Adobo Sauce With Garlic and Orange Juice

Adobo sauce recipe

​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Rest Time: 12 hrs
Total: 12 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Canned chipotle chilis often come packed in adobo, but you can use this earthy, rich sauce in many ways. This homemade adobo sauce makes a flavorful marinade or simmer sauce for chicken, pork, beef, or fish. You can add interest to soups and stews with a couple of tablespoons of adobo sauce. You can drizzle it over vegetables, potatoes, or rice for a side dish with character, or mix it with ranch dressing or mayonnaise for a salad topper or sandwich condiment. Adobo sauce in an airtight container will keep in the fridge for up to a month.

Ingredients

  • 12 cups water

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar, divided

  • 8 dried guajillo chiles

  • 8 dried ancho chiles

  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon oil

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 cups chicken broth, or beef or vegetable broth, divided

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced for added heat, optional

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 3/4 cup orange juice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for adobo sauce
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  2. Add the water and half of the vinegar to a large pot.

    Add the vinegar
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  3. Cut the tops off of the chiles and use a spoon to dislodge and shake out the seeds.

    Cut tops off chiles
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  4. Fry the chiles in hot oil for about 10 seconds on each side.

    Fry chiles
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  5. Add the chiles to the water and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot, turn off the heat and let the chiles soak overnight.

    Add chiles
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  6. Discard the soaking liquid. Puree the chiles in the blender with the tomato paste, remaining vinegar, and a splash of the broth until smooth.

    Puree chiles
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  7. In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic and onions in remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.

    Saute garlic and onions
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  8. Add the remaining broth, chile paste, seasonings, jalapeño (if desired), and juices. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your liking.

    Add remaining broth
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  9. Use as a condiment for your sandwich or alongside your protein of choice.

    Use condiment
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  10. Enjoy!

    Enjoy
    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
105 Calories
8g Fat
9g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 105
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 204mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 22mg 112%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 242mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)