sauce
Chipotle Salsa
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Prep
10 minutes
Cook
25 minutes
Total
35 min
Serves
about 3 cups (700 ml)
Smoky, slightly sweet, and a little chunky, chipotle salsa with a cooked tomato base that works inside a burrito or as a dipping sauce. The chipotle comes through clearly without being the only thing you taste.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (908 g) tomatoes, quartered
- 9 oz (255 g) onion, rough cut
- 1 oz (30 g) garlic cloves, whole peeled
- 2 oz (60 ml) canola oil
- 4 oz (115 g) chipotle in adobo
- 1 oz (30 ml) lime juice
- cilantro, to taste (roughly 2 tbsp chopped)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1Heat the canola oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- 2Add tomatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly broken down, about 12 minutes.
- 3Add the chipotle in adobo and stir. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- 4Rough-chop in a food processor until coarse, not smooth.
- 5Add lime juice and cilantro. Stir to combine.
- 6Season with salt and pepper.
Cook's Note
Don't over-process this salsa, pulse, don't blend. You want a coarse, chunky texture that holds up inside a burrito. A smooth chipotle salsa slides right out.
Best Served With
Inside burritos, as a chip dip, or as a taco sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking the tomatoes and onion until they brown gives the salsa depth that raw or barely-cooked versions don't have. The chipotle in adobo adds smokiness and a little sweetness from the sauce it's packed in.
Make It Yours
- Add a teaspoon of brown sugar for more sweetness
- Increase chipotle for a smokier, hotter version
- Add roasted garlic instead of sautéed for a sweeter, more mellow flavor
- Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar for tang
Leftover Strategy
Keeps refrigerated for 1 week. The flavor deepens after a day. Good as a burrito sauce or egg topping.
Want to impress guests with this dish? Ask Jeff →
Pairing
A cold beer or agua fresca. This is a flexible sauce that works with most things.