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🥣 Sauces & condiments

Ranchero sauce

Bright, smoky, spicy little tomato magic

⏱️ Time estimate: about 20 minutes

Fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, chipotle, cilantro, and lime cook down into a punchy sauce that wakes up huevos rancheros, enchiladas, breakfast burritos, tacos, and tortilla chips.

Bowl of ranchero sauce topped with cilantro

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1/2 medium white onion, diced
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, diced (use 1/2 for a milder sauce)
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cane sugar, optional

Instructions

  1. Cook the vegetables. Heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, jalapeño, chipotle, garlic, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and broken down.
  2. Add the broth. Stir in the vegetable broth and simmer for 1 minute more.
  3. Finish the fresh bits. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice.
  4. Blend. Transfer to a deep bowl, large jar, blender, or food processor and blend until nearly smooth but still a little textured, with tiny flecks of cilantro visible.
  5. Taste and balance. Taste the sauce. If it feels too sharp, add the sugar. Adjust salt or lime as needed.
  6. Store or serve. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Use on huevos rancheros, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, scrambled eggs, or as a dip for tortilla chips.

Yield: about 2 cups. This freezes nicely too, so future-you can feel extremely smug.