Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoke-dried jalapeño peppers packed in a tangy, mildly spiced sauce of tomato, onion, vinegar and garlic. If you’ve tried your hand at cooking any spicy Mexican or Tex-Mex dish, you’ve likely come across them in a recipe or two, and been amazed at the smoky kick they bring. But that one-line answer doesn’t give this ingredient its due. Below, we break it down into its parts: the chili, the sauce, how hot a can gets, how much to use, and how to keep the rest.
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What are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?
If you have five minutes, we recommend you read this article on chipotle peppers here at PepperScale. But here’s the short of it. Chipotles are jalapeño peppers that have been dried by smoking. The peppers chosen have ripened on the vine to their mature red jalapeño stage before they go into the smoke.
The name tells you as much. It comes from the Nahuatl chīlpōctli, from chīlli (chili) and pōctli (smoke), so a chipotle is, quite literally, a smoked chili. You’ll also see it spelled “chilpotle” on some cans, San Marcos among them.
There are two main types of chipotle. The meco is smoked longer and comes out tan and leathery, while the morita spends less time in the smoke and stays a dark, reddish purple. Canned chipotles are usually moritas. Our chipotle meco vs. morita comparison goes through the differences.
Adobo, the other half of the name, is Spanish for a marinade or seasoning sauce. So chipotle in adobo starts with a chili that’s definitely in the medium-hot range with an intense smoky flavor. Then it soaks in a sauce that softens it and picks up its smoke. Together they’re perfect for Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican cuisine.
Where do chipotles in adobo come from?
Both halves have deep roots. Smoking is an old way to dry chilies in Mexico, and the chipotle’s name comes straight from Nahuatl, which the Aztecs spoke. Adobo came from Spain, where the Real Academia Española still defines it as a mix, especially of vinegar, salt, oregano, garlic and paprika, used to season and preserve meat. This sauce has been used to marinate meats and vegetables for generations.
Chipotles en adobo bring the two together, and today most of us meet them in a small can. You’ll find them from Mexican brands like San Marcos, La Costeña, La Morena, Embasa and Herdez, and from U.S. labels such as Goya and Roland.
What is in adobo sauce?
Calling it a spiced tomato sauce really underplays the complexity of this sauce. Read a few labels and you’ll see the pattern: chipotles first, then tomato (as puree or paste), onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, a little oil, and garlic. Several add paprika, which is ground dried peppers, and it brings a mild warmth and color. Recipes for adobo often include bay leaves and oregano, which labels tend to fold into “spices.”
Not every can is built the same way, though. Here’s what a handful of brands list, from their own labels as recorded in USDA’s FoodData Central database. Check your can, since recipes change:
| Brand | The sauce, in label order | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| San Marcos | tomato puree, onions, vinegar, canola oil, sugar, salt, paprika, garlic | Spelled “chilpotle” on the can |
| La Costeña | water, onions, vinegar, tomato paste, salt, dried peppers, sugar, soybean oil, spices | Water is listed first, ahead of the chipotles |
| La Morena | tomato, water, onion, soybean oil, sugar, salt, vinegar, garlic, paprika, spices | Tomato-rich, with paprika |
| Goya | tomato puree, onion, corn oil, sugar, salt, modified corn starch, paprika, vinegar, spices, garlic | Thickened with starch |
| Embasa | water, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, corn oil, salt, corn starch, onion powder, garlic powder, spices | Uses onion and garlic powders |
| Roland | water, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, under 2% tomato paste, artificial smoke flavor, xanthan gum, onion and garlic powders | Barely any tomato, with added smoke flavor |
That last style is worth a look if you see it. A few cans, Roland and Las Palmas among them, skip most of the tomato and add smoke flavoring instead. Their sauce is mostly vinegar, sugar and salt rather than the classic brick-red tomato base.
Are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce spicy?
Chipotles carry the same heat as fresh jalapeños, 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and the capsaicin behind that heat comes along into the can. And since chipotles are made from ripe red jalapeños, expect them to fall in the middle to upper part of that range.
