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taco bell volcano sauce recipe

Volcano Sauce Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Method
 

  1. Warm 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and stir for 90 seconds until fragrant and just beginning to turn pale gold.
  2. Add 1 chipotle pepper and 1 tbsp adobo sauce, breaking the pepper up with a spoon. Pour in the 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with their liquid. Stir in 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender. Add 1 tsp white vinegar, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth.
  4. Return the sauce to the saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed, then pour into a serving bowl or jar and serve warm.

Notes

This recipe makes about 1 cup of sauce, with 8 servings at roughly 2 tbsp each. If you're making it for a crowd, it doubles cleanly; just use a medium saucepan so there's room to simmer without splattering. The heat level lands somewhere between medium and hot, so taste as you go if you're serving people with different tolerances.