How to Make the Best Valentina Hot Sauce at Home
This homemade Valentina Hot Sauce recipe brings the bold, tangy, and spicy flavors of the classic Mexican sauce right to your kitchen! With simple ingredients and an easy process, you'll have a versatile hot sauce perfect for tacos, burritos, wings, and more.
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan
- 1 Blender or food processor
- 1 Fine mesh strainer optional
- 1 Glass bottle or airtight container for storage
Ingredients
- 10 dried puya or guajillo chilies stems removed
- 5 dried árbol chilies stems removed
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Soak the Chilies: Place dried chilies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for about 10 minutes until they soften.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a medium saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, sautéing until fragrant and softened, about 3–5 minutes.
- Blend Everything Together: Drain the soaked chilies and add them to a blender along with the sautéed onion and garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, paprika, cumin, and 2 cups of water. Blend until completely smooth.
- Strain for Smoothness (Optional): For an extra-smooth sauce, pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan. Use a spoon to press the sauce through, discarding any solids left behind.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low heat, cooking for 5–10 minutes to develop the flavors. Stir occasionally.
- Cool and Store: Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it into a clean glass bottle or airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
For extra tanginess, add a little more vinegar. Want it spicier? Increase the amount of árbol chilies!