Name: Adobo Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (with juice); ⅓ cup light brown sugar; ¼ cup chili powder; 2 tablespoons smoked paprika; 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon salt

This sweet and spicyAdobo Saucemakes a great addition to a variety of dishes and comes together in minutes. This delicious chili-based sauce features a handful of pantry staples, making it easy to customize to your spice tolerance.

This tomato based sauce is one of the most versatile sauces you will ever make! The brown sugar, tomatoes, and spices create the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Blending the ingredients together helps bring the flavors together, ensuring you get the most out of each and every spice.

One of our favorite things about this dish is how easy it is to use. Whether you are havingstir-fry with chicken,tacos, or anegg bakeyou can add a few spoonfuls of this sauce to add some extra heat and flavor to your dish. Have a lower spice tolerance? Don’t worry! You can easily customize the level of paprika and chili powder to create your perfect sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and easy to make.
Easy to store.
Great for adding flavor to a variety of dishes.

Recipe Ingredients

Diced Tomatoes—Or fresh tomatoes with half a cup of tomato sauce.
Brown Sugar—Acts as the base sweetener in the sauce. Either light or dark brown sugar.
Chili Powder—Provides your sauce with a savory spiciness.
Smoked Paprika—Helps amplify the flavors of the other spices.
Garlic Powder—Or a few cloves of fresh garlic.
Ground Cumin—Adds a slight nuttiness to the sauce.
Salt—Balances the sweetness of the brown sugar and tomatoes.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Popular Substitutions and Variations

If you do not have smoked paprika you can use regular paprika. The smokey undertone helps amplify the natural flavor of all the spices.
For a hotter sauce, you can exchange the chili powder for chipotle chili powder.
For a sweeter sauce, you can use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.

How to Make Adobo Sauce

Ingredients for adobo sauce in a blender.

Step #1.Place the tomatoes, sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and salt in a food processor or blender.

Step #2.Pulse the ingredients on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Serve and Enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Is adobo sauce the same as chipotle sauce?

While both chipotle and adobo sauce have a similar flavor profile, they rely on different ingredients for their flavor. Chipotle sauce relies, primarily, on chilis that have been dried while adobo sauce features a tomato base.

Is adobo a spice or a sauce?

While adobo can take the form of a dry spice blend, stew, or sauce, it is most commonly found in sauce form. In fact, the term adobo comes from the Spanish word for marinade. With that being said, adobo is great in any form!

What does adobo taste like?

Adobo sauce has a distinct and easily recognizable flavor. The tomatoes give this sauce a sweet base that is balanced by a nutty sharpness from the garlic, and a smoky spice from the chili powder.

Expert Tips

We like touse a can of diced tomatoes instead of freshly diced tomatoes because then you do not need to worry about grabbing a can of tomato sauce.Using canned tomatoes also helps cut down on your preparation time.
If you don’t have any smoked paprikayou can use regular paprika. The smokiness helps draw out and amplify the flavors of the spices but is not a necessity.
For a hotter adobo sauce, exchange the chili powder for chipotle chili powder.
For a sweeter sauce, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.The increased level of molasses will add some extra flavor to the sauce.
If you have one, you can combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl anduse an immersion blender to bring the sauce together.
While this sauce isgood for about 2 weeks when made with canned tomatoes, it will last for about a week and a half when prepared with fresh tomatoes because of the lack of preservatives in the tomatoes.

Spoon inside of a jar of red adobo sauce.

What Is Adobo Sauce

The origin of adobo is often debated, but the most widely accepted answers are Peru, Spain, and The Caribbean. Adobo can refer to a stew, spice blend, or sauce. All three forms of adobo use a similar spice blend to create an easily recognizable sweet and spicy flavor.

While adobo is traditionally used in Latin American dishes, its popularity has given it a place in many cultures and cuisines. Part of the sauce’s popularity can be attributed to its irresistible flavor. The savory blend of spices goes well with many dishes, making it a great addition to most meals.

How to Store Your Adobo Sauce

If you are not going to use your sauce immediately then you will want to store it in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid or in a rubbermaid container. You can store your sauce in the fridge for up to two weeks. Reheat your sauce by microwaving the sauce for 40 seconds, giving it a stir, and then adding 30 seconds as needed. Cover the container the sauce is in with a paper towel to prevent any splatter.