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Adobo Sauce

By Kimberly Killebrew
Store-bought simply cannot compare to the incredibly rich, robust, and complex flavor of this authentic Adobo Sauce. Made from scratch with whole chiles, it stores well and its flavor only improves with time.
5 from 26 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Reconstituting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 6 dried whole guajillo chiles
  • 4 dried whole ancho chiles
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic (optional: for best flavor roast the garlic)
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • small pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions
 

  • Place the dried ancho and guajillo peppers in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them so they're submerged. Let them sit until they've cooled down and are soft. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the soaking liquid and discard the rest.
    Place the reconstituted chiles in a blender with the reserved soaking liquid, onions and garlic. Blend until the mixture is very smooth with no chunks remaining.
  • Transfer the pureed chili mixture to a medium saucepan. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Do not allow the sauce to burn or it will become bitter. Discard the bay leaf.
    Add salt and sugar to taste. If it's too thick for your preference, add a little bit of water.
  • Allow the sauce to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight jar and store it in the fridge. For the best flavor, let your adobo sauce sit for at least a couple of days (preferably longer) before using. This will allow the vinegar to mellow out and for the flavors to develop. The longer it sits, the better the flavor becomes.
    The sauce will keep for up to a month in the fridge and you can store it in the freezer for several months.
    Makes roughly 2 1/2 cups adobo sauce.

Notes

For the best flavor I highly recommend using whole dried chiles.  If you're unable to source them you can substitute 1/2 cup ancho chili powder and place it in the blender with the 1 1/4 cups water, onions and garlic.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 31kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 74mgPotassium: 83mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 779IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.4mg
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine Mexican
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