Chipotles in adobo sauce have been a pantry staple since I first starting cooking. I’ve been lucky to live all over the world but I was born in Los Angeles and their smoky, spicy brand of picante – along with avocado and lime – represents the flavors of home.
When I converted to a completely organic diet, I was shocked to discover there isn’t a single commercial brand of organic chipotles in adobo in Asia, Europe or North American. For years I compromised with conventional, justifying to myself that I was only using a small amount, but finally realized I needed to be consistent in my commitment to organic, homemade, nourishing food.
Making my own chipotles in adobo turned out to be so much easier than I expected. Most of all, I can control the ingredients.
This isn’t the fanciest recipe but I love it because it’s simple and doesn’t use sugar. Feel free to adjust things to your preference.
How to Make Organic Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
First, you’ll need some organic chipotles. A chipotle chile pepper is a dried, smoked jalapeño. They’re also known as Morita chiles. They’re easy to find at Mexican groceries or in LA. Since I’m not in LA anymore, I order this brand from Amazon.
You’ll need about 15-20 peppers for this recipe and before starting it’s a good idea to refresh them with 2-3 minutes in a 400F oven.
After roasting, transfer them to a large bowl and cover with boiling water to reconstitute for 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, roast your tomato and onion in the 400F oven.
When the chiles have been softens, remove the seeds if you want a more mild end result. I recommend using gloves to do this. At a minimum, be sure to wash your hands before touching your eyes or other sensitive parts.
Blend a few chiles with the other ingredients to make the adobo sauce.
Adjust the spices and transfer to a quart mason jar with the remaining whole chiles.
This keeps well in the back of the fridge until I use it up – usually a couple of weeks, sometimes months.
These are an amazing addition to guacamole, raw vegan taco walnut meat, and anything that can benefit from a little savory heat. Use enough to even make liver palatable.