This easy homemade ranchero sauce recipe elevates your favorite Mexican dishes. Just saute fire-roasted tomatoes with fresh aromatics, spices, and peppers for a smoky taste with a kick of heat.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Fresh jalapeno offers an immediate kick, chipotle peppers provide smoky heat, and a hint of cayenne extends the warmth.
- Diced fire-roasted tomatoes with light char add smokiness, while roasting boosts sweetness and reduces acidity.
- Sauté diced tomatoes in a hot pan to reduce moisture, concentrate flavor, and soften them for easier pureeing.
Featured Comment 6
“I made this tonight and it was amazing. I cooked boneless chicken thighs, rice, and beans. Keeping some for breakfast.”—Brian
Why It Works
One way to instantly boost Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes is to top them with a bold and spicy ranchero sauce. This warm tomato-based condiment is simple to prepare, using a combination of canned and fresh ingredients. This sauce is perfect for topping huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, or enchiladas.
Fire-roasted tomatoes and dried chipotle peppers add a smoky taste with lingering heat. Sautéing the ingredients heightens the dried spices’ character while concentrating the sweet and savory notes. The mixture is blended to infuse the flavors together and create a pourable consistency. Try serving on the side with chicken fajitas, street tacos, burritos, or tortilla chips to dip.
Jump To a Section
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tomatoes: To instantly add smoky flavor to the sauce, use diced fire-roasted tomatoes. The light charring adds a subtle smokiness, while the additional cooking process enhances the tomato’s natural sweetness and reduces acidity. I add the juices because they are full of flavor and seasoning.
- Spicy Peppers: Ranchero sauce contains three spicy peppers. Minced jalapeño adds fresh, upfront heat. Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a robust, smoky taste and intense heat. A small amount of cayenne pepper, which has a higher capsaicin level, lets the heat linger longer on the palate.
- Alliums: Diced white onions are sautéed in olive oil to enhance their natural sweetness. Minced garlic adds earthy aromas to the sauce.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano, ground cumin, and salt add dimension.
- Liquid: Add unsalted chicken broth or chicken stock to help puree the sauce without diluting the savory flavor.
- Citrus: Lime juice helps to enhance and balance the flavor of the roasted tomatoes and spicy chilies.
- Herbs: Fresh cilantro adds an earthy herbaceous note.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
It’s easy to customize this ranchero sauce recipe. Try these exciting options:
- Using Fresh Tomatoes: For a lighter, fresher taste, use other types of tomatoes. I recommend vine-ripened tomatoes or Italian Roma tomatoes that balance sweetness and acidity. You’ll need about 2 cups, as it will release moisture and cook down.
- Adjusting the Spice Level: Feel free to use any of your favorite types of peppers, such as serrano or habanero, to customize the heat level. Switch out the cayenne for ancho chili powder or chili powder for a less spicy kick.
- Make it Vegetarian: Use vegetable stock or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Oregano Swap: You can use dried Greek or Mexican Oregano, which has a stronger, more pungent, and peppery taste. Fresh oregano can also be used; add 1 tablespoon of the chopped herb.
How to Make Ranchero Sauce
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
To add a hint of sweetness to the sauce, saute the onions in olive oil. The dry heat drives moisture out of the plant’s cell walls, concentrating natural sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The surface gets slightly sweeter. Add dried spices like cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper to the caramelized onions and oil.
Ingredient Chemistry: The hot oil helps dissolve fat-soluble flavors trapped in the ingredients and release them into the fat, resulting in a more pungent taste. You’ll immediately smell the aromatic herbs and spices. The chopped chipotles are also sauteed, which releases more capsaicin for a stronger spice taste.
Step 2: Cook the Tomatoes
Sauté the diced tomatoes in the hot pan to evaporate some of the moisture. This step helps to concentrate the tomato flavor and intensify the sweetness. The cooking process also helps to soften and break down the flesh, making it easier to puree later.
