EL YUCATECO CHILI HABENERO
The words "chili habanero" in its name should be a dead giveaway. This hot sauce is HOT. It is packed with habanero flavor and heat. I add this into anything that I want to make spicier-- like chili or curry dishes. I never really put this on something to eat because it is that hot. It goes much better mixed in with something. It is my ultimate go to when I want to bring the heat in any dish.
Heat: 9.5/10
Goes well with: Chili, chickpea curry, soup
www.elyucateco.com
Inglehoffer sriracha mustard
Everyone knows that Sriracha is amazing. They only thing that could make it better would be to mix it with mustard! I love this mustard because it combines two of my favorite things into a delicious sauce. It has crazy flavor from the mustard with just enough heat. The heat comes from the Sriracha, not the mustard. Forget Sriracha ranch, this mustard is the way to go.
Heat: 4.5/10
Goes well with: Hot pretzels, sandwiches, burgers
www.beavertonfoods.com
Heat: 4.5/10
Goes well with: Hot pretzels, sandwiches, burgers
www.beavertonfoods.com
Schlotzsky's
I worked as a sandwich creator at Schlotzskys for over 3 years. Quite frequently customers would come in just to buy bottles of this hot sauce. I had to see what all the hype was about and finally tried it. It has a classic vinegary hot sauce taste similar to Louisiana hot sauce. It's not overbearing with the spice but it's packed with the classic Louisiana flavor. People loved this hot sauce so much that they would put in on their sandwiches, in their soup, and even on their potato chips. Definitely worth a try if you're searching for something that not everyone knows about but still tastes great and is versatile.
Heat: 5/10
Goes well with: Sandwiches, soup, chips, burgers, pizza, salads
www.schlotzskys.com
Heat: 5/10
Goes well with: Sandwiches, soup, chips, burgers, pizza, salads
www.schlotzskys.com
Texas Pete
My personal favorite. I remember discovering this hot sauce when I was in a grilled cheese shop called Tom&Chee. (Delicious). I put some on my grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and my life was changed forever. It's vinegary, flavorful and packed with heat. I would compare it to the flavor of Tobasco, but not as smoky or hot. An overall winner!
Heat: 6/10
Goes well with: Grilled cheese, eggs, avocado toast, bloody mary's
www.texaspete.com
Heat: 6/10
Goes well with: Grilled cheese, eggs, avocado toast, bloody mary's
www.texaspete.com
LA Anita chile habanero
This hot sauce was given to me as a gift from Mexico. The quality of this sauce is amazing, has a think consistency, and tastes similar to that of the El Yucateco. Also very very hot and great to put into soups or chili.
Heat: 8/10
Goes well with: Soups, chili, burrito, eggs, heating up salsa
Heat: 8/10
Goes well with: Soups, chili, burrito, eggs, heating up salsa
slap ya mama cajun pepper sauce
I was intrigued by this sauce after my trip to New Orleans earlier this year. After trying home cooked cajun food, I decided I needed more of it in my life. This sauce has a classic cajun seasoning flavor, but it has a very runny consistency. I really enjoy it when I need a change of pace from classic chili flavors.
Heat: 3/10
Goes well with: Jambalaya, any cajun pasta or dishes.
www.slapyamama.com
Heat: 3/10
Goes well with: Jambalaya, any cajun pasta or dishes.
www.slapyamama.com
Cholula-chipotle
I love this sauce for adding extra flavor to dishes. There is barely any heat in this sauce, but that's alright with me because of the flavor. If a recipe ever calls for crushed chipotle peppers and I don't have any on hand, this is a perfect substitute. I love adding this into sweet potato and black bean chili to give it a unique flavor.
Heat: 1/10
Goes well with: chili, roasted veggies, seasoning for black beans
www.cholula.com
Heat: 1/10
Goes well with: chili, roasted veggies, seasoning for black beans
www.cholula.com
Cholula-original
Where do I begin with this classic. Easily one of my favorite hot sauces ever. It is versatile and the flavor is amazing. I remember discovering this hot sauce in a Qdoba of all places. I was 12 or 13 years old, and I believe it single handedly started my hot sauce obsession. It can really go well with anything. It has more of a Mexican/Southwestern flavor but not overly spicy. If you're just beginning to dabble with adding hot sauces to your meals, this is a great place to start.
Heat: 4/10
Goes well with: Burrito bowls, nachos, chili, eggs, veggie burgers
www.cholula.com
Heat: 4/10
Goes well with: Burrito bowls, nachos, chili, eggs, veggie burgers
www.cholula.com
**The heat scale of 1-10 is based on my own personal opinion. 1 = virtually no heat at all, 10 = eyes are watering and running to the fridge to chug milk.