Homemade Taco Sauce {pantry only, ready in 20 days! }

If you have a regular taco night at your house, this sauce will have a permanent place in your refrigerator. As much as I love salty vinegar Taco Bell style taco sauce, I always wish it was a little spicier. Making your own means you’re in control, so it can be just as spicy, vinegary, or sweet as you like every time.

Let’s be honest, most store-bought and restaurant taco sauces are loaded with preservatives and ingredients I can’t even pronounce. This version is made with simple pantry staples you already know and trust, but still gives you that familiar taco night flavor.

If you’re like me and never seem to have enchilada sauce on hand when you need it, this recipe is your lifesaver. You mix it with canned tomato sauce, a little vinegar, water, and some spices, cook it for 20 minutes, and then you have tortillas, bowls, and leftovers to enjoy all week long.

before starting

Before you start cooking your taco sauce, here are some helpful information you need to know so it comes out just the way you like it.

• Choose Original Tomato Sauce: Buy canned tomato sauce or puree made only from tomatoes, with no added herbs or seasonings, so you have complete control over the flavor. Mixed canned tomatoes will work in a pinch, but the sauce will be a little thinner.
• Choose your vinegar: Classic taco sauce often uses white vinegar for a rich, clean flavor. Apple cider vinegar also works, adding a bit of sweetness and fruitiness, while lime juice changes the flavor to make it taste more like salsa.
• Determine the heat: Most of the spice comes from chili peppers and paprika. If you prefer lighter meals, plan to reduce or eliminate the chili peppers. If you like heat, you can always add more chili peppers or even stir in a spoonful of hot sauce later.
• Balanced sweetness: A little sugar balances the acidity of the vinegar and tomatoes. Use regular sugar, brown sugar, honey, or another sweetener of your choice, but start small and add more after tasting.
• Use low, gentle heat: This sauce needs to be simmered for about 20 minutes so the flavor deepens but doesn’t burn. Plan to stir occasionally and keep the heat low, especially when it thickens at the end.

How to Make Homemade Taco Sauce

Here are the simple steps so you know exactly how to make this sauce at home.

1.Put everything into the pan

Place tomato paste, water or broth, vinegar, all spices and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir well so that the spices are completely dissolved into the liquid and there are no lumps.

2. Cook until thick and tasty

Place the pot over low heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the bottom. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like, add a little water or broth to thin it out.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings

Turn off the heat and taste the sauce. Add salt if needed, remembering that some canned tomato sauce already contains salt. You can also adjust the vinegar, sugar, or cayenne pepper at this stage to get the exact balance of flavor, sweetness, and heat you like.

4. Cool and store

Let the sauce cool completely in the pan, then transfer it to a clean jar or airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator and use it in tacos, bowls, quesadillas, and anything else that needs a flavor boost. The flavor usually gets better after resting overnight.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Here are the best tips and tricks for making your taco sauce come out perfect every time.

• Adjust base thickness: If you want a thicker sauce like the bottled brands, cook uncovered for longer so some of the liquid can evaporate. For a thinner drizzle-style sauce, add additional water or broth a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
• Make it mild: For a kid-friendly or milder version, omit the cayenne pepper entirely and use a slightly lighter hand to apply the paprika. If the flavor is still too strong, add a little sugar to soften it.
• smoke: Swapping regular paprika for ancho paprika and using smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika gives the sauce a deeper smoky flavor that’s amazing on grilled meats.
• Turn the heat up: For a spicier sauce, add extra chiles or stir in your favorite hot sauce. Another great option is to add 1-2 tablespoons of jalapeños to adobo for a smoky flavor and extra depth.
• Make it green: For a fun variation, make green taco sauce by using a mussel mix instead of tomato sauce. Keep the seasonings similar, and adjust the sweetness and vinegar levels to balance out the extra flavor of the slime.
• Whipped cream version: Stir a few spoons of mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle, or Greek yogurt into the cooled sauce to create a creamy taco sauce that’s perfect for drizzling on tortillas, burritos, and bowls.
• Flavor enhancers to try: If you want a more complex flavor, add a little dried oregano or cilantro, or add a splash of tomato paste for a more intense tomato flavor. Just add it slowly and taste as you go so it doesn’t overwhelm the sauce.

How to use Taco Sauce

Obviously, the first way to use this sauce is on tacos, but it works great in many other recipes as well. Here are some favorites:

• Crispy Tortillas: Taco sauce is a staple of Tex-Mex taco classics like ground turkey tacos, ground beef tacos, and simple ground chicken tacos. Add lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and homemade sauce.
• Tostada: Make crispy tacos out of a classic taco with refried beans, protein, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, onions and taco sauce. Try it with turkey tacos, beef tacos, or even shrimp tacos.
• Burritos and Tacos: Swap this homemade taco sauce for hot sauce or salsa in bean burritos, chicken burritos, or even breakfast burritos.
• Enchiladas: This homemade taco sauce is very similar to enchiladas. Use it in slow cooker enchilada casserole or enchilada soup.

Store and reheat

Here’s how to store taco sauce so it’s always ready when taco night rolls around.

• Store (fridge): Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
• Store (freezer): Freeze the sauce in small containers or ice cube trays and transfer the ice cubes to freezer bags. It keeps for up to 3 months and can be defrosted as needed.
• Reheat: Gently heat the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. If it thickens in the refrigerator or freezer, add a small amount of water or broth to thin it to your preferred consistency.
• Leftovers: Use leftover taco sauce for a quick taco night, drizzle it over grain bowls, mix it into scrambled eggs, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or stir it into soups and casseroles for a boost of flavor.