Tulo

Chipotle Adobo Sauce Recipe

A small glass jar of dark reddish-brown chipotle adobo sauce with a spoon resting beside it, showing the thick, glossy texture flecked with chile skin.
Photo by DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ on Pexels

Toasting the dried chipotles before soaking wakes up their smoky oils, and roasting the tomatoes, onion, and garlic first concentrates their sweetness so the finished sauce tastes deep and balanced rather than just hot and vinegary.

Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Servings
16

Ingredients

Servings16
  • 8 chiles dried chipotle chiles (chipotle morita or meco), stems removed
  • 2 cups water, for toasting and soaking
  • 4 medium roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Nutrition per serving

Calories
23
Protein
1g
Carbs
5g
Fat
0g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Wipe the dried chipotle chiles clean with a damp towel and remove the stems, but leave the seeds in for more heat or shake them out for a milder sauce.
  2. 2Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the chiles for 20-30 seconds per side, pressing them flat with a spatula, until they smell fragrant and puff slightly. Watch closely, as they scorch fast and turn bitter.
  3. 3Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with 2 cups hot water, and soak for 20 minutes, until softened and pliable. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.
  4. 4Meanwhile, in the same dry skillet, char the tomatoes, onion quarters, and unpeeled garlic cloves over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until blackened in spots and softened.
  5. 5Let the vegetables cool slightly, then peel the garlic. Roughly chop the tomatoes and onion.
  6. 6Drain the soaked chiles and add them to a blender with the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  7. 7Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth, adding the reserved soaking liquid a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too thick to move.
  8. 8Pour the sauce into a saucepan, add the bay leaves, and simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and darker in color.
  9. 9Remove the bay leaves and taste. Adjust with more salt, vinegar, or sugar as needed, then let cool before storing.

Tips & variations

  • For a milder sauce, remove the seeds and white ribs from the chiles before toasting; this cuts a noticeable amount of the heat without losing the smokiness.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika if the dried chipotles you find are less smoky than expected; quality varies a lot between brands.
  • Use morita chiles for a fruitier, slightly sweeter sauce, or meco (grayer, larger) chiles for a more intensely smoky one.
  • Stir a spoonful into mayonnaise for a quick chipotle crema, or into ketchup for a smoky burger sauce.

Storage & reheating

Store the cooled sauce in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, spoon into an ice cube tray, freeze solid, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for up to 6 months; thaw individual cubes as needed for cooking.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Wear gloves when handling the dried chiles, especially if seeding them, since the oils cling to skin and can irritate eyes hours later.
  • If the sauce tastes flat after simmering, a small squeeze of lime juice at the end brightens it more effectively than adding more vinegar.

FAQ

Is this the same as canned chipotles in adobo?

It's the same style of sauce used to can chipotles, but this version is just the smooth adobo sauce itself. To make it closer to the canned product, simmer whole reconstituted chiles directly in the finished sauce for 10 minutes instead of blending everything smooth.

Can I use canned chipotles instead of dried ones?

Yes, in a pinch you can skip the toasting and soaking steps and blend 3-4 canned chipotles with their adobo sauce plus the tomato, onion, and garlic, though the flavor will lean more processed and less smoky.

How spicy is chipotle adobo sauce?

It lands in the medium range, roughly 5,000-10,000 Scoville units per chipotle, since the smoking process doesn't reduce a jalapeno's heat, only its moisture. Removing the seeds and ribs noticeably tones it down.

What can I use chipotle adobo sauce for?

It works stirred into marinades for chicken or pork, whisked into mayonnaise or crema, spooned over eggs, or blended into soups and chili for smoky heat.

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