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Easily made, explosively flavorful, and 100% addicting, this Chipotle Tahini Sauce can be used in a variety of ways, from dips to spreads. With its creamy, smoky, zesty heat, even the most ordinary dish becomes extraordinary.
Drizzle it on tacos, burrito bowls, burgers, chicken tacos, chicken tenders, sandwiches, and wraps, and dunk it in vegetables, chips, and fries; delicious possibilities abound!!
Tahini Chipotle Sauce can easily be customized to meet your taste buds! You can make it spicier, healthier, or vegan.
The Versatile Tahini Sauce
Why You’ll Love this Homemade Chipotle Sauce
This easy chipotle sauce multiplies the YUM factor of anything it comes into contact with by 1000%. No kidding!
It is one of my go-to condiments because its creamy, spicy heat elevates everything it touches to new heights. I can’t eat a burrito without it, but it’s also fantastic on a turkey sandwich and my favorite tacos, .
It’s extremely versatile. Make it more or less spicy, more or less creamy, use fresh or powdered chipotle peppers, sour cream, Mexican crema, or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise or Vegainase, and so on.
It’s super easy to make. This zesty Southwest Chipotle Sauce only takes 5 minutes and a food processor to make. Simply combine the ingredients and pulse with ZERO chopping!
What Are Chipotle Peppers?
The term “chipotle pepper” is derived from the Nahuatl word chilpoctli, which means “smoked chili.” Chipotles in adobo are smoked and dried jalapeño peppers that have been rehydrated and preserved in adobo sauce, and they are the secret to this incredibly flavorful Chipotle Crema.
Chipotle peppers are made from jalapeno peppers that have been allowed to ripen on the vine from green to red before being picked, smoke-dried, rehydrated, and either ground or preserved in adobo sauce. They have an intense zesty, smoky, and spicy flavor.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
Chipotle peppers in adobo, on the other hand, refers to chipotle peppers marinated in a rich flavorful adobo sauce (adobo translates from Spanish to “sauce, marinade, or seasoning”).
The adobo sauce is a spicy, sweet, and tangy purée of tomato, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ground ancho and guajillo chiles, and spices like paprika, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon that all enhance the flavor of the chipotle peppers.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are popular in sauces (such as this one! ), marinades, glazes, soups, sandwiches, and beans. They are a versatile pantry staple that you should always keep on hand!
Hot and Spicy!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Don’t worry if you’ve never bought chipotle peppers in Adobo before; they should be easy to find. They can be found in grocery stores near the tacos, the chopped green chilies, and jarred salsas, in the international aisle, or in the Latin aisle. You can also find them on Amazon.
Most recipes call for only 1-2 chipotle peppers or 1-2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers, leaving you with an open can of smoky, spicy goodness. I recommend freezing chipotle peppers to make the most of your worthwhile investment. If you want to use them soon, you can place them in an airtight container in the fridge.
If you’re short on time, you can substitute ground chipotle chili (chipotle powder) for the chipotle chiles in adobo. Chipotle peppers in adobo, on the other hand, are extra delicious because they are marinated in the fiery adobo sauce, making them that much more flavorful – the powder just isn’t the same.
Variations
Here are a few options if you need to meet a dietary requirement or change up the flavors:
Chipotle powder: As previously stated, ground chipotle pepper can be substituted, but chipotle peppers in adobo are the best!
Start with 1/2 teaspoon powder and add more to taste. If you don’t have chipotle powder, start with 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and adjust accordingly.
Sour cream: Replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. You can use either nonfat or regular milk.
Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream in place of mayonnaise.
Dairy-free: Substitute cashew sour cream for the sour cream.
Vegan: Replace the sour cream with vegan sour cream such as cashew sour cream and the mayonnaise with vegan mayo.
Top Tips
Spicier? After you finish making the sauce, add 1/2 to 1 whole additional chipotle pepper or chipotle powder in 1/4 teaspoon increments. You can also season it with cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
Thinner? For a more dressing-like consistency for salads or bowls, add milk or water in 1-tablespoon increments.
More Flavorful? If your Chipotle Sauce lacks something, it’s most likely a lack of heat, salt, or acid. Add more chipotle peppers, salt, or lime juice to taste.
Tangier? Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice at a time for a brighter, tangier sauce.
Herbier? Add some cilantro for a herbier, zestier Chipotle Crema.
Chipotle Tahini Sauce Ingredients
- tahini paste
- water
- olive oil
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- garlic cloves
- fresh lemon juice
- ground cumin
- salt to taste
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- Best Bang Bang Sauce
Chipotle Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini paste
- ¼ cup water, adjust for desired consistency
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, adjust to your spice preference
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, combine the tahini, water, olive oil, chipotle peppers, garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, and a pinch of salt.
- Blend the ingredients until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. If the sauce is too thick, you can add more water until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more salt, lemon juice, or chipotle peppers if needed to balance the flavors.
- Once the sauce is ready, transfer it to a jar or an airtight container and refrigerate it. This sauce will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
