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–+ servings
Bottle of hot sauce on a board next to a small bowl with the same hot sauce.
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5 from 3 votes

Chipotle Hot Sauce Recipe (Smoky and Spicy)

Looking to replicate that spicy and smoky chipotle-flavored Cholula or Tabasco sauce at home? This recipe for chipotle hot sauce comes together really quickly and doesn’t need any long pickling or fermentation stage. Use this sauce on any recipe when you want to add bold flavor and heat.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 20 Servings per jar
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 can Chipotle peppers in adobo - 7 oz can
  • ¼ cup Orange juice - From ½ an orange
  • ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup White vinegar
  • ½ tsp Cumin powder
  • ½ tsp Mexican oregano - Substitute standard Greek oregano
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup Water - Use what you need to get the right consistency.
  • Sugar - Optional

Instructions

  • Prepare the peppers. Using gloves, remove any stems and seeds from the chipotle peppers. You can do this on a cutting board or by hand. You only need the flesh and juice. [If you want a much spicier sauce, don't discard the seeds]
  • Blend. Add the peppers and all the adobo sauce to a blender or food processor. Add the orange juice, both kinds of vinegar, cumin, oregano, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed and blend again.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Taste the sauce. It should be smoky, salty, sweet and spicy. Make any adjustments you like at this point. You can add a little white sugar for more sweetness. For a looser sauce, add a splash of water and blend again.
  • Bottle. Using a funnel, transfer the finished hot sauce to clean and sanitized hot sauce bottles. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Notes

See the blog post above for step-by-step recipe photos.
Important ingredient notes:
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo: Sold in small cans, this standard Mexican product can now be found at most if not all grocery stores. You can also get it online or at your local Mexican or Latin market.
  • Orange Juice: Orange juice adds liquid to the mix which helps thin the sauce. It also adds sweetness to help balance the heat from the peppers.
  • Vinegar: I like to use a combination of apple cider and white vinegar in this recipe. The apple cider vinegar adds sweetness, while the white vinegar adds pungent acidity and helps preserve the sauce.
  • Cumin: Cumin powder is a classic Mexican ingredient. It’s a warm spice that adds another layer of great flavor to the overall hot sauce.
  • Mexican Oregano: Not everyone has access to Mexican Oregano. You can certainly substitute for regular dried oregano.
 
Enjoy with chicken wings, burrito bowls, on eggs or with any dish you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.03g | Fat: 0.02g | Saturated Fat: 0.002g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.3mg