I am going to show you in a few simple steps--how to make your own chipotle sauce to liven up your favorite dishes. It's perfect for dipping into or adding to sandwiches, tacos and wraps. It's easy and quick to make and just bursting with incredible, smoky flavor!
An authentic chipotle chili pepper sauce can add a nice level of heat and flavor to your favorite Mexican dish. You can slather it on any dish, really.
While you might never know the exact combination of spices that go into making your favorite family owned Mexican restaurant's version, there are a number of good options for the homemade stuff.
This spicy mayo sauce recipe, made from scratch, can help you avoid all of those mysterious ingredients that have you raising your eyebrows. Besides, I have yet to find a commercial chipotle hot sauce that can beat this homemade version!
Jump to:
What is a Chipotle Anyway?
Chipotle means 'smoked chili pepper'. Chipotle peppers are simply ripened jalapeños that have gone through a smoke-drying process. Preserving chipotles through smoke-drying was adopted by many civilizations, but began with Mesoamericans.
Chipotles are considered a staple in Mexican cuisine. These peppers boast medium heat and will add a depth of smoky flavor to salsa, sauces, stews (such as my bison stew recipe), soups, meat and more.
Ingredients
This recipe makes about 2 cups of chipotle sauce.
- chipotles in adobo sauce (2 to 3 chipotles + the sauce)--They come in a can in the International aisle of the grocery store. I sometimes use homemade.
- mayonnaise - I use full fat.
- plain Greek yogurt - You can substitute the yogurt with sour cream.
- cumin powder - Cumin is a popular seasoning for tacos, burritos and other Tex-Mex food and I absolutely love it in this sauce.
- fresh cilantro leaves - If you don't like cilantro, feel free to leave it out. I wouldn't want you missing out on this sauce because of the cilantro.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Tweaks
Whether it's to complement your home cooking or spice up some less-than-authentic fast food, this chipotle mayo sauce gets you where you need to go. One of the true beauties of this recipe, though, is how easy it is to adjust to your personal tastes:
- Spice level. Mild, medium, or extra hot is just a few tweaks away: If you can handle the heat, add more chipotles in adobo sauce to your liking. If it is too spicy, add some more mayo and/or yogurt.
- Choice of dairy. While this recipe uses Greek yogurt, you can choose to throw in some sour cream instead; sometimes I prefer it.
- Add some zip. You can add some lime juice for some zip.
Instructions
Step #1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender.
Step #2. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step #3. Transfer to a jar, squeeze bottle or airtight container. Serve and enjoy!
Ways to Use Chipotle Sauce
Chipotle sauce can be used in many ways. I'll give you just a few ideas but you can get creative with it:
- Dip it. Use it as a dip for chicken fingers, fries and veggie sticks.
- Drizzle it. Drizzle it over rice bowls, tacos, salads, nachos and roasted vegetables.
- Spoon it. Spoon it into wraps, sandwiches, burgers, burritos (such as a kimchi burrito), fajitas and quesadillas.
You can basically use this sauce any way that you would a basic mayo.
Chipotle Sauce FAQs
It's a Mexican cream-based sauce with mildly spicy chipotle peppers, which are just smoke-dried jalapeños.
It has a creamy base of either mayo, sour cream, Greek yogurt or a combination of these. Chipotles in adobo sauce are blended with the base as well as other optional ingredients like cilantro, lime juice and spices.
It has a strong smoky, spicy flavor with a hint of sweetness. It is toned down a little by the creaminess of the sauce.
The sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes to Consider
If you tried this recipe tutorial for How to Make Chipotle Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
How to Make Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chipotles in adobo sauce - 2 to 3 chipotles + the sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt - or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer to a jar, squeeze bottle or airtight container. Serve and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
- Storage. The sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Yield. This recipe makes about 2 cups of chipotle sauce.
- Spiciness. If you can handle the heat, add more chipotles in adobo sauce to your liking.
- Where to find chipotles. They come in a can in the International aisle of the grocery store or online.
- To tone it down. If it is too spicy, add some more mayo and/or yogurt.
- Cilantro. If you don't like cilantro, feel free to leave it out.
- Lime juice. You can add some lime juice for some zip if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Leave a Reply