• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Whisk Affair
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Indian Recipes
  • Meal Type
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Appetizers
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
  • My Cookbook
    • My E-Books
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Indian Summer Beverages
  • Buy my Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Sauces » Lemon Drop Hot Sauce

    Published: Jan 23, 2022 | Last Updated On: Aug 12, 2023 by Neha Mathur | This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce

    257 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce (Aji Limon Hot Sauce) is a delicious condiment made using Peruvian Aji Limon peppers. Use it to spice up your recipes, or serve it as a dip. Here is how to make it (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).

    Lemon drop hot sauce served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • What Is Lemon Drop Pepper
    • About Lemon Drop Hot Sauce
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Lemon Drop Hot Sauce
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You Might Also Like
    • Recipe Card

    What Is Lemon Drop Pepper

    Lemon Drop Pepper, also known as Aji Lemon Pepper or Hot Lemon Pepper, is a chili pepper native to Peru and commonly grown in South America.

    It is named for its bright yellow color and citrusy flavor, which resembles a lemon.

    The lemon drop pepper is a medium to hot pepper with a Scoville heat rating of 15,000 to 30,000, similar to the cayenne pepper.

    It is often used in South American cuisine to add heat and flavor to dishes, such as ceviche, sauces, and marinades.

    The lemon drop pepper can also be dried and ground into a powder, which can be used as a seasoning for meats, vegetables, and other dishes.

    You can try a few more homemade sauce recipes here

    • Cilantro Chimichurri
    • Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
    • Bechamel Sauce
    • Yum Yum Sauce
    • Bang Bang Sauce
    • Gochujang Dipping Sauce
    • Harissa Sauce
    • Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Cilantro Garlic Sauce
    • Avocado Basil Pesto

    About Lemon Drop Hot Sauce

    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce (Aji Limon Hot Sauce) is a condiment made using Peruvian Aji Limon peppers. This vibrant yellow sauce is hot and spicy, hinting at sweet and lemony citrus flavors.

    This hot sauce comes together in under 30 minutes and gives excellent heat to the recipes to which it is added. It can also be served as a spicy dipping sauce.

    Aji Limon Hot Sauce is gluten-free and vegetarian. To make it vegan, replace honey with agave nectar or maple syrup.

    You can easily double or triple the recipe.

    Ingredients

    Lemon drop hot sauce ingredients

    Peppers – This recipe uses lemon drop chile peppers (Aji Limon peppers). These are Peruvian peppers that are hot, with a fruity citrus flavor.

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Choose the best quality olive oil

    Honey – Adding honey helps to round off the heat from the peppers. Replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar for a vegan version.

    Others – You will also need garlic, whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, and salt.

    Optional – If you like your sauce thick, you will need cornstarch slurry to thicken it.

    How To Make Lemon Drop Hot Sauce

    Preparation

    Rinse 9 oz (250 g) of lemon drop peppers and wipe them using a kitchen towel. Remove the stem and chop the peppers into small pieces. Remove the seeds.

    Tip – Use gloves while de-seeding and chopping the chilies, as you might feel a burning sensation on your skin if you do it with bare hands.

    Lemon drop peppers in a bowl.
    Chopped peppers.

    Peel the garlic and gather the remaining ingredients.

    Make The Sauce

    Add 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds and ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds to a skillet and roast on medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned.

    Cumin seeds and coriander seeds roasting in a pan.

    Add the chopped Aji Limon peppers to the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly charred.

    Peppers added to the pan.

    Remove the skillet from heat and let the peppers cool down.

    Charred peppers.

    Transfer them to a blender with 5-6 garlic cloves, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, and 1 cup apple cider vinegar.

    Peppers added to a blender along with garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.

    Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, for 3-5 minutes.

    Blended until smooth.

    Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. With a rubber spatula, push the sauce through the strainer to separate all liquid from chunks of pepper and spices. Discard the leftovers.

    Mixture poured in a strainer.
    Strained mixture.

    Stir in 2 tablespoon honey and ½ teaspoon salt.

    Mixture added to a pan with honey and salt.

    You can now use the sauce as it or thicken it by adding cornstarch to it.

    Thicken The Sauce (Optional)

    To thicken the sauce, stir together 2 teaspoon cornstarch and ¼ cup water to make a slurry.

    Transfer the sauce to a skillet and heat on medium heat.

    Once the sauce comes to a boil, add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

    Cornstarch mixed with water in a bowl.

    Remove the skillet from heat and let the sauce cool down completely.

    Transfer it to a clean glass container and refrigerate for up to 15 days.

    Ready lemon drop hot sauce.

