Homemade Taco Bell Chipotle Sauce

This is my version of the creamy chipotle sauce from Taco Bell. It's a simple mayonnaise and sour cream base that gets its smoky flavor from canned chipotle peppers. I use it on quesadillas, tacos, and burgers.

Published: November 5, 2025
by Maribelle Harper

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Ingredients (Yields ~1.5 cups)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) minced cilantro
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
3-5 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (depends on your heat preference)
1/4 cup adobo sauce (from the can)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine the Creamy Base

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced cilantro, garlic powder, and lime juice.

I find it’s best to mix these base ingredients first until they’re smooth; this helps prevent the sauce from getting lumpy later.

Add the Chipotle and Seasoning

Once the base is smooth, whisk in the chopped chipotle peppers, the adobo sauce, and the cumin (if you’re using it) until the color is completely uniform.

Now, you need to taste it for salt.

The adobo sauce itself is already salty, so I’d start with just 1/4 tsp of salt and add more from there.

The 5 peppers in this recipe will give it a solid kick; you can definitely use fewer if you want. I usually scrape the seeds out of the peppers before chopping them – this keeps the smoky flavor but cuts down on the raw heat.

Let the Sauce Rest

This is the most important step. Cover the bowl and put the sauce in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

The flavors will change and blend as they sit, so don’t skip this. It won’t taste right if you use it immediately.

The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for ~5-7 days.

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