Used both for marination, seasoning and also as an accompaniment, Homemade Nando’s Style Peri Peri Sauce is a classic, pungent side that would warm up the winters. Here is how to make it.
I grew up in the era when ketchup was catching up with everyone’s fancy.
It’s still available in every household, but at that time, the craze was different.
I still remember my friends relishing a piping hot bowl of Maggi with ketchup or even fried rice with ketchup and it goes without saying right from Pakode to any fried dish made at home was nicely dunked in ketchup and eaten with joy by our generation.
But now, the times have changed! Ketchup is considered to be the most common accompaniment that is served across the globe and we have grown accustomed to the same.
To catch up with the time, even I have tried and tested umpteen sauces like Mango Chilli Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Tzatziki Sauce, Bechamel Sauce, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce, Boom Boom Sauce, Yum Yum Sauce, Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce, but my new found love is this recipe without a doubt.
This has been inspired by Nando’s sauce, which was my hot favorite for long.
Whoever doesn’t know what is Nando’s, it is a popular food chain which has made its mark all over the world.
Whenever I have gone to this restaurant, whether outside or in India, this sauce is a must on my table.
Because if like me, you also love eating spicy food, this recipe should be in your do make list most definitely.
Used for marination, seasoning, and also as an accompaniment, this sauce is a classic, pungent sauce that would warm up the winter for you!
So, don’t wait anymore!
What is this made with
Its generally made with PERi-PERi which is also known as the African Bird’s Eye Chilli. It’s grown in Africa and is spicy and tastes amazing. It has many benefits including
- Rich in Vitamins A, B, and C.
- Have capsaicin, which enhances mood: your pupils dilate, your metabolic rate increases, and there’s a rush of endorphins when you consume it!
- PERi-PERi is a natural preservative.
What is the difference with Piri Piri?
“Piri-piri, peri-peri or peli-peli is the name used in Portuguese and a number of African languages to describe the African bird’s-eye chilli.
The variations in spelling derive from the various pronunciations of the word in parts of Africa, although ‘piri-piri’ is the correct spelling in Portuguese.” – BBC Good Food
About this recipe
Originally made in Portugal, it is a hot sauce made using Piri Piri or African Bird’s eye chillies.
The recipe also uses red peppers, red onions, and garlic but the show stealer of this sauce is African Red Chilli or Bird’s Eye Chilli which grants it its sensation!
In case African Red Chillies are not available then you can use any other hot red chilli like Thai Chilli as well.
Every time you would savor this Hot Red Sauce Recipe, you would certainly get a culinary kick on your palate and that’s the reason why I just cannot have enough of it.
IT has the depth and flavors like Harissa Sauce and a kick of spice like a classic hot sauce.
It tastes, sweet, salty, and sour, all at the same time.
Ingredients
To make this spicy and hot sauce, you will need red bell pepper, onion, African red chilli, garlic, paprika powder, black pepper powder, vinegar, salt, olive oil, dried oregano, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
It has a nice hot, spicy, and tangy flavor in one and makes any simple dish irresistible.
While the African red chillies do the magic here, you can also use any other spicy dry red chilli if you don’t find the African ones.
Just mix all the ingredients, grind them, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Your sauce is ready!
Usage Suggestions
Use this versatile sauce for marinating potatoes, paneer, chicken recipes, or use it as a dressing for french fries, sandwiches – oh, you are going to love it all.
This is a great recipe to make piri piri sauce and I am sure you are going to love this sauce on everything that you make.
My personal favorite is Peri Peri Chicken Skewers where chicken strips are coated with a thick layer of this sauce and grilled.
You can add some in mayonnaise or Greek yogurt and make a nice peri peri dip.
Thin it down with water and drizzle over your salad.
You can add some to soups and stews for a nice kick.
Nando’s Recipe
We came across Nando’s while our stay in Malaysia.
The famous chain serving Chicken marinated with sauce with varying levels of heat caught our fancy very soon and we were a regular at the outlet.
The inspiration for making this sauce comes from the many bottles of this goodness that we brought back to India and used them in everything from chicken to shrimps to dips.
After quite a few experiments, I can proudly say that this recipe gives a fabulous result which is very close to Nando’s Sauce.
It’s, in fact, better because you can control the level of heat and knows what’s going into your sauce.
Our spice level is a little towards the higher side and hence I have used 100 g of African chillies. You can feel free to reduce the amount if you like your sauce a little milder.
Use more of red peppers in place of chillies if you want a milder version.
If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it down with some olive oil or water.
Storage Suggestions
You can store it in an airtight container for about 15 days in the refrigerator.
Does this sauce contain gluten?
All the ingredients added in this sauce are gluten-free and hence the resulting sauce is gluten-free too.
Can you eat it when pregnant?
There is no harmful effect of eating Peri Peri sauce while pregnancy, but since it is a very hot sauce you should avoid consuming it in large quantities because it may cause heartburn and general stomach upset if taken in large quantities.
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Step By Step Recipe
Add all the ingredients in the jar of a food processor.
Blend to make a smooth puree.
Transfer the sauce in a pan.
Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat. Remove the pan from heat and let the sauce cool down.
