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If you, like me, have ever found yourself standing at a taco truck drowning a carne asada taco in a light green, creamy jalapeno sauce, offered up in a squeeze bottle-- this is the recipe FOR YOU!
This thick and creamy, super SPICY, bursting-with-jalapeno green sauce is GOOD ON EVERYTHING from chips to tacos.
When I fall in love with a sauce or dip I naturally want to be able to cook it myself, and usually, it’s no problem after 14 years as a professional chef, but this homemade jalapeno sauce recipe was tricky to reverse-engineer.
When people see the white-green and creamy whipped texture of this sauce it’s natural to assume it’s made with sour cream, avocado, or mayonnaise, none of which would be correct. I know because I tried them all without success. 🙁 These sauce creations were tasty, but they didn’t quite mimic the jalapeno sauce I had grown to crave from my favorite taqueria.
I finally found my savior in the form of a Tex-mex restaurant owner who was serving this exact same sauce as a jalapeno dip (along with chips and salsa) at a restaurant in north Texas. I begged him to help me out and he laughed as he explained how his cooks prepare the jalapeno sauce each morning over the grill.
Whether served as a spicy dip or taco truck green sauce it is made in exactly the same fashion with the same cast of ingredients—jalapenos, onion, garlic, oil, salt, and lime juice.
How To Make Creamy Jalapeno Sauce:
First the jalapeno, garlic and onions are cooked. My restaurant friend grills them until soft but as I’ve learned this really doesn’t impart a different flavor to the final dip, so I prefer boiling them unless I have the grill already going for another dish.
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These soft veggies are transferred to a high-powered blender and transformed into a puree. I use this high-powered Blendtec Blender for all my sauces and soups to create a smooth and silky puree.
Then an emulsion is created by slowly drizzling in oil. The oil blended into the puree creates a mayonnaise-like creaminess and dilutes the spiciness of the jalapenos making them more palatable.
To finish the sauce with a pop of flavor, we’ll season the jalapeno emulsion with plenty of salt which brings out the rich chile flavor in the jalapenos, and fresh lime juice for acidity and balance. Then pour into these wide-mouth squeeze bottles. You can buy them right here.
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Creamy Jalapeno Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 fresh jalapeno peppers
- 1 white onion
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 t. kosher salt
- ½ c. avocado oil or any fresh flavorless oil
- 1 ½ T. fresh lime juice about 1 whole lime
Instructions
- Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and add 1 t. salt,
begin heating over high heat. - Meanwhile, remove the peel off one white onion and quarter
the onion, place in a bowl. - Wash the jalapeno peppers well, drain, and place in the bowl
with the onion. - From a large bulb of garlic, break up 8 cloves. You can cook
the garlic in their husks, and it will eventually fall off, so no need to peel
them. Place them in the bowl. - Take all of the vegetables in the bowl and carefully pour
them into the stockpot. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat until
the water is just at a simmer. - Simmer the vegetables for approximately 20 minutes. The
jalapenos and onion should be soft, and the peppers should be an army green.
The garlic will fall from its husks. Drain the veggies from the water and place
into the bowl of a blender. - Add 2 t. kosher salt (you may want to start with 1 t. salt and
work your way up if you are using table salt to see if you need a full 2 t.). Add ½ c. avocado oil and 1 ½ T fresh lime juice. - Place the lid on the blender and blend 1 full minute. Taste
for seasoning. You may want to add additional salt or lime juice if needed. If
for any reason you need to thin the puree, add 1 T. water at a time until the
blender moves easily. - Pour the jalapeno cream into squeeze bottles and chill. This
sauce should be stored in the refrigerator and lasts about 10 days.
Tony says
Fantastic! Followed this recipe to the T, but I added about 5 TBS of water. I also added a good squirt of lemon juice to my last batch. Made this for a work party (Cinco De Mayo) and many people were blown away!!! I made a custom label for my bottles and everything. Next time I want to add cilantro and maybe cucumber!!! Thanks!!!
bigdaddy H says
Have not tried this one yet but wondering if my jalepenos have turned red can I still use them?
Sarah Penrod says
Yes, you can!
Michael Fik says
You put the whole jalepenos in? Even with the top stems? I’ve made this twice, but have cut off the very top of the peppers so no stems. I’ve also been grilling the peppers, it adds a nice “flake” (from the char) to the finished product that almost looks like bits of black pepper. I wish this sauce had a longer shelf life like the rest of my hot sauces, any idea if vinegar or canning would help it last longer?
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Michael, Canning is certainly a science so I do not know how to make it canning safe. If you feel knowledgeable enough, I know Trader Joe's has a bottled creamy jalapeno sauce just like this that they bottle like ketchup. So, it must be able to be done but I do not know how to advise you on it! I do use the tops because I boil my jalapenos and they're just soft as a vegetable but you can cut them off if you like.
Michaela says
@Michael Fik, i just picked the stems right off before boiling, no knife required.