Step 3: Simmer the Sauce
Add unsalted chicken stock to the thickened tomato mixture. This technique helps to loosen the particles, making them easier to blend while adding more savory notes. Add some freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped parsley to make the sauce more vibrant with a hint of tanginess.
Step 4: Adjust the Consistency
Pureeing the warm cooked sauce in a blender or food processor combines the ingredients, creating a harmonious taste.
You can keep the sauce as chunky as you like or process it to a smoother consistency. I prefer the latter. It makes it easier to pour over food, yet still clings.
Experimentation Encouraged: For a thinner texture, add more broth. A hand immersion blender also works to puree the sauce right in the pan. Just be careful about splatter since it’s hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
A warm, smoky, and spicy tomato-based sauce used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. Diced tomatoes saute with onions, garlic, fresh and dried chili peppers for heat. Chicken stock or broth helps to thin the sauce without diluting its flavor. It can be left chunky or blended for a smooth consistency. It’s most famously added on top of huevos rancheros for breakfast, but it is versatile enough to be used as a condiment to add spiciness to a dish.
Chipotles are ripe jalapenos that have been smoke-dried. The adobo sauce is a mixture of tomato paste, vinegar, cornstarch, and spices that coat the softened peppers.
Chipotle chilies are smoke-dried jalapenos with wrinkly brown skin. The canned product is soaked in a tangy tomato sauce, which further enhances its flavor. If you’re looking for a substitute, try dried chipotle powder. Start with ¼ teaspoon, then increase to the desired heat level. Use smoked paprika to elevate the charred flavor, or if you want a milder sauce.
My enchilada sauce recipe uses canned tomatoes, chipotle chili, and chicken stock as the base. For ranchero sauce, I also sauté diced onions and add a variety of hot chilies, like jalapeño, chipotle, and cayenne, along with fire-roasted tomatoes, for a charred flavor. It’s also thicker in consistency.
Serve This With
If you tried this Ranchero Sauce, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Ranchero Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onion, ¼" dice
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno, seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, canned, roughly chopped
- 14.5 ounces diced fire-roasted tomatoes, canned, not drained
- ¼ cup chicken broth, unsalted, up to 1 cup
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Saute the Aromatics – Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion. Saute until translucent and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the jalapeno peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chopped chipotle peppers, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Cook the Tomatoes – Add the tomatoes and the juice. Stir and cook until they have softened and the mixture thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Simmer the Sauce – Add the chicken broth. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice.
- Adjust the Consistency – Transfer the mixture to a blender. Blend on medium speed in 10-second intervals until you reach the desired consistency. About 30 seconds for chunky or 60 seconds for more smooth. Season with more salt to taste. For a thinner sauce, add a ¼ cup of chicken broth after the first blend step. Blend for 10 to 15 seconds. Add more as needed. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the tomato mixture in the pan.
Notes
- Recipe Yield: 1 cup
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Less Spicy Sauce: Use only 1 chipotle pepper or omit.
- Substituting Canned Chipotles: Use ¼ teaspoon of chipotle powder, then increase to the desired spice level. Add smoked paprika to enhance the sauce’s smokiness. Start with ¼ teaspoon and increase from there.
- Using Fresh Tomatoes: Use 2 cups of vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes, cut into ½-inch dice. Cook for a few minutes during the saute step to tenderize the flesh.
- Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
E says
How long does this stay fresh in the frig?
Can I freeze the sauce?
Jessica Gavin says
The ranchero sauce will last one week in the refrigerator. You can freeze it too!
Brian says
I made this tonight and it was amazing. I cooked boneless chicken thighs, rice, and beans. Keeping some for breakfast. Thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, I love the food you paired with the ranchero sauce! So happy that you have leftover from breakfast!
Wanda says
Made this morning & absolutely delicious! Thank you
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for you’re feedback, Wanda! What did you serve with the ranchero sauce?