New Mexican Red Chile Sauce

Hand holding a jar of New Mexico red chile in a mason jar.

5 from 11 votes

New Mexican Red Chile Sauce

New Mexican red chile sauce is a staple in southwestern cuisine. Similar to enchilada sauce, this red sauce is spicier and made without tomatoes. Try it on top of burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, huevos, eggs, and so much more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: American

Cuisine: Mexican, New Mexican

Diet:

Servings: ounces of sauce

Calories: 8kcal

Author: Ruth Grindeland

Cost: $5 - $20 depending on chiles

Equipment

Blender
Medium-sized pot with lid (optional)
Baking sheet (optional)

Ingredients

New Mexico red chile peppers* See notes for types and measurements.
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ white onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Step One: Prepare the Chiles - Follow the correlating instructions for the chile type you are using:
Option #1: Fresh Fire Roasted Chilies - Wearing gloves, use kitchen scissors to remove the stems and seeds. If there is a lot of char from the fire roasting, I also recommend removing that.
Option #2: Frozen Chilie Puree - Let the chiles thaw before moving to step two.
Option #3: Dried Chile Pods - Preheat oven to 350°F and heat 3 - 5 cups of water. Break the stems off and shake the seeds out from the pods. Place peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 2 to 5 minutes or until you smell the chilies roasting. Remove from oven. Place the chiles in the pot with hot water. Remove from heat and let the chiles soak for 30 minutes.
Step Two: Prepare the Onions - Heat the olive oil in a saute pan until the oil starts to shimmer. Add the diced onion and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Saute for one minute. Set aside.
Step Three: Blend - Place the peppers, broth, and onion mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Add a teaspoon of honey or blue agave if the sauce is too bitter.
Step Four: Strain - Place a mesh strainer or sleeve over a bowl and pour the chile sauce into the strainer to remove any seeds, onions, etc. Use a wooden spoon to help push as much sauce through the strainer as possible.
Step Five: Deeper Flavor/Chile Colorado-ish (Optional) - Place the sauce in a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes or until you reach your desired thickness.

Video

Notes

Types and amounts of red chiles to use with this recipe. Choose one of the following:

Dried chile pods - 10-12 peppers
Fresh fire-roasted - 20-24 peppers
Frozen Pureed - 14 ounces, the equivalent of one 14-ounce tub of Bueno.

Red chile is perfect on top of many dishes, including burritos, enchiladas, tamales, huevos rancheros.

Refrigerator Storing Instructions: Store in a glass container or a mason jar for up to one week.

Freezer Storing Instructions:- Store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months.

Nutrition