We’ve all been there. It’s 7 p.m. and you’re at home with a sudden craving for Chipotle. You don’t feel like going all the way to the restaurant; they don’t have a drive-thru, and delivery is kind of slow. What’s a hungry person to do?
You make an at-home Chipotle salad complete with a copycat Chipotle vinaigrette!
This task may seem daunting, but this copycat Chipotle salad dressing comes together in minutes. Make the salad with just about any salad ingredients you happen to have on hand in your refrigerator or pantry.
Chipotle Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey
- Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- Adobo sauce
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Combine ingredients
In a food processor, combine the red wine vinegar, honey, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Put the lid on your food processor. (That last part is important!)
Editor’s Tip: Make it fresh! Use two to four cloves of fresh garlic in place of 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. If you’re lucky enough to have an herb garden, swap 1/2 tablespoon of fresh oregano for 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano. Both Mexican and Italian oregano work beautifully in this recipe.
Step 2: Blend and slowly add olive oil
Puree until smooth while slowly drizzling in the olive oil. Your food processor’s lid should have a pour spout that will allow you to dispense the olive oil into the other ingredients. Then, continue blending until all the ingredients are emulsified together and the vinaigrette is smooth. To serve, drizzle over salad greens and toss to coat.
Editor’s Tip: Chipotle’s nutrition facts list rice bran oil rather than olive oil (as our recipe calls for). If you happen to have rice bran oil, feel free to use it. Otherwise, use a different neutral-flavored oil, like canola oil or vegetable oil.
How to Store Chipotle Vinaigrette
Store this Chipotle vinaigrette in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. Be sure to shake the dressing well after storing it since the ingredients will separate.
Chipotle Vinaigrette Tips
What can you use instead of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?
You can whip up a DIY adobo substitute in minutes. Mix 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin together in a small dish. For more heat, increase the amount of cayenne pepper.
Editor’s Tip: This is a great adobo sauce substitute for this salad dressing recipe since you only need a small amount. It’s far from authentic adobo, though, which typically simmers for hours to fully develop the flavors.
How do you make Chipotle vinaigrette less spicy?
Reduce (or omit) the number of chipotle peppers or adobo sauce. For extra heat, add more. That’s the beauty of homemade restaurant appetizers and main dishes. You can adjust the recipe to suit your taste preferences.
How do you make Chipotle vinaigrette without a food processor?
You can use a blender to make the dressing. Don’t have a blender, either? Use a Mason jar or any small container with a tight-fitting lid. Finely mince the whole chipotle pepper first. Then, simply combine everything in the Mason jar, seal it tightly with its lid and shake everything together for several minutes until well combined.
How do you use Chipotle vinaigrette?
It’s perfect on a whole host of salads that demand a little heat. While the obvious choice is to serve it with your favorite Tex-Mex or southwest-style salad, you could also drizzle the vinaigrette over another Chipotle copycat recipe, toss it with roasted veggies or use it as a killer marinade for chicken, seafood or flank steak. You can even mix this dressing into a bit of sour cream for a tasty quesadilla or chip dip.
