Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 200 g tomato puree
- 50 ml water
- 30 ml white vinegar
Spices and Seasoning
- 5 g chili powder
- 2 g ground cumin
- 2 g garlic powder
- 2 g onion powder
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 5 g granulated sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 19 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 139 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 151 mg
- Calcium
- 10 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 2 mg
- Phosphorus
- 4 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 8 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium saucepan, combine the tomato puree, water, white vinegar, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk thoroughly until all spices are fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally with the whisk, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving or transferring to a storage container.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the dry spices briefly in the dry saucepan for 30 seconds before adding the wet ingredients can unlock deeper, roasted flavor profiles.
- For a smoky variation, substitute half of the chili powder with smoked paprika or add a dash of liquid smoke.
- This recipe serves as a fantastic base canvas. You can blend in fresh cilantro or a roasted jalapeño at the end for an extra dimension of freshness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight jar or container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes overly harsh or acidic
Cause: The acidity from the tomato puree and vinegar is overpowering the spices
Fix: Stir in an additional 2-3g of sugar or a splash of olive oil to round out the flavors
Prevention: Ensure accurate measurement of the vinegar and do not skip the simmering phase, which mellows acidity
Sauce is too thin
Cause: Excess water or insufficient simmering time
Fix: Return to low heat and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until the desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Measure liquids precisely
Cultural Context
This style of quick-cooked red chili sauce draws inspiration from traditional Mexican salsas rojas and enchilada sauces. It has been adapted for modern pantry staples to deliver immediate flavor without the lengthy traditional process of toasting, soaking, and pureeing whole dried chiles.
