Taco Bell Chipotle Sauce Recipe (Copycat)
A smoky, creamy copycat Taco Bell chipotle sauce made with just six pantry ingredients. No cooking required. Ready in 5 minutes and better than the bottled version because you control the heat and richness.
Servings: 12 tablespoon
Calories: 55kcal
Equipment
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Cutting board and knife
- 1 Airtight jar or container
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayonnaise Hellmann's or Duke's recommended
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream Greek yogurt works as substitute
- 2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely minced (La Costena or Goya)
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the same can, liquid only
- 1 teaspoon buttermilk powder Bob's Red Mill recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder do not substitute fresh garlic
Instructions
Step 1: Mince the chipotle peppers
- Remove two chipotle peppers from the can and place them on a cutting board. Mince as finely as possible. Fine mincing distributes the heat and smoke evenly through every spoonful of sauce.
Step 2: Measure the adobo sauce
- Measure 1 teaspoon of the liquid adobo sauce directly from the can and set aside. Refrigerate or freeze the remaining peppers in a zip-lock bag for your next batch.
Step 3: Whisk the base
- Add the mayonnaise and sour cream to a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully smooth, about 30 seconds.
Step 4: Add the remaining ingredients
- Add the minced chipotle peppers, the teaspoon of adobo sauce, the buttermilk powder, and the garlic powder to the bowl.
Step 5: Whisk until smooth
- Whisk everything together until fully incorporated and no streaks remain. Taste the sauce now.
Step 6: Adjust the flavor
- Add more adobo sauce for extra smokiness, more minced chipotle pepper for heat, or a pinch of salt if it tastes flat.
Step 7: Rest in the refrigerator
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed directly against the sauce surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This step is not optional — the flavors blend fully only after resting.
Notes
Heat level guide: Mild: 1 chipotle pepper plus 1/2 tsp adobo sauce Medium: 2 chipotle peppers plus 1 tsp adobo sauce (this recipe) Hot: 3 chipotle peppers plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
Sauce came out too thin? Add 1 extra tablespoon of full-fat mayonnaise and stir. Thin sauce is almost always caused by using liquid buttermilk instead of powder, or low-fat mayo.
Storage: Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Press plastic wrap against the surface before sealing to prevent oxidation.
Do not freeze. Mayonnaise and sour cream separate when thawed, leaving a grainy, broken texture.
Buttermilk powder substitute: Use 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice instead. The flavor is slightly different but still works.
NUTRITION (per 1 tablespoon serving)
Nutrition source: Taco Bell Bold and Creamy Chipotle Sauce official data (Kraft Heinz)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 55 kcal |
| Total Fat | 5.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| Protein | 0 g |