This baja chipotle sauce recipe is a great addition to your condiment repertoire.
From baja fish tacos, to a smooth sauce to compliment to your favorite Mexican recipes, you can not go wrong by having this on hand in your fridge.
It’s the perfect sauce to add zesty flavor to everyday dishes to get your taste buds tingling!
And the best thing is that throwing some simple ingredients into a blender is the only prep you need. How amazing is that?
What is Baja Sauce Made Of?
The smoky flavors of this creamy sauce primarily come from the canned chipotle peppers and some of the adobo sauce from the can.
Chipotle chilies are jalapeno peppers that have been dried, smoked, then stored in adobo sauce (which is a tomato based sauce that is packed with spices).
You can find this in most latin aisles of the grocery store.
In fact, we always like to have a can on hand in our pantry since it’s a great way to add smoky flavor to all your favorite dishes.
We only use one whole chipotle pepper in this recipe so you can use the rest of the peppers from the can for other smoky recipes like our Crab Stuffed Shrimp Recipe or our Homemade Beef Barbacoa.
You can even freeze the remaining peppers and adobo sauce for the next time you decide to make this homemade sauce.
What Made Baja Sauce Famous?
Baja sauce comes from Baja California. This sauce can be found drizzled on crispy beer-battered cod fish tacos and carne asada fries all along the coast, specifically in the San Diego area.
It’s a cross between the bordering Mexican cuisine with a kiss of California flair.
This flavorful sauce is a copycat version of the widely popular Subway Chipotle Southwest Sauce.
After the Subway chipotle sauce was discontinued and then changed, there are a ton of online forums begging for the closest copycat recipe of their beloved sandwich sauce.
It’s a slightly spicy sauce that’s toned down from the cream and mayonnaise, but still more flavorful than a store bought chipotle mayo.
We think it’s perfect.
What to Serve with Baja Chipotle Sauce
This sauce is smoky, creamy, and has a little kick of spice. It is such a versatile sauce and it goes well on almost everything!
Here are a few of our favorite combinations to give you some inspiration:
- Tacos: This recipe pairs SO well with tacos and all types of fish and seafood. The creaminess is similar to a tartar sauce, but it includes southwest flavors that pair so well with tacos. If you’re looking for tasty fish taco recipes, check out our 15 Minute Air Fryer Tilapia Fish Tacos, our Salmon Tacos Recipe, or use our Air Fryer Panko Halibut Recipe in tacos with some Apple Cabbage Slaw.
- Burrito Bowls: Nix the corn tortillas and grab a bowl instead. Load up a bowl with beans, fajita veggies, Pickled Red Onion, fresh cilantro, and barbacoa or carnitas and top it with a drizzle of this baja sauce recipe for an incredible meal.
- Sandwiches: A chipotle cream sauce is a great addition to all your favorite sandwiches, hot or cold. It’s a perfect way to get your sandwich to taste more flavorful. Better yet, the smoky flavors of our Smoked Burger Recipe would match really well with this chipotle sauce recipe too.
- Dipping Sauce: From french fries to veggies to potato chips, this delicious sauce will elevate all your favorite snacks. Just add it to a small bowl and get dipping! We’d recommend making a double batch if you’re planning on using it for a dip.
Baja Southwest Chipotle Sauce Ingredient Substitutions
What we love about this delicious condiment is that we typically have all the ingredients on hand in the pantry or the fridge so we can whip up a batch whenever the need arises.
If you find yourself in the predicament of a missing ingredient, consider these potential substitutions:
- Sour Cream: If you are all out of sour cream or Mexican crema, reach for some unflavored Greek yogurt.
- White Vinegar: Out of white vinegar? Swap it out for apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice or lemon juice. You are just looking for something to add a little bit of acidity and to thin out the sauce.
- Cloves of Garlic: If you do not have fresh garlic on hand, substitute the 2 whole cloves of garlic for ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Chipotle Peppers: If you don’t have a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce hidden in the back of your pantry, don’t fret. You can use chipotle paste, chipotle powder, or even a combination of smoky paprika and spicy cayenne pepper powder.
Baja Chipotle Southwest Sauce Recipe
Prep Time: 2 Minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ sour cream
- 1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce)
- 4 tsp adobo sauce
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Onion powder
- Pinch of salt
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or a blender.
- Blend until well combined.
- Season with sea salt, to taste.
Note: For best results, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Baja Chipotle Southwest Sauce Recipe
Elevate tacos, sandwiches, and burgers with this easy baja chipotle southwest sauce recipe that is a delicious copycat from Subway.
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ sour cream
- 1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce)
- 4 tsp adobo sauce
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or a blender.
- Blend until well combined.
- Season with sea salt, to taste.
Notes
For best results, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
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1 Comment
Telkom University
April 1, 2024 at 6:51 amThis smoky Baja chipotle southwest sauce recipe sounds like a flavor explosion! Can’t wait to drizzle it over tacos or use it as a dipping sauce. Thanks for sharing!