This Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce Recipe is a creamy and spicy recipe, which is made with roasted jalapeño peppers and garlic. It’s a versatile, all-purpose sauce, ready in about 50 minutes.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce Ingredients
- 1 pound jalapeno peppers
- 16 peeled garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup canola oil, plus more for drizzling on peppers and garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1-2 teaspoons salt, depending on preference
How To Make Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce
- Broil the peppers: Turn on your oven’s broiler. Toss the jalapeño peppers with a little oil, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and broil for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until they are mostly blackened and soft.
- Steam and peel the peppers: Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes. This will make the skins easy to peel off.
- Roast the garlic: Meanwhile, toss the peeled garlic cloves with a drizzle of oil and spread them on the same baking sheet. Broil for 4-5 minutes until browned but not burnt.
- Prep the peppers: Once the peppers have cooled slightly, the skins should peel off easily. Remove the stems and as many seeds as you’d like (see notes below on spice level).
- Blend the sauce: Place the peeled jalapeños, roasted garlic, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a high-powered blender. Puree until mostly combined. With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the canola oil to create a smooth and creamy sauce. Season with more salt if needed.
Recipe Tips
- How do I control the spice level? The heat is in the seeds and membranes. For a milder sauce, remove all of them. For medium heat, use the seeds from about half the peppers. For a very spicy sauce, leave most of them in.
- Why do I need to steam the peppers? Steaming the peppers in a covered bowl after broiling is a crucial step. It loosens the tough outer skin, making it incredibly easy to peel off.
- How do I get the creamiest texture? The secret is to drizzle the oil in slowly while the blender is running. This process, called emulsification, is what creates the famously creamy, smooth texture without any dairy.
- Can I use a different type of oil? Canola oil is used because it has a neutral flavor that doesn’t overpower the peppers. Avocado oil would be another excellent neutral-flavored choice.
What To Serve With Jalapeño Sauce
This sauce is famously good on just about everything. Try it with:
- Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas
- Scrambled or fried eggs
- Drizzled over grilled chicken, steak, or fish
- As a dip for french fries or roasted potatoes
- Mixed into rice or grain bowls
How To Store Jalapeño Sauce
- Refrigerate: Store the sauce in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to one week. The flavor gets even better after the first day.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended, as it can cause the oil emulsion to break, resulting in a separated sauce upon thawing.
Jalapeño Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 72kcal
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 196mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
The heat level is entirely up to you. For a mild sauce, remove all seeds and membranes from the jalapeños. For a spicy, authentic kick, leave in about half the seeds. You can always start with fewer seeds and add more if you want more heat.
The most likely culprit is burnt garlic. It’s very important to watch the garlic closely under the broiler and pull it out as soon as it’s browned. Burnt garlic has a very acrid flavor that can ruin the entire sauce.
Yes, you can, but a high-powered blender will give you the smoothest, creamiest result. If using a standard blender, you may need to blend for longer and stop frequently to scrape down the sides of the container.
Try More Recipes:
- Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Dressing Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce Recipe
Course: SauceCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy1
servings20
minutes20
minutes72
kcalA creamy, spicy, and incredibly addictive copycat of the famous Trader Joe’s green sauce, made with roasted jalapeños and garlic.
Ingredients
1 lb jalapeno peppers
16 peeled garlic cloves
1/3 cup canola oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1-2 tsp salt
Directions
- Broil jalapeños on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, flipping once, until blackened and soft.
- Place hot peppers in a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, broil the garlic cloves on the same sheet for 4-5 minutes until browned.
- Peel the skins and remove the desired amount of seeds from the cooled jalapeños.
- In a high-powered blender, puree the peppers, garlic, cilantro, and 1 tsp of salt.
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.
- Taste and add more salt if needed. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- The spice level is controlled by how many seeds you keep. Remove them all for mild, keep half for spicy.
- Watch the garlic carefully under the broiler; roasted garlic is delicious, but burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
- Slowly drizzling in the oil is the key to creating the creamy emulsion, so don’t rush this step.
- Start with just 1 teaspoon of salt. You can always blend in more at the end after tasting.
