I used to drown my eggs in sriracha—until I realized just how much sugar was hiding in that red bottle. One tablespoon? Up to 1g of sugar. No thanks. So I started testing my own hot sauces—and after a few vinegary fails and a chili-bomb incident that made me cough for a week, I landed on this: a low-carb hot sauce that’s bold, balanced, and totally keto-safe.
It hits the right kind of heat and keeps your blood sugar right where you want it. No weird thickeners. No maltodextrin. Just real flavor.
💡 Why This One Works So Well
Most store-bought hot sauces sneak in sugar or fruit juice to “round out” the heat. Not here. This version gets balance from acid + alliums + fermented funk (optional)—so you get depth without the carbs.
It’s also stupidly easy to tweak: want it smokier? Add chipotle. More bite? Up the vinegar. It’s your hot sauce now.
🧾 What Packs Flavor Without the Carbs
- Red Fresno or jalapeño chiles (6–8, fresh) – Moderate heat, bright flavor, ~0.5g net carbs per pepper
- Garlic (3 cloves) – Adds warmth and bite, ~1g net carbs total
- Apple cider vinegar (1/2 cup) – The acid backbone. Zero carbs.
- Water (1/2 cup) – To thin it out. Also zero carbs.
- Salt (1 tsp) – Don’t skip it. Boosts flavor.
- Optional: Erythritol (1/2 tsp) – Balances acidity if you like a hint of sweetness, still 0g net carbs
- Optional: 1 tbsp fermented brine (from sauerkraut or pickles) – Adds gut-friendly funk
🔁 Low-Carb Substitutions That Hold Up
| Ingredient | Swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno/jalapeño | Dried chili flakes or Thai chilies | More heat, less depth—adjust quantity |
| ACV | White vinegar or red wine vinegar | Both work, but ACV is best for balance |
| Garlic | Roasted garlic or garlic powder | Roasted = deeper flavor; powder = shelf-stable |
Skip fruit-based hot sauces (like mango habanero) unless you’re very low on total carbs that day.
⚠️ What I Got Wrong
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Sauce turned bitter | Overcooked the chiles or used too much vinegar | Simmer gently and taste-test the acid |
| Way too hot | Left seeds in or used hotter variety | Remove seeds/ribs and use milder peppers |
| Watery texture | Too much water, not enough reduction | Simmer longer or blend thicker |
👩🍳 How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
- Prep peppers: Remove stems. For less heat, remove seeds and ribs. (Wear gloves if using hot varieties.)
- Simmer: In a saucepan, combine peppers, garlic, vinegar, water, and salt. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes until peppers soften.
- Blend: Carefully transfer to a blender (or use immersion blender). Blend until smooth. Add erythritol and brine if using.
- Taste + adjust: Want more tang? Add vinegar. More sweet? Tiny bit more erythritol. More heat? You know what to do.
- Cool + store: Let it cool. Store in glass jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Texture cue: Should be pourable, not runny. Think Tabasco, not tomato juice.
🧠 Tricks That Made This Work Better
- I always wear gloves when cutting chilis. Learned the hard way: don’t touch your eyes (or anywhere else, honestly).
- I strain the sauce only if I want it super smooth. Otherwise, I leave the pulp—it carries more flavor.
- Adding a tablespoon of fermented kraut brine brings this sauce alive. Gut bacteria bonus, too.
🧊 Keeping It Keto-Friendly All Week
- Fridge: Lasts 3–4 weeks in a sealed glass jar.
- Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays, pop out, store in a zip bag. Instant flavor bombs.
- Macros: Roughly 0.2g net carbs per tablespoon (if you skip erythritol), tracked via homemade ingredient log in Cronometer.
❓ The Questions I Always Get
Will this kick me out of ketosis?
Not unless you go wild. Each tablespoon has minimal carbs (well under 1g).
Can I make it shelf-stable?
Not without pressure canning. For fridge use, you’re golden. For pantry: stick with store-bought (like Tapatío or Frank’s, which are low-carb but not zero).
What about using ghost peppers?
You do you—but test with a toothpick tip first. Ghosts are not beginner-friendly.
Nutrition Facts
Approx. 1.5 cups / ~24 tablespoons
| Nutrient | Amount (Whole Batch) | Amount (Per Tbsp) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 50 | ~2 |
| Total Fat | 0.6g | ~0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1g | ~0g |
| Total Carbs | 9g | ~0.38g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.5g | ~0.06g |
| Net Carbs | 7.5g | ~0.31g |
| Protein | 2g | ~0.08g |
| Sugar | ~4g (natural) | ~0.17g |
| Sodium | ~2,400mg | ~100mg |
Check out More Recipes:
- Low Carb Keto Alfredo Sauce
- Low Carb Keto Tartar Sauce
- Low Carb Keto Tahini Sauce Recipe
- Low Carb Keto Caesar Dressing Recipe
Low Carb Keto Hot Sauce
Description
Easy homemade hot sauce—low-carb, sugar-free, and packed with real heat. Perfect for keto meals without the blood sugar spike.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add peppers, garlic, vinegar, water, and salt to saucepan.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until softened.
- Transfer to blender and blend until smooth.
- Stir in erythritol and brine if using.
- Cool, store in glass container in fridge.
Notes
- This hot sauce gets hotter as it sits! Taste after blending, but let it chill overnight for full flavor. Store in a glass jar for up to 4 weeks. Shake before each use.
