Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce Recipe & Uses
A fine sauce can take a regular meal to a 5-star restaurant-worthy dish. The condiment in question is all that – with its heavily complex flavor, it will deepen the taste of everything. Trader Joe’s sauce is top-notch, but I made a copycat recipe that is just a tad more amazing! If you’re looking for a rainy-weather-perfect dip, this Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce is the fall in a jar!
I LOVE all the flavors you can find in here – sweet, tangy, caramelly, spicy, smoky, nutty, and savory. I’m not even exaggerating! The relish is rather specific, as you can see, but so worth trying.
When I made it for the first time, I really thought “Who will eat this mess?” but, I was so wrong. Now, I like to incorporate it into many dishes and it has become an autumn staple in my household. I’ll write you some of my favorite meal pairings and combos with this sauce, just keep reading.
What Makes Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce Special?
Everything about this sauce is special! The ingredient fusion is unusual, as you have pumpkin, chipotle peppers, hot sauce, warm spices, vinegar, and so on… I made the recipe completely from scratch, pumpkin puree included, so I’m going to take you through my preparation process. 🙂 First things first, I cooked everything that needed to be cooked – pumpkin, onion, and garlic.
For the pumpkin puree, I baked sweet pumpkin with spices and brown sugar, but I also baked onion and garlic, because I like them better like that. When making onion puree, I never blanch it, but roast it because it gets a nice smoky flavor and golden color. That stands for garlic, as well. Signature chipotle peppers in adobo sauce were nowhere to be found, so I had to improvise – I used smoked peppers in a hot sauce instead.
How to Make Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce?
The sauce is super simple to make – you only need one roasting tray and a blender. I like to fasten the process and bake everything in the same dish, at the same time. Here is the ingredient list!
- Pumpkin – Go for sweeter, smaller, orange pumpkins, like butternut.
- Onion – I used yellow onion because it is a bit on the milder side.
- Garlic – Garlic simply elevates the whole sauce to the next level.
- Tomato paste – Adds a bit of tanginess and color.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – Adobo sauce tastes piquant, while peppers taste woodsy. I replaced them with smoked peppers in hot sauce, but if you have the original, use it. This is a fine substitute because of the strong smoky relish and spicy red sauce.
- Spices – Here is my spice blend: smoked paprika, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves, cilantro, and sea salt. Also, I use a bit of brown sugar for the pumpkin, but if you’re using canned puree, you don’t need it.
- Vinegar – Use apple cider vinegar for a tangy relish.
- Molasses – I use just a tad of molasses because I don’t like too sugary taste. You can do less or more, as you wish.
Let’s get on blending!
Step 1: Baking the Veggies
Peel the pumpkin and cut it into two bite-sized cubes, so it can bake faster. Do the same with the yellow onion – I quartered it. Place the baking paper onto a roasting tray and arrange the veggies in one layer. I prefer to season it at the spot because it’s faster, so drizzle some olive oil over the pumpkin and onion.
Dust a pinch of salt on the onion and spice mix over the pumpkin: allspice, ginger, cloves, and brown sugar. Take a bit of aluminum foil and place a whole garlic head on top (cut the top so you can see the cloves). Trickle some olive oil and salt, and wrap it up.
Place the garlic on the baking tray, too, and toss it in the oven at 400 °F (200 °C) for about 20 minutes to half an hour. It’s ready when soft and golden brown on top.
Step 2: Blending
Take a blender and combine everything. Meld baked pumpkin, onions, and garlic. Add some apple cider vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or smoked peppers in hot sauce). Now, get on spices: sea salt, smoked paprika, pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
Blend everything perfectly, so it’s creamy and smooth. I ended up adding a few tablespoons of vegetable broth to achieve the right consistency, but water will do as well. This solely depends on how watery is your pumpkin. Taste it, add more spices if needed and you’re done! Enjoy! ☺
How to Use Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce?
Here’s the list of my favorites! Feel free to give me some new ideas on what to pair it with.
Dipping Sauce
It’s an obvious combo, but it’s scrumptious with tortilla chips! Also, if you want some healthier options, kale chips, carrots, and celery are top-tier options. It gives a nice spicy kick and creaminess to the crunchy ingredients. Also, my favorite is in pair with breaded cauliflower – you have to try this!
With Meat
I didn’t try it myself, but I heard it marries well with a pulled pork sandwich. I did try it with shredded chicken tacos, though, and it’s GOOD. It also makes a superb topping for a meatloaf. I would recommend it on the side with meatballs, crispy wings, and chicken fingers for a new twist!
In Pasta
All my fellow pasta lovers, I found us new tasty sauce that is perfect for fall. It’s a lifesaver if you want a quick dinner, as you only need to combine it with the cooked pasta of your choice. It will infuse it with all the spicy flavors, plus it’s amazing with fresh salad on the side to freshen up the taste.
In Deviled Eggs
It will make flawless deviled egg topping, as it’s just enough hot to keep the signature flavor, but still nutty enough to give them an unusual twist. Top them with pumpkin seeds for the crunch!
Stuffed Peppers and Roasted Veggies
The pumpkin chipotle sauce is a flawless bed to serve stuffed peppers on. It’s flavorful and fuses impeccably with slightly sweet peppers and savory stuffing. The same goes for roasted veggies: peppers, zucchini, eggplant, corn – you name it!
How to Store It?
I always use a glass jar and store it in the fridge. Make sure the lid is nice and tight, so the sauce doesn’t spoil on top. I wouldn’t recommend using it for more than 10 days, though, but if it smells funny – toss it before.
Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 roasting tray
Ingredients
- 1 pound pumpkin (or 1 cup of pumpkin puree)
- 1 onion (large)
- 1 garlic head
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ginger
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cilantro
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or smoked peppers in hot sauce)
- 3 tbsp vegetable broth (if needed)
Instructions
Baking the Veggies
- Peel the pumpkin and cut it into two bite-sized cubes. Peel the yellow onion and quarter it.
- Place the baking paper onto a roasting tray and arrange the veggies in one layer.
- Drizzle some olive oil over the pumpkin and onion. Dust a pinch of salt on the onion and spice mix over the pumpkin: allspice, ginger, cloves, and brown sugar.
- Take a bit of aluminum foil and place a whole garlic head on top (cut the top so you can see the cloves). Trickle some olive oil and salt, and wrap it up.
- Place the garlic on the baking tray, too, and toss it in the oven at 400 °F (200 °C) for about 20 minutes to half an hour. It’s ready when soft and golden brown on top.
Blending
- Meld baked pumpkin, onions, and garlic. Add some apple cider vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or smoked peppers in hot sauce).
- Now, get on spices: sea salt, smoked paprika, pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
- Blend everything perfectly, so it’s creamy and smooth. Add a few tablespoons of vegetable broth to achieve the right consistency if needed. Taste it, add more spices if needed and you’re done! Enjoy!
Notes
How to Use Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce?
- as a Dipping Sauce
- with Meat
- in Pasta
- in Deviled Eggs
- with Stuffed Peppers and Roasted Veggies
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
