This authentic New Mexico red chile sauce is simply delicious and completely addictive. Made from dried ancho chiles that have been cooked down, and pureed into a spicy sauce with a hint of smokiness and a smooth and creamy texture.

New Mexico red chile sauce in a glass jar with a spoon over it.

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One of my first jobs after graduating from the University of New Mexico was working for Head Start programs on 4 Pueblo Indian reservations. I was lucky enough to be invited to feast days and other events where traditional New Mexican food was served like tamales and posole and just about everything was loaded with red chile sauce.

My friends from the pueblos shared their recipes with me which I have since made vegan. Red chile sauce is served everywhere in New Mexico and on just about any savory dish that you can think of. This may sound weird until you try it!

This classic New Mexican red chile sauce is made from dried chile pods and is a must-have for enchiladas, tacos, burritos, and more.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • New Mexican Red Chiles – this is the main ingredient of the sauce and the chiles that you use will greatly affect the flavor. For the most authentic flavor, use red chile pods from Hatch, NM. They come in different levels of spice and when New Mexicans label something as hot, it’s truly hot! These are Anaheim peppers that are grown in the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande near Hatch NM, then dried in the sun until they turn red. (The climate in this specific region gives the peppers their unique flavor).
  • Water – to cook the dried red chile peppers. You can also use vegetable broth for more flavor.
  • Fresh Garlic – fresh is best, but you can also use garlic powder.
  • Oil – any neutral-flavored cooking oil.
  • Flour – all-purpose white flour works best. You can also use a grain-based gluten-free flour mix instead. (You will mix the flour with the oil to make a roux to thicken the sauce and make it creamy.)
  • Oregano – for flavor. Don’t skip this, it gives the sauce a great flavor. You can also add a dash of cumin, onion powder, chile powder, or garlic powder for more flavor.

🔪 Helpful tools

New Mexico red chile sauce in a glass jar with red chile pods around it.

🥄 How to make New Mexican red chile sauce

Step 1 – Break off the stem of 12-15 dried red chile pods and dump out the dry seeds.

Step 2 – Add the red chile pods to 3 1/2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow them to boil for about 10 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat, and let them sit for another 10 minutes.

Step 3 – Scoop out the rehydrated chile pods with a slotted spoon and add them to a blender with 1-2 cloves of garlic. Then add about 1 cup of cooking liquid. Puree on high for about 1 minute, then slowly add the remaining cooking water.

Step 4 – In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil mixed with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir with a whisk until well combined and bubbly. (This is your roux that will thicken the sauce and give it a slightly creamy texture.)

Step 5 – Put a foley food mill or fine mesh strainer over the pan of the roux to strain the pods and seed. Slowly add the pureed red chiles to the strainer about 1/2 cup at a time stirring the roux well between each 1/2 cup of liquid added.

Step 6 – Continue until all of the liquid is added then crank the food mill or press on the chile pods with the back of a spoon to get out all of the remaining liquid.

Step 7 – Add 2 teaspoons of oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt to the chile sauce and simmer on low for about 5 minutes before turning off the heat.

A collage of 6 images showing the process steps for making New Mexico red chile sauce.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Be careful blending the cooked chiles and the hot water, it can overflow out of the top of your blender.
  • You can also use an immersion blender and puree them directly in the cooking pot, but if you are using hot or extra hot chiles, the spice will get into the air and make you cough.
  • Don’t touch your eyes or face when handling the chiles or making the sauce. They are very spicy and will burn your eyes.
  • Some chiles have a bitter flavor if they get old or too dry. If your chile sauce is bitter, add a small amount of sugar or agave nectar to it. You can also use 3 cups of fresh water when blending and discard the cooking water.

🍞 Is red chile sauce gluten-free

Many of the store brands of New Mexican red chile sauce contain wheat, but you can easily make it gluten-free red chile sauce. Simply use a grain-based all-purpose gluten-free flour mix instead of white flour.

🌶️ How to control the spice level?

When you buy red chile pods they will come in mild, medium, hot, and extra hot. The mild ones are usually bigger and smoother, the hottest ones are usually smaller and wrinkled. You can use a mixture of them to create a sauce with medium heat.

Note– Once you thicken the sauce with the roux, the spiciness calms down a little.

🥡 Storage

Refrigerate: The red chile sauce will keep well in the fridge for a week in a sealed container.

Freeze: This chile sauce will also freeze well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat them directly from the freezer.

Two tamales covered in New Mexico red chile sauce and garnished with cilantro.

🌟 How to use the red chile sauce

New Mexicans put either red or green chile sauce on just about anything. If you have ever put ketchup on something, you will probably like red chile sauce on it too. You can put it on just about any savory dish, but these are my favorite things to drizzle it over.

đź“Ś Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

đź“‹ Red chile sauce recipe

A vegan New Mexico style red chile sauce in a glass jar with some sauce dripping off a spoon.
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5 from 6 rating

Red Chile Sauce

Yield: 16 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A New Mexico red chile sauce made from dried red chiles from Hatch, NM. This sauce is vegan and can be made gluten-free as well.
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Ingredients

  • 12-15 red chile pods
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Rince the chile pods under running water to wash off any dust or dirt.
  • Break off the tops of 12-15 dried red chile pods and dump out the dry seeds.
  • Add the red chile pods to 3 1/2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow them to boil for about 10 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat and let them sit for another 10 minutes.
  • Scoop out the rehydrated chile pods with a slotted spoon and add them to a blender with 1-2 cloves of garlic. Then add about 1 cup of cooking liquid. Puree on high for about 1 minute, then slowly add the remaining cooking water.
  • In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil mixed with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir with a whisk until well combined and bubbly. (This is your roux that will thicken the sauce and give it a slightly creamy texture.)
  • Put a foley food mill or wire mesh strainer over the roux to strain the pods and seed. Slowly add the pureed red chiles to the strainer about 1/2 cup at a time stirring the roux well between each 1/2 cup of liquid added.
  • Continue until all of the liquid is added then crank the food mill or press on the chile pods with the back of a spoon to get out all of the remaining liquid.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt to the chile sauce and simmer on low for about 5 minutes before turning off the heat.

Notes

  • Be careful blending the cooked chiles and the hot water, it can overflow out of the top of your blender.
  • You can also use an immersion blender and puree them directly in the cooking pot, but if you are using hot or extra hot chiles, the spice will get into the air and make you cough.
  • Don’t touch your eyes or face when handling the chiles or making the sauce. They are very spicy and will burn your eyes.
  • Some chiles have a bitter flavor if they get old or too dry. If your chile sauce is bitter, add a small amount of sugar or agave nectar to it. You can also use 3 cups of fresh water when blending and discard the cooking water.
Serving: 2tbsp, Calories: 39kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 170mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 326IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg
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