Homemade jalapeno chilli paste is a handy condiment to keep in your freezer. Break off a piece when you need extra heat and stir it into soups, stews and sauces for a flavour boost.
Jalapeno chilli paste
A friend recently dropped off a large bag of chopped jalapenos. I quickly decided to turn them into a versatile chilli paste that’s perfect to freeze and use whenever I need a hit of heat.
This paste is incredibly useful in the kitchen — keep a bag in the freezer and add it to dishes to lift their flavour.
- Stir into soups and stews for extra warmth
- Mix with mayonnaise or cream cheese for a spicy dip
- Add to meatball, burger or meatloaf mixes for extra zing
- Use in marinades for chicken, pork or chops
- Blend into a pepper sauce to pour over grilled steaks
You can use this jalapeno paste anywhere a recipe calls for chilli.
How spicy is jalapeno chilli paste?
You control the heat. The overall spice level depends on the peppers you use, and most of the burn comes from the seeds and white membranes.
If you prefer a milder paste, remove the seeds and membranes before processing. If a batch turns out hotter than you like, use smaller amounts when adding it to dishes.
Keep jalapeno chilli paste in the freezer
Whole fresh jalapenos will keep 2–3 weeks in the fridge, but once cut they only last a few days. Freezing the paste is the best option — it stores indefinitely and is easy to use straight from the freezer.
Pack the cooled paste into a thin layer inside a freezer bag. Unlike water, the paste won’t freeze rock solid, so you can simply break off a piece when you need it.
If you prefer not to freeze it, keep the paste in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to make jalapeno chilli paste
This recipe is quick and easy. The full quantities and method are provided in the recipe card below.
You’ll need chopped jalapenos, an onion and optional garlic, plus a little olive oil for frying.
To scale up, use one large onion and two garlic cloves per 250 g (8 ounces) of chopped jalapenos.
Garlic is optional — leave it out if you don’t want garlic flavour. If you do include garlic, either fresh cloves or jarred minced garlic will work. Note that adding garlic will change which dishes the paste suits.
No salt is added in this basic recipe so you can season dishes individually when using the paste.
A word of warning — when handling chillis, wash your hands afterwards and avoid touching your face.
Place the chopped jalapenos, onion and garlic (if using) into a food processor …
… and pulse until everything is finely chopped.
If you don’t have a food processor, chop everything very finely with a sharp knife, though this will take longer.
Transfer the chopped mixture to a saucepan with the olive oil and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Allow the paste to cool, then pack it flat into freezer bags, label them and freeze.
Make a finer paste
If you prefer a smoother texture, blend the cooked mixture in a blender until fine. I like a coarser texture, so I leave it as is.
Save for later
Save this recipe to your favourite board or keep a copy of the instructions so you can make it again whenever you have a surplus of jalapenos.
Related recipes
This chilli paste works well in many dishes — try it with spicy pork stir-fries, one-pan pastas, chilli con carne or jambalaya.
-
Thai pork mince stir fry with green beans
-
Cheesy mince pasta – a one pan meal
-
Chilli con carne rice casserole with corn topping
-
Easy homemade Jambalaya with chicken, chorizo and prawns
📋The recipe
Jalapeno chilli paste
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Food processor (or blender)
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 8 ounce (250g) chopped jalapeno peppers
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the jalapenos into small pieces. Remove seeds and membranes if you want a milder paste.
- Cut the onion into quarters.
- Place the jalapenos, onion and garlic (if using) into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the chopped mixture and stir well.
- Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Allow to cool, then pack into a flat layer in a freezer bag, label and freeze.
- Break off pieces as needed and use them in place of fresh chilli in your recipes.
Notes
You can use fresh garlic or substitute 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic. If increasing quantities, use one large onion per 250g (8 oz) chopped jalapenos. Calories shown are for the entire recipe.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates – 30.7 g
|
Protein – 5.4 g
|
Fat – 29.7 g
Nutrition info was calculated with an online tool and is for guidance only.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please consider leaving a star rating in the comments. You can contact Veronica at [email protected].
Continue browsing recipes from the site’s index to find more ideas to use this paste in your cooking.