Ranchero Sauce: Make this Sauce and Use it for Everything!

After coming back from Mexico, I am so inspired by the cuisine and one thing I noticed is how frequently ranchero sauce is used. Ranchero sauce is a spicy sauce with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and chilis. It can also be made with tomatillos instead of tomatoes for a verde sauce. Tomatillos are not a thing the part of the world I live in, so ranchero rojo it is for me!

Ranchero sauce is a multi-functional sauce that I saw used for all things from chilaquiles to huevos rancheros to enchiladas to chile rellenos. In each application it was delicious, so upon my return home, I had to attempt to recreate the sauce so I could attempt to recreate some of the amazing food we had during our travels. So, I might as well start with the basics and the base of many of the foods we enjoyed. Try this ranchero sauce and let me know your thoughts and what you use it for!

Makes about 3 cups

Tools:

Yup, you guessed it… You will need a blender or a food processor for this one so no need to worry about finely chopping your ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 – 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of chicken stock

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

1 rehydrated chipotle pepper or 2 chipotles in adobo

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon or chili powder

1 teaspoon of each cayenne pepper, oregano, and cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add olive oil, onion, and jalapenos and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook for another minute prior to adding the tomatoes, chicken stock, and lime juice.
3. Add chili powder, cayenne, oregano, cumin, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Give it a stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 – 25 minutes.
4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding it to a blender or food processor. Mix it until it is a smooth consistency. Use it immediately or store in an airtight container for about a week.