James says
Living in Houston, TX means we make lots of tex-mex dishes. I had concerns about using whole, unseeded jalapeños and I was right. Jalapeños can vary widely in heat level and I must gotten all really hot ones. Had to seriously dilute with sour cream and even then it was too hot for my family.
Sarah Penrod says
Yes, they can definitely be hotter in the summer, but this sauce is a spicy sauce like you see at taco trucks in the area. If you don't want spicy you can remove the seeds before cooking the jalapenos.
Jessica Bivins says
I made this sauce this morning for today's lunch. The flavor of it was AMAZING!! The only issue is, why on earth did it turn brown?? Have you ever had this happen?
Sarah Penrod says
I have never heard of that Jessica. Did you keep it sealed with a lid? There is nothing in the recipe that oxidizes so may it was just a one time weirdness.
Sergio says
I'm so glad I found this recipe. I've been looking for something that was a little more versatile and we've been putting it on tacos, fajitas, even nachos! You name the type of tex mex and we're putting it on there! The flavor and thickness of this sauce was something to behold for sure.
Aaron says
Fellow N Texan here! I love this Taqueria salsa but haven’t had any luck replicating it. I’m going to try yours. Have you ever thought about smoking the veggies to bring a smoky element to this?
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Aaron, smoking foods of all kinds is 2nd nature to my family but there can also be too much of a good thing. I haven't tried it in this recipe but for any recipes I want a smoky taste in, I certainly do!
Bob says
Hi Sarah. This looks like an awesome recipe. I havent tried it yet but am looking for ideas as I have several gallons of jalapenos on the vine and will need something to do with them. My question is, have you tried freezing this sauce in small freezer containers for later use? Would like to know before I try it in case freezing alters the flavors. Thanks Sarah!
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Bob, I have not tried freezing it, but I do know it can be bottled and processed with heat. I do not know if that helps. My instinct is that freezing it would be fine because it's not that different than spinach and artichoke dip (mayo and vegetable puree) and that freezes and defrosts just fine. Best of luck!
H says
any idea why this came out super bitter? bad quality/too old jalapeños or cooked them for too long?
Sarah Penrod says
Hi H, I would try again with fresh jalapenos as we have made this recipe many times (and it's barely even a recipe, the Mexican culture makes this style of sauce often) and it has never come out bitter. Also, make sure you are not burning the garlic. (Kind of hard to do when this recipe is boiled but wanted to add that in.) Good luck, I'm sure that was just a weirdness and won't happen again! - Chef Sarah
Emily says
@H, Leave out the onion and garlic. I’ve had the same thing happen with a similar recipe. Use canola oil and add water if you think it’s too thick.
RSter says
NO LIME !! that citrus flavor totally destroys the original intent of this great salsa.
Sarah Penrod says
Thanks for the tip! We appreciate that you tried our recipe. 🙂 - Chef Sarah
Joe Hayes says
I've been trying to find, recreate, duplicate, beg, borrow or steal the green sauce from a food truck in Denison called taco fanny. I simply have failed to replicate it. Can you help? I just tried your recipe, but it's missing the proper flavor. This recipe just taste like jalapenos.
Sarah Penrod says
If I ever get out that way I will be sure to look for Taco Fanny! 🙂
Asher says
@Joe Hayes, try roasting your peppers and garlic with a bit of canola oil. Olive oil can be heavier and covers the flavor of the peppers. If you want creamier place the peppers in a bowl and cover with film( plastic rap) to sweat off the skins. Remove seeds for milder sauce or leave them in for spicier. Some recipes leave out the onion but add more garlic, some leave out the cilantro too and keep it simple to skinned peppers and garlic with salt and oil to taste and consustency.
Ft Worth Cody says
@Joe Hayes, I have been adding a bit of chicken bullion powder before adding any salt and it has gotten me the closest to my favorite taco spot here in Ft Worth. That tip was learned from a friend's grandmother.
Joe says
Do you know if you are able to “can” the sauce?
Meaning, put the sauce in mason jars, put in a water bath and cook for X number of minutes
Sarah Penrod says
I do not have enough knowledge on canning to tell you that. Trader Joe's does make a batch, just like mine, and bottle it but I don't know what process they use to make sure it is safe.
Sara says
@Joe,
Did you ever can this? I was going to ask the same question but you beat me to it, by like 2 years...😁
Sara
Mary says
Have you ever added cilantro? I was just curious.
Sarah Penrod says
That would be a great addition!
Marlene says
@Mary, I make a green sauce that I found on Pinterest (can’t remember the name) that uses a LOT of cilantro, jalapeño, oil, and I forget what else. It is amazing! You throw everything into the food processor and you’re done. You can use this recipe and add cilantro.
J-Tyme says
Stumbled on this recipe and had to try it. It's so easy and delicious! Great on burritos and eggs. My wife loves it too.
Sarah Penrod says
Glad to hear that!! 🙂 - Sarah
Steve says
Do you remove the stems and seeds from the jalapenos when preparing this recipe?
Sarah Penrod says
I dont. Didn't seem to matter. You can if you feel like it! 🙂