The 10 Best Hot Sauces, According to Bon Appétit Editors

I don’t know about you, but hot sauce is a nonnegotiable pantry staple for me. Although Sriracha is in short supply as of late, luckily it’s not the only condiment to grab if you’re looking to add a kick to your eggs, soups, veggies, tacos, fried rice—really just about anything. The Bon Appétit staff rounded up the best hot sauces in this list that caters to the spice-averse and spice-seeker alike. No matter your level of spice preference, and whether you’re looking for Fresno peppers, Thai chiles, or Carolina Reapers, we bring on the heat for you. (As for me, Yellowbird’s jalapeño sauce is a personal favorite.)

Between my four family members living in three different households, we always have at least three bottles of Max’s Yummy Hot Sauce open and flowing. It’s just spicy enough to zhuzh up your morning eggs or fried rice (my brother’s favorite application) and, most importantly for me, it’s kind to the stomach. It’s made with Fresno peppers in small batches by Max Rappaport, a Los Angeles-based food stylist, and improved by tweaks with every batch. Rappaport promises that the hot sauce will make your taste buds sing and he certainly delivers. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations associate

Unlike some chili-based condiments, which simply dial up spiciness, this one is a firehose of flavor that meshes remarkably well with all kinds of dishes. I like to drape it on soft-scrambled eggs before rolling them into breakfast burritos and spread lines of it on grilled sausages alongside yellow mustard and pickle relish. I have put it on everything from nachos to dal to sandwiches, and in each case Zhong stepped in like culinary putty to pull it all together. —Chris Morocco, food director

The versatility of sambal badjak (the spicy version) or sambal manis (which is labeled as mild but still carries a hint of heat) is what earned it a permanent place next to my soy sauce, chili crisp, and gochujang. It adds a peppy punch to a bowl of roasted broccoli and carrots, serves as a marinade for steak and chicken (alongside brown sugar and fish sauce), makes for the perfect crudités dipping sauce, and amps up the heat in ramen. —Elisabeth Sherman, BA contributor

On a typical morning, I either start my day with avocado toast or fry up a classic Filipino silog breakfast made with garlic fried rice and a few pieces of glazed beef tapa or fried Spam—either way, yellow Sriracha makes an appearance. I’ve also been adding it to this crispy Thai chicken salad, air-fried spicy chicken wings, and crispy salmon and bulgur. And, of course, I can’t eat poke without it—with foods like delicate raw fish, I want the more subdued, citrus-forward kind of heat these Thai peppers provide. Three Mountains brightens up my every meal with tanginess, heat, and the perfect dose of bright yellow sunshine. —Julia Duarte, art assistant

Raw hot sauce has a crisp, flavorful finish that lets the natural vegetal flavor and heat shine through. Mild, it’s not. Green Widow is fierier than any jalapeño-based hot sauce I’ve tried, with a lingering heat that plays off warm, earthy cumin and bright lime juice. Over the past few months, I’ve added Green Widow to everything from breakfast sandwiches to fish tacos, and recently, I’ve taken to adding a few dashes to simple bowls of brothy beans. It adds a fresh vegetal flavor when my fridge doesn’t have any herbs to spare. —Aliza Abarbanel, BA contributor

95% Sauce has a striking balance of heat and tang, sweetness and spice, smoke and tingle. The first release is called Batch 13, named to recognize the preceding 12 failed attempts at perfecting the sauce. This sweet, peppery sauce derives its complex flavor from Fresno pepper, Thai chiles, habanero pepper, mango, and pineapple with a heat that is present without causing my mouth to schvitz. I’ve gone through five bottles without much trouble (or forehead wipes), and it has quickly become my go-to condiment, bringing pizazz and flavor to salmon tacos, corn salad, and weekend brunch strata. —Arsh Raziuddin, creative director

I have a pretty high heat tolerance, which makes finding satisfying hot sauces pretty difficult. I’ve found that as brands turn the heat way up, their emphasis shifts from maximizing flavor to maximizing pain. But then I tried Crazy Bastard’s Carolina Reaper & Blueberry on a trip to Berlin. The German company cleverly blends ingredients like tropical fruits, berries, and fresh ginger with red hot chiles to create sauces that are delicious, balanced, and more than capable of making my ears sweat. The extra spicy Carolina Reaper and Ghost Pepper sauces are perfect for my fellow masochists, but even my more sensitive friends have fallen in love with more mild options like Chipotle & Pineapple and Habañero & Tomatillo. They’re tangy, sweet, and hot enough to keep things interesting without burning out your tastebuds in the process. —Nico Avalle, digital operations associate

Crazy Bastard Carolina Reaper and Blueberry Sauce

This Barbadian-style hot sauce is so dang versatile. The blend of vinegar, onions, horseradish, and peppers takes my eggs, grilled meats, tacos, and stews to a fiery new level. I also love the iconic label, emblazoned with founder Andre Springer’s drag persona, Shaquanda, who, like her hot sauce, is “willing to please, eager to burn.” —Ali Francis, editor

I like a heavy hot sauce, and many here in the U.S. are a little too light or limey for me. Shaquanda’s warming West Indian Curry sauce is what I want to eat on just about anything. —Sonia Chopra, executive editor

Red Clay Peach Hot Sauce has been my latest sauce obsession. With dozens of hot sauces in my fridge, I’ve been reaching for this sweet and spicy delight. Its peach flavor complements the habanero heat smoothly, and it won’t leave your tongue scorched. It goes well over BBQ pork, Thai peanut noodles, and Taco Bell crunchwraps, just to name a few meals. All self-tested and approved. —Julia Duarte, art assistant