Go Back
+ servings
A jar of adobo sauce surrounded by ancho chiles and a bulb of garlic.
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Adobo Sauce

Adobo Sauce is a reddish brown, rich and earthy sauce. It is a staple in Mexico and made of ancho chile, vinegar, and herbs. Intensely delicious and makes anything taste amazing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 94kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut the stem from the ancho chiles.
  • Cut lengthwise and remove the seeds.
  • Place the chiles into a stock pot with 2 cups water.
  • Bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
  • Let sit for 5 minutes, or until pliable.
  • Discard the water used in the rehydration process.
  • To a blender, add the rehydrated chiles, 2 cups water, and all of the remaining ingredients.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Strain.
  • Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Notes

Make it quicker: Instead of dried ancho chile, use 2 oz. (or ½ cup) ancho chile powder. 
Here are some swap options:
  • You can use ground cinnamon.
  • Whole or ground cumin and oregano work just fine in this Adobo Sauce recipe.
  • Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use white distilled vinegar.
What can I substitute for adobo sauce?
Mix 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, pinch of cumin, a pinch of oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 80g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 248mg | Sugar: 5g