If you are on a search for a sauce with rich, spicy, and smoky flavors, you must try the Mexican Adobo sauce recipe. You can use this sauce in a wide variety of food items, which you will find out below.

Adobo sauce is a ridiculously versatile Mexican staple that is super easy to make. It has a thick consistency, and a little goes a long way. 

This sauce is typically made from ancho chile powder vinegar, sugar, garlic, and herbs. Adobo sauce was typically created to preserve and flavor meats. But this sauce is so incredibly versatile that vegetarian dishes benefit from it too.

To make adobo sauce, you must combine all the ingredients in a food processor. It is then transferred to a skillet to cook for about 20 minutes. This recipe makes about three cups of adobo sauce. 

Read on to learn how to make this delicious Mexican sauce and the ways to use it. This sauce is surely going to be your new favorite!

What Equipment Will You Need To Make Adobo Sauce?

• Food Processor – A food processor or blender will be required to mix the sauce ingredients. 
• Spatula – A spatula will help you transfer the sauce ingredients to the skillet for cooking.
• Skillet – A skillet will be required to cook adobo sauce. 

How Much Time Will You Need To Make Adobo Sauce?

Preparation Time	Cooking Time	Total Time
10 Minutes	20 Minutes	30 Minutes

What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Adobo Sauce?

• Ancho Chile Powder – To make adobo sauce, you will need half a cup of ancho Chile powder. Ancho chiles are dried poblano chiles with a sweet, earthy, rich flavor. You can use regular Chile powder if you don’t have ancho Chile powder.  
• Roma Tomatoes – To add a tangy flavor to the sauce, you will need two chopped Roma tomatoes, 8 oz with juices.
• Cider Vinegar – Vinegar adds acidity to food and preserves it. In his sauce, we will use one-fourth cup of cider vinegar.
• Garlic Cloves – Garlic provides a unique garlicky flavor and acts as a preservative. In this sauce, you will add three cloves of garlic.
• Brown Sugar – To balance the heat in the sauce, you will need two tablespoons of brown sugar.
• Oregano – To add a punch of citrus notes, you will need one teaspoon of oregano. Use Mexican oregano, if possible, as the sauce tastes authentic with its mild licorice and citrus flavors. If you can find Mexican oregano, you can substitute Mediterranean oregano for it.
• Salt – No dish is complete without the use of salt. In this sauce, you will need half a teaspoon of salt.
• Cumin – Cum adds an earthy flavor which Mexican food is famous for. You will need half a teaspoon of ground cumin.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon lends a warm and woody flavor and depth to dishes. To make adobo sauce, you will need one-fourth teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Black Pepper – To add some smoky and peppery notes, you will need one-fourth teaspoon of black pepper.
• Allspice – You will also require one-fourth teaspoon of allspice powder.
• Olive Oil – Lastly, you will need three tablespoons of olive oil for a smooth consistency.

Steps To Make Adobo Sauce

1. Mix The Ingredients

In a food processor, add the chile powder and pour in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cover with a lid to steep.

Next, add chopped tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, salt, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, and allspice to the food processor and process to make a smooth purée.

The consistency should be like BBQ sauce or ketchup. If the mixture looks too thick, add some water to thin it out.

2. Cook The Sauce

Place a skillet on medium-high heat and heat oil in it. Pour the chili vegetable purée into the skillet and bring to a boil. Sim and cook the sauce for 20 minutes uncovered.

How To Make Adobo Sauce Using Whole Dried Ancho Chiles?

If you have whole dried ancho chiles at home, you can easily work with them instead of chile powder. To do so, remove the stems and seeds of four medium-dried ancho chiles.

Toast the chiles over medium heat in a dry skillet for a minute or until they release their aroma.

Transfer the chiles to a plate and allow them to cool. Tear the chiles into small pieces. Add the chiles to the food processor with boiling water and continue following the recipe instructions

How To Use Adobo Sauce?

A Mexican delight, adobo sauce is a versatile sauce that can be used in many different ways. 

It can be used in sweet, tangy, smoky, and spicy dishes. Here are a few ideas for using adobo sauce:

• Chicken Adobado – You can use the adobo sauce to flavor the chicken. Cover chicken breasts with adobo sauce and place it for baking. Chicken adobado can be shredded in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and flautas.
• Soups – You can add adobo sauce to your favorite soups for an instant punch of flavors.
• Enchiladas – instead of using your regular enchilada sauce, add adobo sauce for a kick of flavor.
• Dressings – You can also add adobo sauce to mayonnaise to make a flavorful dressing. 
• Spread – Move over your regular sandwich spreads and make way for adobo sauce to amp up your sandwiches.
• Rice – To make a restaurant-style dish, you can flavor plain rice using adobo sauce and serve it with chicken, beef, and pork. 
• Quesadillas – If making quesadillas has been on your mind, try using chicken adobado as a filling or layer some adobo sauce inside for a flavorful meal.

How To Store Adobo Sauce?

Adobo sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. 

For easy access, you can also freeze the sauce for six months in an ice cube tray. Remember, a little goes a long way. Therefore, depending on your need, you can take out a cube or two. 

Nutritional Value

Calories	57 kcal
Fat	4 g
Cholesterol	mg
Sodium	122 mg
Potassium	45 mg
Carbohydrates	4 g
Sugar	3 g
Viatmin A	530IU
Vitamin C	2.1 mg
Calcium	11 mg
Iron	0.3 mg

How Will Adobo Sauce Look And Taste Like?

Adobo sauce is an explosively flavorful sauce. It has earthy, tangy-sweet, smoky, and spicy flavors with complex balance and body.  

This sauce has a deep crimson color, and its consistency is like barbecue sauce. No meal will not benefit from the use of adobo sauce.

Recipe Card

Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Try out this extremely flavorful adobo sauce recipe, and tell me how you used it in the comments sections below.

Disclaimer – The images added in this blog post have been taken from Zestful Kitchen.