Creamy Chipotle Sauce has it all! It is a mayonnaise-based sauce, which means it’s creamy and tangy and salty. It is also spicy and smoky because of the chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce. You can literally use this sauce on just about anything you can think of!

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

In this house, we love mayonnaise. In fact, we only ever buy Hellmann’s mayonnaise, and if you were to look in our pantry at any given time, you would find at least two jars. Plus, there’s always an open jar in the fridge. Another thing you would find quite often is canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. So, I combined those two things, along with a few other ingredients, to make this Creamy Chipotle Sauce!

Just like canned tomatoes, beans, artichokes, and bags of pasta, you can find canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce sitting on one of the shelves in our pantry. When we first bought our house, it had just a small pantry space that was tucked under the stairs. It worked for a bit, but we needed something more substantial. Just a few months ago, we had a pantry built in and I’ve been stocking it ever since!

Because I cook and bake so much for my blog, there are times when I find I’m overstocked with an abundance of food that needs to be used up before it spoils or expires. And, canned food is no exception! Whenever we buy pantry items, I will always put the new stuff behind the older stuff. And, while I’m packing it away, I take note of the expiry dates. I usually don’t have a problem with using things up before they go bad, but some items you just don’t use as much as others.

For example, how often does one use canned artichokes? So, why do I have five cans sitting in my pantry right now? Actually, make that four. I just remembered that I made pizza for dinner on Friday night and I used a can of those artichokes. Just a little side note, homemade pizza with artichoke hearts, sliced tomatoes, and red bell peppers are one of my favourites!

CANNED CHIPOTLES IN ADOBO SAUCE

I digress! Let’s get back to this Creamy Chipotle Sauce and the most important ingredient in the entire recipe – canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. What is it anyway? If you’ve never tried them, you simply must – especially if you love spicy food! You probably already know this, but chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked and dried jalapeños. They are rehydrated and canned in a sweet and tangy sauce consisting of tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, and spices. They pack a punch when it comes to flavour and heat!

I have never tried to eat one right from the can, because I have this fear that my mouth would catch fire. I do love a little heat and spice, but I’m not a fan of self-induced suffering. Mixing them with other ingredients is I tend to do it. This mellows out the spiciness while allowing me to enjoy the complex flavours of the adobo sauce.

In fact, I use just one of two of the chipotle peppers. I tend to use more of the sauce. The adobo sauce is not spicy or hot like the peppers are, which is why I use more of the sauce than I do the actual peppers. If you are more inclined to excess spice and heat, you can certainly increase the number of chipotle peppers you use in your Creamy Chipotle Sauce.

ADOBO SAUCE

Now that we know the peppers are dried and rehydrated jalapenos, just what is adobo sauce? The Spanish word adobo means marinade or seasoning. However, depending on what part of the world you’re in, the style of seasoning can vary greatly. For example, in Cuba, adobo is a seasoned salt or spice mix. In contrast, in Mexico, adobo is more likely to mean a spicy tomato-based sauce, which most resembles what I’m using.

The Filipino style of adobo, which involves stewing meat, usually pork or chicken, in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. So, you see, it can vary greatly depending on where you live. For the purposes of this Creamy Chipotle Sauce, we are using canned chipotle peppers in adobo, which you can find right here. This is the exact can I used!

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE:

Mayonnaise – You can use any mayonnaise you prefer – full fat, fat free, etc.
Sour Cream – This will cut down on the fat, and will cool the sauce, meaning that it lowers the spice and heat level.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – I used two peppers and a tablespoon of the sauce.
Lime – Fresh lime juice gives this sauce a brightness and freshness.
Onion Powder – I love the oniony flavour in this creamy, spicy sauce.
Black Pepper – Where the chipotle peppers bring the heat, the black pepper will add warmth.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHIPOTLE SAUCE:

When it comes to preparing a sauce recipe, none of them are easier than this one! Measure all of the ingredients into your food processor. Pulse until the peppers are broken down and blended well into the mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream. Once the sauce is formed, taste to see if it needs a bit of salt. Depending on the mayonnaise you used, you might need a bit of salt for seasoning.

Keep in mind that as the sauce sits, it the flavour will be more enhanced. So, don’t over salt! Transfer the sauce to a food-safe container and store it covered in the fridge. The sauce will last for 5-7 days.

TIPS & TRICKS: This sauce is best if refrigerated for at least 2 hours before using. This time will allow the ingredients a moment to marry together and become a more cohesive sauce. If you notice after a day or two that there is some water/moisture on top of the sauce, don’t worry! This does not mean it has spoiled. Some brands of sour cream have more water content than others. Just stir it and it will all come back together as a uniform sauce.

PUTTING YOUR SAUCE TO GOOD USE

Some of you might be familiar with a spicy mayo sauce called crema. This pretty much what you have just made! Anywhere you would use crema, you can use this Creamy Chipotle Sauce. That would apply to things like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and even soups! I would totally support stirring a dollop of this sauce into my Mexican Corn Soup.

I guess when it comes to dollops, you can apply this sauce to other dishes as well. It would be delicious on this Vegetarian Chili, or on these Chorizo and Black Bean Bowls. You can use this sauce as a dip too. I think these plain Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings would work well dipped into this sauce. Of course, the most obvious use might on a sandwich. Smear it liberally on bread with toppings that would pair well with the sauce, like roast beef or chicken. Don’t forget the tomatoes!

There are too many uses to list, but I have to make mention of this one before I move on. Transfer some of the sauce to a resealable bag and use scissors to cut just the tip of one lower corner of the bag away. Lift the bag over a plate of nachos or a plate of crispy fries and drizzle the sauce all over the top. I absolutely love this sauce over nachos! And, it goes great with melted cheese, salsa, and guacamole!

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