Huy Fong Foods Sriracha is iconic. The hot chili sauce has crossed cultures and was being used in literally every cuisine. Created by Thai cook and entrepreneur Thanom Chakkapak, Sriracha is now something in our lexicon thanks to David Tran’s Huy Fong Foods’ marketing and the green-capped bottle with a rooster you can find in any supermarket or pantry.
These days, Sriracha is made with jalapeño chili peppers grown in California, New Mexico and Mexico. Unfortunately, drought conditions over the past few years have made the production of Sriracha and its availability scarce, to say the least. That and a legal battle between the company and supplier of peppers. And this year the problem got so bad that you could end up paying upwards of $50 for it from third-party sellers.
While the iconic Huy Fong Foods Sriracha is slowly trickling back onto shelves, the company told USA Today in November that “We continue to have a limited supply that continues to affect product availability,” the Southern California company said in a statement to USA TODAY. And even though it might seem sacrilege, there are plenty of Latine alternatives to the iconic sauce (some that have even ended up on YouTube’s Hot Ones) that you should check out.
1
Tía Lupita
Tia Lupita Foods are inspired by Mexican recipes from Hector Saldivar’s Mom and her family kitchen. Any food or hot sauce that is based on honoring Latine family members sounds like a winner to me. The hot sauce is also non-GMO, gluten-free, and pretty low in sodium considering most hot sauces have a ton of it. Ever since Saldivar’s appearance on Shark Tank, this hot sauce is sure to be popular. Buy their stuff here!
2
Siete Botana Sauces
Siete was co-founded by Veronica Garza. She started this company when she was diagnosed with multiple autoimmune conditions which severely limited what she could intake for her autoimmune diet. Siete offers grain-free and low-inflammation foods and sauces for those with autoimmune issues and those who just want healthier options that fit their particular dietary needs. As a husband whose wife has similar autoimmune issues — Siete is a staple company in our kitchen. Check out their range of Botana sauces!
3
Pisqueya
Inspired by the gap in Dominican representation within the global food market, Maritza Abreu started Pisqueya to fill that need. The name alone has a cool story. Pisqueya is “a portmanteau of picante (spicy in Spanish) and quisqueya [kis-keh-yah], the Taíno name for the island which comprises the Dominican Republic and Haiti.” From a smoky hot sauce to a green “medium buzz,” and even a spicy-sweet passion fruit hot sauce, this brand brings the flavor, heat, and representation that was desperately needed! Also, it’s been on Hot Ones.
4
Salsa Valentina
For those who like a hot sauce but do not necessarily need it to set their tongue ablaze, this is your sauce. Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, Salsa Valentina is a staple on many Mexican tables from Mexico to the United States. This sauce is named after Valentina Ramírez Avitia, a Mexican Soldadera and revolutionary. Hot sauce with an homage to a badass woman revolutionary? Pour a little extra for me!
5
El Yucateco Hot Sauce
We know not everyone can readily order craft (and often pricey) hot sauces online. We would all prefer to do that, but sometimes we just want to buy a hot sauce we can find on a store shelf, right? Thanks to El Yucateco Hot Sauce, you can do that. The term “Yucateco” refers to people from the Yucatan and this company has more than 50 years of history and tradition. This is a staple on any table in Mexico and thanks to years of popularity, even appearing on Hot Ones, you can find it almost anywhere.