Chipotle Lime Sauce

JUMP TO RECIPE

Chipotle Lime Sauce | This zesty chipotle lime sauce is flavorful and easy to make. Whether you follow a vegan diet or are trying to incorporate more plant-based options into your diet, this homemade vegan Chipotle Sauce recipe will become a must-have! Try it on a Loaded Potato Bowl, on Tacos, or as a salad dressing.

A bowl with an orange sauce and paprika sprinkled on top.

A lot of vegan chipotle lime sauce recipes are made with cashews, but my recipe is made even easier by using a store-bought vegan mayo. I like the one by Hellman’s, it’s the most available one in my grocery stores.

You definitely can make vegan sauces with cashews, but sometimes it’s hard to remember to soak them and they aren’t very budget-friendly.

So for this recipe, you’ll start with a base of vegan mayo and then add in a few other flavorful ingredients, like fresh lime (or lemon!) juice, chopped chipotles, and some spices to add some depth.

This sauce is great for meal-prepping – it keeps for about a week in the fridge.

Ingredients

This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe followed by substitution ideas. Read the recipe card for measurements.

vegan mayo: Use your favorite vegan mayo – it makes up the base flavor for this sauce.
lime: I like fresh lime juice, sometimes I use a fresh lemon instead.
chipotle peppers: For the chipotle flavor, I use canned chipotle pepper sauce which is finely chopped chipotle peppers in sauce. You can use a whole canned chipotle pepper instead (or two). Chop the pepper if using whole ones. They’ll still get blitzed in the blender.
Maple syrup: I like to add balance to this sauce with a small drizzle of maple syrup. Change this to your taste, or omit it.
smoked paprika: I like adding some smoked paprika to this sauce for an added smoky flavor.
ground cumin: A little ground cumin gives extra flavor to this sauce and always goes well with lime and chipotles.
salt and pepper: For seasoning.

Substitutions

no maple syrup? Try a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of agave syrup instead.
no limes? Try lemon juice in this recipe.
spices: feel free to add your favorite spices like garlic powder or onion powder.

Instructions

Prep Tips

Appliance: Blender (optionally, make by hand with some chopping)
Use lime or lemon!

This creamy vegan sauce is so easy to make – just add everything to a mini blender and it’s ready in a minute or two. I like my Ninja blender cup for this recipe.

To make this by hand, chop the chipotle peppers well with a knife and stir to combine. If you use chipotle pepper sauce like I do, rather than whole chipotle peppers in sauce, then this will be easier to make by hand.

Ingredients for chipotle lime sauce in a blender cup.

Add ingredients to a blender cup.

Blending ingredients for chipotle lime sauce in a blender cup.

Blend for 60 seconds or so. Done! Easy!

Use the sauce right away or store it in the fridge until needed.

Tips for Making Vegan Chipotle Mayo

store-bought mayo: Using store-bought vegan mayo makes this recipe super quick and easy. No soaking cashews!
customize it: Change up the spices or try adding in your favorites. Roasted garlic would be a great addition to this sauce.
spicier: Make it even spicier by adding more chipotle peppers.
blender: A blender makes this sauce come together really quickly. To make this by hand you’ll need to chop the peppers really well or use Chipotle Pepper Sauce like I have.

What to serve with Vegan Chipotle Sauce

This creamy vegan sauce is great with many dishes, including potato bowls, grain bowls, tacos, burgers, as a sandwich spread or even as a french fry dip!

Storage

Store the sauce in the fridge, in a container with a lid, for about a week.

FAQ

How spicy is chipotle lime sauce?

Spice tolerance varies from person to person. In this chipotle lime sauce, the heat of the chipotle peppers is balance by the creamy and fatty mayo, the acid of the lime juice, and the sweetness of maple syrup, mellowing out the spiciness level.

Can I adjust the spiciness of this chipotle lime sauce?

You can add more or less of the chipotle sauce or chipotle peppers.

How long does vegan chipotle lime sauce last in the refrigerator?

This vegan chipotle lime sauce lasts for about a week in the fridge, in a covered container.