Peri Peri Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Red Bell Pepper (Chopped)
- 100 g Onion (Chopped)
- 50 g African Red Chilli (Use any other spicy variety if these are not available)
- 10-12 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- 1/4 cup White Vinegar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend to make a smooth sauce.
- Transfer the sauce in a pan and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium low heat.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the sauce cool down.
- Pour the sauce in a glass jar and refrigerate for up to 15 days.
- Use as required.
Reena
Hi
can we use with sauce for prawns?
msnehamathur
Yes of course.
Neha Mathur
Yes sure you can.
mohit verma
There is a Nando’s down my street but I have never tried it! You’ve put the idea in my head to go there for dinner though.
Neha Mathur
🙂
Joseph Elmore
You must go. The Peri Peri chicken is amazing.
Neha Mathur
Thnx for your testimonial 🙂
Bec
Hi there, what kind of vinegar do you use in this recipe?
Neha Mathur
Hi. I have used plain white vinegar. Updated in the recipe.
Guy
How hot is the sauce?
Neha Mathur
It is quite hot. Also depends on the hotness of chillies that you are using.
Eric
May I use it for cooking in chicken?
Neha Mathur
Yes, you can.
Joni
Hi. I just bought a GIANT bottle of Nando’s peri-peri sauce at Grocery Outlet for $3. I’ve never heard of Nandos or peri peri, but it looked great and was so cheap I thought I’d give it a try. Any suggestions on how to use it in my vegetarian diet?
Neha Mathur
I have mentioned some of ways you can sue the sauce in the post. Do check.
Farha
Sounds good!!How much of sauce does this make?
Neha Mathur
It will make approx 2 cup sauce. The same quantity as shown in the picture.
Arya
Is it normal paprika or smoked paprika?
Neha Mathur
Hi Arya, I have used normal paprika but you can definitely use smoked one too.
Afia
I forgot to cook the sauce and I marinated my chicken!! Will it make a huge difference??
Neha Mathur
Hi Afia, it should be fine because you will anyways be grilling the chicken.
Peter Nordlund
Can the sauce be canned?
Neha Mathur
It can be. But I am not an expert in canning, so cannot suggest how.
Holly
Thank you for this recipe! I am a Nando’s loving American and it hasn’t made its way to NY. I have been seeing peri peri spice popping up a bit and just ordered some powder, so excited to give this a go. Thank you!
Neha Mathur
Do try the recipe Holly and share your feedback 🙂
Joel
Does your peri peri recipe call for fresh or dried pepper? I purchased 20 grams of peri peri peppers, dried. How does this quantity and dehydrated state work with your recipe? Thank you!
Neha Mathur
O would recommend adding a few peppers at a time. If you still feel you can handle more heat, then add more.
Kath
The nutrition info doesn’t appear to match what’s listed in the sauce ingredients. Could you lease verify?
Nutrition Facts
Peri Peri Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 718 Calories from Fat 495
% Daily Value*
Fat 55g85%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Sodium 4683mg204%
Potassium 1162mg33%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 8780IU176%
Vitamin C 499.7mg606%
Calcium 109mg11%
Iron 3.3mg18%
(As shown above)
Neha Mathur
Updated the info. Thanks for mentioning.
Lee Cooper
Fantastic sauce.
Made this time 50/50 with Birds Eye and Thai Chillies from the garden (I’ve used a lot of the Birds Eye elsewhere this year).
Delicious!
Neha Mathur
Good to heat this 🙂
Frank
Afternoon, silly question really, having just made the Pire Peri Sauce, approximately how much of the sauce would I use for cooking for two.
Frank
Neha Mathur
You can use 2-3 tbsp for 2 person. It also depends on how much heat you can tolerate.
Wendy Pflaum
Hi my husband has been trying to make his best version of a period period sauce. He is finding that the olive oil seems to split from the sauce so when pouring some on your plate more oil comes out of the bottle and then only the sauce will come … any recommendations?
Neha Mathur
Hi Wendy, this happened with my recipe or some other one he tried?
Helena
Shake the bottle before pouring 😉
Neha Mathur
Yeah 🙂
Bethany
Every search I see for Peri Peri are only recipes for chicken dishes, prawns, and a dipping sauce for French fries. Would this Sauce also be a good topping for veggies or possible fish?
Neha Mathur
Yes Bethany, it’s good for veggies and fish as well.
Soumya S
Hey, great fan of peri peri sauce. Got really excited when I saw the recipe here. Tried the sauce with the exact same recipe hans the paprika, but it turned bitter!
Any insight on this?
Thanks
Neha Mathur
I hope the peppers and other ingredients that you used were fresh. Because there are no ingredients in this sauce that can turn it bitter, so wondering.
Mia Padilla
I would agree with Neha in terms of using fresh ingredients. I cut up the veggies with the plan of making the sauce right after but something came up. I put it in the fridge and made the sauce 24hrs after. It turned out bitter. Sad part is I made 2x the recipe. 😔😔😔
Now i’m looking for ways to salvage it or make another type of sauce using this as base sauce.
Neha Mathur
Yeah, fresh ingredients make a lot of difference.