Creamy Chipotle Garlic Sauce with Sour Cream Recipe
This easy and creamy Chipotle Garlic Sauce with Sour Cream combines smoky chipotle peppers with rich sour cream, garlic, and warm spices to create a versatile and flavorful sauce. Perfect for drizzling over tacos, dipping veggies, or adding a spicy kick to your favorite dishes, it’s quick to prepare and can be customized to suit your heat preference or dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (including resting time)
- Yield: About 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup sour cream (full-fat works best for richness)
- 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Optional Additions:
- 1 tablespoon honey (for subtle sweetness)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
Smart Substitutions:
- Greek yogurt can replace sour cream for a tangier, protein-rich version
- Vegan sour cream or cashew cream works for dairy-free needs
- Adjust chipotle peppers from 1 to 4 depending on your heat preference
- Fresh garlic can be substituted with 1 teaspoon garlic powder if needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Start by adding your sour cream to a medium mixing bowl. Room temperature sour cream blends more easily, so take it out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you plan to start. The creamy base will be the foundation that carries all those bold flavors.
- Process the Chipotles: Remove 2-3 chipotle peppers from the can and roughly chop them on a cutting board. Don’t worry about perfect pieces – they’ll get mixed in anyway. The chopping helps distribute the peppers more evenly throughout the sauce. Reserve the adobo sauce from the can – it adds essential smoky flavor.
- Build the Flavor: Add the chopped chipotles, adobo sauce, and minced garlic to your sour cream. The garlic will be strong at first, but mellows beautifully as the flavors combine. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and smoked paprika to add warm layers of smokiness and depth.
- Mix and Taste: Whisk everything together until well combined. The sauce should have a lovely peachy-orange color with flecks of pepper and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more adobo sauce for heat, lime juice for brightness, or salt for depth to find your perfect balance.
- Let It Rest: Transfer the sauce to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes. Resting allows the garlic to mellow and flavors to marry beautifully. The sauce will thicken slightly, reaching ideal consistency for dipping, drizzling, or spreading.
Notes
- Allow sauce to rest for at least 15 minutes for best flavor; it can be eaten immediately if needed.
- Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for future use.
- Use Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream as substitutions to suit dietary preferences.
- Adjust chipotle pepper quantity to control heat level from mild to spicy.
Keywords: chipotle sauce, garlic sauce, sour cream sauce, spicy dipping sauce, creamy chipotle, Mexican sauce
