a blender, you can whip up a batch of this tasty sauce in minutes.
- Flavorful: The combination of sweet mango, spicy habanero, tart lime juice, and savory spices creates a well-balanced sauce that's full of flavor.
- Customizable Heat Level: Whether you like your hot sauce mildly spicy or with a fiery kick, you can easily control the heat level.
- Versatile: This sauce is perfect for adding a kick to tacos, nachos, french fries, veggies, sushi, spring rolls, salads, rice bowls, and more!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mango: The natural sweetness of mango balances the heat of the habanero peppers and adds a rich, fruity depth to the sauce. Ideally, you want a very ripe, sweet, and juicy fresh mango, but frozen will work too!
- Habanero Peppers: These adorable little chile peppers are quite hot and rate in the range of 100,000 to 350,000 on the Scoville scale. Unripe habaneros are green, and their color changes as they mature. Most often they are orange or reddish in color. Look for habaneros in the produce section of the grocery store near the jalapenos.
- Shallot: Adds complexity and savory notes to the sauce and balances the sweetness. Feel free to use red onion or green onion instead for a sharper taste.
- Lime Juice & Vinegar: Both add acidity and tanginess to the sauce as well as help to balance the flavors. They also act as natural preservatives! I used white wine vinegar, but feel free to use another type such as champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Yellow Mustard: This also adds tanginess and helps emulsify the sauce.
- Spices: I used a combination of smoked paprika and cumin, both of which contribute a subtle earthy and smoky flavor to the sauce.
- Salt: Important for enhancing and balancing the other flavors.
- Sugar: Optional for adjusting the sweetness of the sauce and balancing the heat and acidity. Feel free to use cane sugar, agave, or maple syrup.
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Mango Habanero Sauce
Start by gathering all of your ingredients and chopping the shallot, habanero pepper, and mango.
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There are a lot of different ways to cut a mango, though some are definitely easier and safer than others! My preferred method is to leave the skin on, slice off the cheeks, then score the flesh (above right).
To do it, first trim a very thin piece off the stem end. This creates a flat surface which allows the mango to stand up on end.
Visualizing the location of the large oblong pit inside, slice off the broad cheeks from both sides. Then trim off the fruit from the shorter sides. You want to remove as much of the mango meat as possible.
With the cheeks resting on a cutting board (not in your hand), make lengthwise cuts through the flesh of each half, being careful not to cut through the skin. Then make cuts in the opposite direction to create a grid pattern. Then press against the skin to invert the whole thing and reveal the cubes of mango.
The cubes are then easy to remove with a paring knife, spoon, or your fingers.
Tip !
Need a visual demonstration? This video is the best one I could find (after watching way too many questionable and downright dangerous "How to Cut a Mango" videos)!
Add all of the ingredients to a blender except for the optional sugar. Gradually increase the speed to high and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the acid, sweetness, and habanero as desired.
Hint :
If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoon water, and blend again.
Ways to Use Mango Habanero Hot Sauce
- Use it anywhere you'd use hot sauce, such as on vegan wings, tacos, nachos, burritos, or a taco bowl.
- Drizzle a bit into some mashed avocado or hummus and serve with tortilla chips and veggies.
- Use it to top your salad, rice bowl, baked potato, roasted veggies, and even your morning breakfast scramble.
- Spread it as-is on burgers and sandwiches, or combine it with mayonnaise for a totally unique condiment!
Equipment
To make this recipe, you'll need a high-powered blender or a large food processor.
How to Store
Pour the sauce into a clean glass bottle or jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. It's possible that it might keep longer, but I like to play it safe.
FAQs
A ripe mango will yield to gentle pressure, but should not feel too mushy. If it feels firm or doesn't give at all when squeezed, it needs more time to ripen.
The heat level of the sauce depends on the amount of habanero pepper used and the individual spiciness of the peppers themselves. Habanero peppers are known for their intense heat, but you can control the spiciness by adjusting the quantity of peppers in the recipe. Starting with half a pepper and gradually adding more allows you to customize the heat to suit your preference.
Yes, frozen mango chunks may be used, but they won't be as flavorful as a super ripe, fresh mango. Place the frozen mango in a bowl and let thaw. Drain away any water that collects in the bottom of the bowl.
Helpful Tips
- If possible, use a fresh mango that is VERY ripe, fragrant, sweet, and juicy.
- When working with hot peppers, you may want to wear disposable food prep gloves to prevent the capsaicin from contacting your skin. I usually just rely on a very thorough hand-washing afterward, but my husband, who wears contact lenses, always opts for gloves.
- Also remember to be careful and not rub your eyes or touch anything else while you're handling hot peppers.
- If you're not sure how spicy the habanero peppers are or you're worried about the sauce being too hot, start with just half of a pepper. You can always add more after blending.
- After blending, taste and add the optional sweetener, as well as more lime or vinegar, if desired.
More Sauce Recipes
I hope you enjoy this sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce. If you try it, be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Easy Mango Habanero Sauce
Equipment
- blender - or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped ripe mango - (1 large mango)
- 1 habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed - or use 2 if you want it extra hot!
- 2 Tablespoons diced shallot - or red onion
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice - from about 2 limes
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar - or similar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon sugar, optional - or agave or maple syrup
Instructions
- Tip: If you're not sure how spicy your habanero peppers are or you're worried about the sauce being too hot, start with just half of a pepper. You can always add more after blending.
- In a blender combine all ingredients except the optional sugar. Gradually increase to high and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the acid, sweetness, and amount of habanero as desired.
- If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoon water, and blend again.
- Pour into a clean glass bottle or jar with a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
- If possible, use a fresh mango that is VERY ripe, fragrant, sweet, and juicy.
- When working with hot peppers, you may want to wear disposable food prep gloves to prevent the capsaicin from contacting your skin (especially if you wear contact lenses). I don't usually wear gloves if I'm only cutting 1 or 2 peppers and rely on a thorough handwashing afterward.
- Also be careful and remember not rub your eyes or touch anything else while you're handling hot peppers.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Mary says
Oh my goodness this turned out delicious! One habanero was just right for us. I like your hummus dip idea. Think I’ll try it with white beans. Thanks!