Ingredients for Mexican Red Sauce
- Dried Ancho Chiles
- Guajillo Chilies
- Enough water to cover chiles (approximately 2 cups)
- Garlic Clove
- Cloves
- Peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion
Missing an ingredient for this Mexican Red Sauce? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.
How to Make Mexican Red Sauce
- Using kitchen shears, carefully slit each dried chile lengthwise.
- Open the chile and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as many veins as possible, reserving a few for extra heat if desired.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Flatten each chile and place it in the skillet.
- Press each chile with a metal spatula for a few seconds to toast lightly; do not burn. You may hear some sizzling.
- Transfer the toasted chiles to a small saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the chiles.
- Bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes until softened and plump.
- Reserve the soaking liquid. Remove the chiles and place them in a blender.
- Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, cloves, and 1 1/2 cups of the reserved soaking liquid to the blender.
- Blend for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add reserved chile seeds/veins for extra heat if desired, then blend again.
- Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a skillet. Stir in the olive oil.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam.
- Remove from heat. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)
Sodium
5 g
Sugar
0g
Fat
0g
Carbs
1g