What about the sauce? On its own, it’s mild. The heat comes from the peppers, and some of it moves into the sauce while they wait in the can. So a spoonful of adobo brings smoke and tang with a gentle warmth, while a chopped chipotle brings real heat. Want to see how a fresh jalapeño compares? Read our chipotle vs. jalapeño showdown.
How much chipotle in adobo should you use?
Be careful! This is a potent mix. Most recipes call for a single tablespoon or two maximum. In this case, take a single chipotle with some of the sauce, pulse chop it (or simply use a knife), and measure according to the recipe. Any more and you may find the recipe a lot hotter than you expect.
Here’s how that plays out in our own kitchen. One chipotle and a tablespoon of sauce are enough to season a full pot of our tomato soup, while our spaghetti chipotle uses three peppers for a rich cream sauce:
Remember, in many recipes you can simply add more to taste, so it’s best to add a little and adjust up from there.
How to use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Where does it shine? Blend a chipotle into mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt for a smoky spread. Stir it into salsas, marinades, barbecue sauce, chili, beans and soups. And a spoonful of just the sauce can season a dish without much heat at all.
There are also many tasty uses that you may not have thought of and that are easy to do. Check out our post about fun ways to use extra chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in your everyday cooking, or browse our chipotle pepper recipes.
How do you store an opened can of chipotles in adobo?
You’ve likely discovered the chef’s dilemma when it comes to this sauce. Recipes call for a small amount, and yet you buy a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that contains ten times what you need!
How long does it keep? Unopened, a can keeps in the pantry for a long time. USDA’s FoodKeeper has no entry for chipotles, but its closest one, high-acid canned goods (which includes foods in a vinegar-based sauce), gives 12 to 18 months for best quality. Once it’s open, move the leftovers, sauce and all, into a covered container and refrigerate them. FoodKeeper gives that same category 5 to 7 days in the fridge after opening.
Need longer? Puree the remainder of the can and freeze it in small tablespoon dabs. An ice tray works wonders for that. Then pop the frozen cubes into a freezer bag and take out one at a time.
Where can you buy it?
You can typically find it in the international or Hispanic foods aisle of your local supermarket, usually in small cans of about 7 ounces. It’s also available from many online retailers. If you want a specific brand, it may be best to purchase online.
Can you make chipotles in adobo at home?
You can, though we don’t have a recipe for it yet. The labels above show the idea. Dried chipotles simmer in a sauce of tomato, onion, garlic, vinegar, a little sugar and salt until they’re soft. Look for dried morita chipotles, since those are what most cans contain.
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Related reading
- What’s The Best Chipotle In Adobo Sauce Substitute?: You may not always have a can around when you need it, so where do you turn? We provide your best options.
- Chipotle Grilled Cheese Recipe: This may be our favorite go-to recipe when we’re trying to use up a tin.
- Smoky Espresso BBQ Sauce: We double down on the earthiness here, pairing espresso with the chipotle and adobo. This is a great unique twist for summer BBQs.
Thanks for the post. I bought the can at a target near me. When opened it is actually looked like bell pepper in oil instead. Was I ripped off? It looks nothing like pictures ive seen.
I am making making a 5 pot roast.
It has 2 cups stock, 12 Oz can beer and
Veggies.
The recipe calls for 4 chipolte peppers
In adobo. Does this mean adobo sauce?
My family just like mild heat.
Will 4 peppers be really hot. It
Cooks for 2 1/2 hours. Thanks Ann
Great article, helped answer a lot of my questions. BUT, simple refrigeration in an air tight container will keep them fresh. For HOW LONG pretty please? I’ve never cooked with them before and we want to start out slow.
So my question is, in addition to how long will they keep in refrigerator, but also will they keep better in a plastic snap on type lid container, or would you advise a jar with a screw on lid? I have lots of those because I save my little glass jars that bullion cubes come in. Thanks in advance!