Got nasturtiums growing in your garden? Like Tabasco sauce and other hot stuff? Put the two ideas together and you get this super tasty Nasturtium Hot Sauce. Who would think such a pretty flower packed such a punch of flavour.
My garden is full of flowers just now. Not the upright-in-the-borders-carefully-cultivated kind of flowers that look so park like.
No, my flowers just grow where they like, spread all over the flag stones (in the case of the manic giant daisies that make hanging out the washing a feat of acrobatics to avoid squishing them) and overflow the somewhat neglected beds.
I like flowers just to be themselves and do their own thing. The nasturtiums just blaze with colour and creep out of their bed and meander over the flagstones to join the merry march with the daisies in making a floral take-over bid.
Nasturtiums
They are in all shades of yellow and orange to deep rustic red. I love my nasturtiums, though I have to say, this wasn’t always the case. Way back in the dim and distant past our neighbours had nasturtiums all along their garden fence.
A neat little row of them year after year. We kids hated the smell of them. And when we found out that this was an edible flower used to goad each other into nibbling on the bitter leaves. Popping the seed pods at each other and generally spoiling our neighbours lovely flower bed.
Edible flowers
Roll on a good few decades and I find that I love the pungent, almost urgent scent of nasturtiums. I adore that earthy hot and savoury taste from the leaves and the more delicate taste of the flowers.
Oh and nowadays I don’t throw the seed pods at other people, instead I pickle them and use them just like capers.
Nasturtium Hot Sauce
One of the ways that I like to use my nasturtiums instead of just scattering the lovely flowers and fresh leaves in a colourful salad, is to make this super easy hot sauce.
It is fiery stuff and makes a great alternative to store bought sauce like Tabasco.
Making any sort of preserve (be it pickles, vinegars, sauces or jams and chutneys etc) is a great way to hold on to the essence of summer when the days start to get dark and stormy.
I love this hot sauce as it is bright and colourful and so very spicy, it makes me see those beautiful colourful nasturtium flowers with every taste.
Ingredients for nasturtium hot sauce
- You will need approximately 1 cup of closely packed nasturtium flowers. It is always best to pick flowers at herbs in the morning after the dew has dried off their leaves and petals but before the sun is high in the sky (noon) when the plants are too dry.
- 1 clove of garlic.
- 1 tiny red chilli pepper.
- 2 cups/500ml of apple cider vinegar.
The only equipment you need here is a jar large enough to hold all your ingredients. Please sterilise it first, see instructions on my sterilising resources page, and some small sterilised bottles to store the resulting hot sauce in.
How to make nasturtium hot sauce
Firstly you want to remove any dust and insects from your nasturtium flowers. Give them a good shake to do this.
Pack the flowers into a jar and add the garlic and chilli. Now pour in the vinegar.
Set aside for a week and shake every day
Strain out the solids and pour your homemade nasturtium hot sauce into sterilised bottles.
How long will this keep?
Your nasturtium hot sauce will keep for over 6 months in a cool dark cupboard.
How to serve this hot sauce
Enjoy nasturtium hot sauce just as you would any other hot sauce. Liven up salads, sandwiches and soups with it. Use it in your cooking just like Tabasco. And remember the garden and summer sunshine every time you use it.
Looking for more fun ways to use nasturtiums in the kitchen? Then check out these recipes before you go;
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Nasturtium Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup nasturtium flowers closely packed in cup
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 chilli small red chilli pepper
- 500ml apple cider vinegar 2 cups
Instructions
- Clean off the flowers and pack into a sterilised jar.
- Peel the garlic, slice and add to the jar.
- Slit the chilli in half and add to the jar.
- Fill jar with the apple cider vinegar.
- Pop on the lid and shake well.
- Store in a cool dark place for 1 week and then strain through a sieve lined with kitchen paper or muslin and decant into small sterilised bottles.
- Store in a cool dark place and use within 6 months.
pinning this and keeping my fingers crossed for a bumper nasturtium crop (ours are just starting to flower now)
hope you make some, it is great stuff.
K x
Just mixed this up with my coral & deep red nasturtiums. Very excited for the week to be over so I can give this a try!
It should be a beautifully deep colour, let me know how it goes.
K x
Thank you! I need to clear some beds that are really beautiful with nasturtium flowers, and this concoction seems like a great consolation.
Hi Annie
Always seem such a shame when you have to clear the beds of lovely flowers. At least this way you will get to enjoy them again later in another tasty way.
Kx
Can you send me a link to purchase the bottles that you used? Or a suggestion of where to get them?
Hi Sonia
I must have bought those little bottles about ten years ago. Probably from ebay
K
I was skeptical. This is THE most fabulous hot sauce that I have come across. I use it daily for just about EVERYTHING…from wing sauce to creamed soups. The floral notes offer a reminder of sunshiny days, with the beautiful, colours of flowers in full bloom. When given as gifts, folks are astounded at the “use of flowers!” and the beautiful hues. Thank you!
Hi MJ
So thrilled that you like my nasturtium hot sauce recipe so much. I make this every year and always give it as gifts too. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
K
Super great alternative for those who love the heat but can’t do nightshade chillies
Hi Marcelle
Glad you liked this recipe.
K