    Storage Suggestions

    Once the Aji Limon Hot Sauce is cooled down, store it in a clean, dry-covered container in the refrigerator for up to 15 days. Use a clean spoon for every use, which will ensure that the homemade sauce lasts for a more extended period.

    You can also freeze the sauce for up to 6 months. Thaw and use.

    If you know to can, then this is a great recipe.

    You Might Also Like

    • This Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto. It has a deep, sweet, and tangy flavor and is very versatile. Made using a handful of ingredients, this pesto comes together in just 5 minutes (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).
      Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso)
    • This 5-minute chipotle ranch dressing is a spicy, smoky homemade dressing that is perfect for tacos, chicken, salad, or as a dip for chips or veggies. Here is how to make it.
      Chipotle Ranch
    • Smooth, smoky, savory & creamy, this easy baba ganoush recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. It is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and super easy to make at home
      Baba Ganoush
    • Mango Cucumber Salsa is a spicy and tangy dip that is perfect to serve with grilled meat, veggies, tacos, nachos, or chips. Make it in under 10 minutes using simple ingredients (vegan, gluten-free, paleo, whole 30).
      Mango Cucumber Salsa

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce (Aji Limo Hot Sauce) is a delicious condiment made using Peruvian Aji Limon peppers. Use it to spice up your recipes or serve it as a dip. Here is how to make it.

    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce Recipe

    Lemon Drop Hot Sauce (Aji Limon Hot Sauce) is a delicious condiment made using Peruvian Aji Limon peppers. Use it to spice up your recipes or serve it as a dip. Here is how to make it.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: South American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 15 people
    Calories: 84kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 9 ounce Lemon Drop Chile Peppers (Aji Limon Peppers) (250 g, stems and seeds removed, chopped)
    • 5-6 cloves garlic cloves (peeled)
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
    • ¼ cup water (optional)
    US Customary or Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add whole coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a skillet and roast on medium heat until they are fragrant and lightly browned.
    • Add the chopped Aji Limon peppers to the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes until they are slightly charred.
    • Remove the skillet from heat and let the peppers cool down.
    • Transfer them to a blender along with garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.
    • Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, for 3-5 minutes.
    • Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. With a rubber spatula, push the sauce through the strainer to separate all liquid from chunks of pepper and spices. Discard the leftovers.
    • Stir in honey and salt.
    • You can now use the sauce as it or thicken it by adding cornstarch to it.

    Thicken The Sauce (Optional)

    • If you want to thicken the sauce, then stir together cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
    • Transfer the sauce to a skillet and heat on medium heat.
    • Once the sauce comes to a boil, add in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
    • Remove the skillet from heat and let the sauce cool down completely.
    • Transfer it to a clean glass container and refrigerate for up to 15 days.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXL6u-pnUHA

    Notes

    To make it vegan, just replace honey with agave nectar or maple syrup.
    You can easily double or triple the recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
    Pin this recipe for later use!I LOVE to see your creations so pin and mention @WhiskAffair!
    Sign up for regular updates?I would love to have you as part of my journey. Click to sign up!

    More Sauces

    • This Sour Cream Pasta Sauce will take your simple pasta to the next level. Make in under 15 minutes using my easy recipe (vegetarian).
      Sour Cream Pasta Sauce
    • Make this Cava restaurant copycat Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce at home in just 5 minutes using a few simple ingredients. Use it over salads, as a dipping sauce or drizzle it over roasted veggies (vegan, gluten-free).
      Cava Copycat Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
    • This Bonefish grill copycat sweet, spicy, and creamy bang bang sauce is the perfect sauce to drizzle over seafood, meat, or vegetables. It comes together in 5 minutes using simple ingredients. Here is a perfect recipe to make it.
      Bonefish Grill Copycat Bang Bang Sauce
    • This light, tangy, and super flavorful Red Wine Pasta Sauce comes together using a few ingredients in under an hour. Take your red pasta a notch higher using this easy sauce recipe (vegetarian, gluten-free, and can be easily made vegan).
      Easy Red Wine Pasta Sauce

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





    1. David Sproul

      October 23, 2022 at 7:29 pm

      Would love to try this recipe and then hot water can it, is the possible? It sounds great and I have a lot of lemon drop peppers to do something with this year. tx

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        October 24, 2022 at 9:24 am

        Yes, sure you can.

        Reply
    2. Rob

      November 09, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      I have made the based recipe and I’m just wondering the best way to preserve the sauce. Does it freeze? Can you increase the acidity to make it last longer?

