Smoky Chipotle Salsa

This Smoky Chipotle Salsa incorporates the smokiness of chipotle peppers with a touch of sweetness from fresh tomatoes. It is easy to make, deliciously spicy, and perfect with so many dishes.

In my house growing up, salsa de chile chipotle would always grace our table whenever we would have molletes Mexicanos. To this day, I cannot make molletes without accompanying them with this delicious, smoky salsa.

The salsa is another great recipe passed down by my Abuelita Maria to my mom and then to me. It is simple, delicious, and not only a great complement to molletes, but to a variety of other dishes as well.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• The Ingredients
• How to Make Salsa de Chipotle
• Tips and Variations
• Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Minimal Ingredients: This recipe only requires 6 ingredients.
• Easy to Make: The only cooking needed is boiling a couple of tomatoes, then blend those with the rest of the ingredients and the recipe is complete.
• Amazing Flavor: The salsa incorporates the smokiness of chipotles with a touch of sweetness from fresh tomatoes.
• Customizable: Make it as spicy or as mild as you choose. Just add more chipotle peppers for a spicier result or less peppers with more of the adobo sauce for a milder salsa.

The Ingredients

• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Chipotle peppers are made from jalapeño peppers that have been dried and smoked. The peppers are then canned in an adobo sauce made from a combination of vinegar, spices, and tomato paste. They are spicy, tangy, and smoky and can be found online or in the Latin American section of most grocery stores.
• Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are more commonly used in Mexican cooking. Choose ripe tomatoes that are firm, but have a little give when pressed gently or squeezed.
• Garlic Powder: Just a little bit of garlic powder adds a savory and zesty flavor to the salsa.
• Salt
• Water: Just a little bit of water helps blend the ingredients together without making the salsa too runny.
• Oil: The salsa is sautéed in a little bit of oil at the end which enhances the salsa and really marries all the flavors of the ingredients together.

See recipe card for quantities.

1. Boil Tomatoes

• Boil two whole tomatoes in water until fork-tender.

2. Blend

• Add the cooked tomatoes to a blender or food processor along with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic powder, salt, and water.
• Blend everything together until smooth.

3. Cook Salsa

• In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-low heat.
• When hot, carefully pour the sauce into the pan.
• Simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Adjust Seasoning

• Taste for seasoning and adjust salt as needed.
• Serve.

How to Serve

As I stated earlier, in my house this chipotle salsa is synonymous with molletes. They are the absolute perfect pair! However, this salsa is also amazing on other dishes such as:

• Huevos con Tortilla
• Papas con Huevo
• Simple Instant Pot Pinto Beans
• Mixed with sour cream and drizzled on some pork flautas or chicken flautas
• Added to soups or stews

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for about 3-5 days.

This salsa is best served warm. To reheat, place in a microwavable safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and reheat for 50-60 seconds.

You can also reheat in a small saucepan on the stove without the need of adding more oil.

Tips and Variations

• To Increase the Amount of Salsa Without Sacrificing Flavor: The original recipe I have provided has equal proportions of the main ingredients for the best flavor. So if you want to increase the amount of salsa and keep the flavor consistent, follow this rule:
  • For every 1 tomato, use 1 chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce and 2 tablespoons of water. Adjust the salt and garlic powder accordingly.
• For a Spicier Salsa: Use 2 tomatoes and increase the chipotles to 3 or 4.
• For a Mild Salsa: Use 2 tomatoes and only 1 chipotle or half of a chipotle with more of the adobo sauce.
• Gluten-Free: This salsa is gluten-free as long as the chipotle peppers don't contain gluten. Be sure to check the ingredient label as some brands add flour to their chipotles.

I hope you enjoy! If you give this recipe a try please leave me a comment with a star rating below. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to stay in touch, and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter.

Recipe

Originally published April 29, 2020. Updated post April 2023.