Pili Pili (African Hot Sauce)

If you like spicy, this is the Pili Pili Sauce is for you! You just need three ingredients, five minutes, and a blender to make it.

This recipe for Pili Pili Sauce comes from my hsuband’s Congolese grandmother, who grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). The family calls her Koko, which means grandma. Koko spent most of her adult life in D.R.C. before moving to Canada.

I make a batch of pili pili sauce monthly for my husband, using a simple blend of scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, water, and salt. This is the recipe that I use.

If anyone asks, the recipe came from “Koko”. 🙂

What does Pili Pili mean?

Pili Pili, also known as Peri Peri, can mean either “pepper pepper” or “spicy spicy”. It is used in both Swahili and Lingala languages.

How hot is a scotch bonnet pepper?

Quite spicy. A scotch bonnet pepper has a rating of 100,000–350,000 Scoville units. As a comparison, a jalapeño pepper is rated 2,500–8,000 Scoville units.

Basically, scotch bonnet peppers are very spicy, and you need a full half pound of them, seeds and all, for Pili Pili.

A little bit will do. My husband uses a little less than a teaspoon to accompany his dinner every night.

Ingredients

• Scotch bonnet peppers are also sold as Jamaican peppers. You can find them in many international food markets.
• Garlic adds even more flavor.
• You’ll also need a little salt and water to blend the sauce.

How to make Pili Pili Sauce

First, rinse the peppers and remove the stem from each pepper. You don’t need a knife for this. Just pluck the stem off with your fingers.

Put the peppers, garlic, water, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until the mixture is combined, but a still a little chunky.

Carefully remove the lid from the blender. Stand back when you do this. Blending the peppers causes the oils to release and they will waft from the blender.

Pour the Pili Pili into a resealable container (I use small glass mason jars) and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I serve with Pili Pili?

Pili pili sauce is traditionally served with Congolese stews, which are tomato-based and made with either fish, chicken, pork, goat, or beef.

My husband will put a teaspoon of it on the side of his plate, and put a bit of Pili Pili onto every bite.

But honestly, it pairs nicely with whatever you’d like to spice up. Try it on eggs, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, jambalaya, or even meatloaf!

If you’re in search of another Congolese recipe, don’t miss these African Beignets! They’re made with self-rising flour so they don’t require yeast. So easy and SO good.

📖 Recipe