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        November 12, 2022 at 3:08 am

        Hi Rob, you can freeze the sauce for up to 6 months.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey! Nice to meet you

    Neha Mathur, Founder & Recipe Expert at Whisk Affair

    Hi! I’m Neha, Blogger & Recipe Expert behind Whisk Affair. I’ve nurtured Whisk Affair since 2012 by trying & testing every recipe published. Be sure that it will turn out good each time! Read More about me…

    Stay Connected

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    My Cookbook

    Neha's Cookbook Cover

    Click to Buy Now on Amazon

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Make this delicious restaurant-style Hibachi Fried Rice (Japanese Style Fried Rice) for a quick Asian-inspired meal. Serve it with Hibachi chicken and Yum Yum sauce and get transported to a Japanese Steakhouse.
      Best Hibachi Fried Rice (Japanese Style Fried Rice)
    • This oven-baked lemon garlic baked tilapia is super easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes. It's low carb, gluten-free, keto-friendly, and very flavorful. Here is how to make it.
      Spicy Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia
    • Creamy Garlic Parmesan sauce served in a bowl.
      Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
    • Lemon tea served in cups.
      Lemon Tea
    • Light, hearty and delicious, Chicken Clear Soup is super easy to make at home. It is made using simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes. This soul-soothing soup is gluten-free and low carb too.
      Chicken Clear Soup
    • Egg White Scramble is a healthy, fluffy, and delicious option for breakfast. Serve it with some toast and fruits and milk on the side. Here is how to make the best fluffy scrambled egg white recipe at home!
      Scrambled Egg Whites

    Summer Mango Recipes

    • Kacche Aam Ki Launji is a sweet and spicy chutney made using tangy green mangoes, jaggery, and a few simple spices. This chutney keeps good in the refrigerator for upto 3 months. So make a big batch and enjoy!
      Kacche Aam Ki Launji (Sweet & Spicy Raw Mango Chutney)
    • Learn How To Make Mango Pulp in under 5 minutes and use it round the year to make your favorite recipes.
      How To Make Mango Pulp (Mango Puree)
    • Green mango chutney is a spicy and tangy Indian accompaniment made using green mangoes. Serve it with an Indian snack or meals for a tangy treat.
      Green Mango Chutney (Raw Mango Chutney)
    • This Easy Mango Pico De Gallo is fruity, sweet, and spicy and comes together in under 10 minutes using simple ingredients. Serve it with nachos, chips, rice, or tacos for a perfect summer special accompaniment (vegan, gluten-free).
      Mango Pico De Gallo (Mango Salsa)
    • Mango Magic Tropical Smoothie is a delicious drink loaded with tropical flavors. Sip it for breakfast or for snacks (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).
      Mango Magic Tropical Smoothie
    • Aam Panna (Tangy Raw Mango Drink) is a refreshing Indian summer beverage made using green raw mangoes. It is sweet, tangy, and bursting with beautiful flavors. Make it in an instant pot or a traditional pressure cooker (vegan, gluten-free).
      Aam Panna (Tangy Raw Mango Drink)

    Indian Beverages

    • Beaten Coffee (Indian Style Cappuccino) is a delicious foamy coffee drink popular in North Indian homes. It is served for all marriage functions, special occasions, or for everyday consumption at home. Make it using my easy recipe (vegetarian, gluten-free).
      Beaten Coffee (Indian Style Cappuccino)
    • Make Mango Frooti (a popular sweet and tangy mango drink) at home using my easy recipe. It tastes just like the store-bought one, minus the harmful colors and preservatives (vegan, gluten-free).
      Mango Frooti Drink
    • Kokum Juice (Kokum Sharbat) is a Konkani beverage made using dried kokum. It is a perfect drink to sip on hot summer days (vegan, gluten-free).
      Kokum Juice (Kokum Sharbat)
    • Mohabbat ka Sharbat is a refreshing Old Delhi-style summer drink. It has flavors from watermelon and rose syrup. Here is how to make it (vegetarian, gluten-free, and can be made vegan).
      Mohabbat Ka Sharbat
    • Sambaram (Morum Vellam) is Kerala-style spicy buttermilk made with yogurt, curry leaves, green chilies, and ginger. It is popularly served during Onam Sadhya with the festive spread (vegetarian, gluten-free).
      Sambaram (Morum Vellam, Kerala Style Buttermilk)
    • Kahwa is a Kashmiri tea flavored with cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron. It is a great drink to sip on cold winter days but can be had throughout the year. Here is how to make it at home.
      Kashmiri Kahwa Tea

    Footer


    ^ back to top

    About

    About Neha

    Diwali E-Book

    My Cookbook

    Stay Connected

    Sign up! for emails and updates

    Contact Me

    Policies

    Privacy Policy

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Policy

    Whiskaffair has been featured in leading media including the huffington post, bloomberg quint, buzz feed, your story and many more

    Copyright © 2022 WhiskAffair Food LLP