How do you make chili relleno sauce?

Chili relleno, or chiles rellenos, is a mouth-wateringly spicy Mexican dish of stuffed chili peppers, served with a rich and spicy savoury tomato and chili sauce. Enjoy this recipe for chili relleno sauce on chiles rellenos, in a quick and easy beef chili and on other Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes.

What is chili relleno sauce?

Chili relleno, or chiles rellenos, is a Mexican dish of large chili peppers, stuffed, battered and fried, and served with a rich and spicy savoury tomato or tomato and chili sauce. It’s irresistible for those of us who like a serious chili hit, and my easy version of chili relleno sauce packs a spicy punch.

See also
How to make simple red chili sauce – fresh, natural, simple and easy
Sweet Thai chilli sauce – a classic dipping sauce, perfect with Asian fried snacks and starters
Kebab shop chilli sauce – an easy, no cook sauce that is delicious on all sorts of roast and grilled meats.

I make no claims for absolute Mexican authenticity in this recipe, but then there are so many versions of this sauce, both in Mexico and across the South Western states of the USA.

The name chiles rellenos simply means stuffed chilis in Spanish. The original dish comes from the area around the Mexican city of Puebla, so the local poblano chili is commonly used, stuffed with minced pork or beef, cheese, fish or a mixture.

Traditional recipes for chili relleno sauce are often mostly flavoured with tomato and oregano, leaving the heat to the whole chilis, but they can be downright fiery.

Chili relleno style sauce

My version of a chili relleno sauce is somewhere in the middle, with plenty of rich spices and a touch of chili heat that you can dial up or down to taste. It is smooth and substantial enough to coat a pepper nicely.

This chili relleno sauce recipe makes a great tasting spicy, chili, tomato sauce that is packed with flavour and goes with so many dishes. And the texture is just right.

Fast to make, adaptable and gluten free too, this is one of my favourite sauces. There’s no messing around making a roux sauce base and the results are fabulous.

How to use chili relleno sauce

You can use this spicy sauce to cover or even smother anything stuffed – try it on chiles rellenos, over a baked burrito, enchiladas, or even a jacket potato. Drizzle it over meat, or slosh it onto cooked rice. This sauce is adaptable and addictive!

You can even make a quick chili with this sauce, saving an awful lot of time on traditional methods. Simply fry up mince until brown, pour over the sauce and if you like beans in your chili, stir in a can of kidney beans.

Why make this chili relleno sauce

• This is so easy – a great tasting sauce in less than 10 minutes

• Absolutely delicious

• All from everyday pantry ingredients

• Goes with anything

• Endlessly customisable – add your favourite spices and tailor the heat to suit.

Chili relleno sauce ingredients

• Spices – A mix of chili, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and oregano. See notes below for how to tailor this.

• Tomato Paste / purée – Whatever you normally buy from the store.

Helen’s Pro Tip

Once opened, a tube of tomato purée will keep a few weeks in the fridge. With a can, I portion it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, pop the cubes out and store in a ziplock bag or airtight pot.

• Cornflour/cornstarch – This is the MOST useful kitchen staple used for thickening all sorts or sauces, casseroles and stews without the need to make a roux. It is especially great for adding that “gloopiness” to sauces in all manner of Asian-style dishes.

• Vegetable Oil – This is one of the very dishes in which I use a generic vegetable oil rather than extra virgin olive oil.

• Stock/broth – vegetable, chicken or beef depending on preference and what you are serving

• Lemon juice (not pictured) – optional, but a squeeze of lemon juice,(or anything acidic) is a flavour enhancer, acting in much the same way as salt. You can also use a drizzle of pickle juice here.

How to make a quick chili relleno sauce – step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

Step One – Put the oil and spices, salt and oregano in a pan. Lightly fry for a minute, stirring all the time, until the spices are fragrant. Take care not to overheat and burn them.

Helen’s Pro Tip

It is tempting, but don’t skip this step – frying the spices releases their flavour and your sauce will taste far better.

Step Two – Add the broth and tomato paste and stir. Bring to a simmer.

Step Three – Add two teaspoons of cold water to the cornflour/cornstarch, to make a “slurry”. Add this to the sauce, stirring well to avoid any lumps. Continue to cook, stirring all the time until the sauce starts to thicken.

Do not attempt to add the dry cornflour to the sauce, as the ingredients will not combine successfully and you will never get rid of the lumps!

Step Four – Gently simmer over a low heat, stirring all the time. Make sure you scrape the bottom and corners of the pan well as you stir, because the sauce will thicken faster in the hotter parts of the pan.

If necessary, you can mix up another teaspoon of cornflour and water slurry to add to the sauce, but remember that it will thicken as it cools.

When the sauce is ready, it will be shiny and coat the back of a spoon. If you like, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or even a dash of vinegar or pickle juice at this stage, stirring in well. The acidity is a flavour enhancer and really lifts all the other ingredients.

Step Five – Use immediately or pour your chili relleno sauce into a jar to store. I use a jam funnel to avoid splashes and spills. Once the sauce has cooled, you can keep it in the fridge.

Serving suggestion

Pour over traditional stuffed chilies for classic chiles rellenos. Alternatively, use the sauce to cover burritos or enchiladas and bake.

Make a fast and fabulous chili con carne (or carne con chile!) by adding this sauce to fried mince.

We love this sauce simply poured over rice and grilled meat, too.

Variations

• No cornflour? Make with a roux. Stir in some white flour (it does not matter which kind) while toasting the spices, and cook for about a minute. Slowly add the stock/broth, stirring all the time to make a paste. Keep adding the liquid slowly as you stir.

• Vary the spices – Using paprika (smoked or regular) in place of the cayenne pepper will make a far milder sauce. Different dried herbs can be used to adjust the flavour to taste. Use marjoram, oregano, parsley or coriander/cilantro.

• For a chunkier sauce, add a couple of finely chopped ripe tomatoes along with the spices.

Storage

Fridge – This sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for 5 days.

Freezer – Put the sauce in a sealable tub and freeze. Defrost and reheat in a pan on the stove top, or microwave. Either way, give it a really good stir, as it can slightly separate. Once heated, it will return to the original texture.

Hints and tips

• This recipe is adaptable. Play with the seasoning and make it your own. Adjust the heat up or down to taste.

• Don’t try to add the dry cornflour to a sauce. Slake it with water and make a paste or slurry, then combine with the hot liquid and keep stirring. This is a really useful technique for making sauces but it will go horribly wrong if you use dry cornflour/starch.

• Not all spices are the same! The strength and depth of flavour will vary with brand and how long they have been in the cupboard. If you know your spices have been in the cupboard for a couple of years, use a little extra (or better still, buy fresh!).

FAQs

More recipes for chili lovers

• Chilli con carne – rich, dark and delicious

• Easy Quorn chilli – an easy vegan chili dish

• 5 bean chilli – an easy, satisfying and delicious chili that’s naturally vegan

• Sweet chilli dressing – a tasty way to liven up salads