Easy Ranchero Sauce | Recipe
A quick and easy recipe for Ranchero sauce -- a tomato based sauce infused with sauteed vegetables like jalapenos, onions and fresh garlic.
I first took note of this sauce at a hole-in-the-wall Tex-Mex joint, smothered over chicken and topped with melty Monterrey Jack cheese. It quickly became my favorite dish from that establishment and was my routine order. I just couldn't find it in me to stray from it...until the restaurant was temporarily shut down for food poisoning. Then, I found it super easy to stray. Far, far away. Not too much further down the road, it donned on me that this was the same sauce used on Huevos Rancheros, a very popular dish down here in Texas. Longing for that smothered chicken I once knew and loved, I couldn't resist taking a stab at a homemade version. I was shocked at how simple and easy it was to make: All it took was a few sauteed veggies, some canned tomatoes, seasoning and a blender.
I now use it over chicken, on Huevos Rancheros (of course), as a taco topper and even in a super savory, super yummy baked pasta dish. I'll be looking forward to sharing these recipes with you guys in the near future, but for now, here is the most important part: The Ranchero.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a white onion, diced
3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and diced 1 clove of garlic, minced
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzanos
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Add the olive oil to a medium-sized sauce pan of medium high heat. Stir in the onion and jalapeño and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and using the back of a wooden spoon, crush the tomatoes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin and paprika. Reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the contents of the sauce pan to a blender or food processor. Remove the feed tube (to prevent a build-up of steam and pressure), cover with a dish towel and process until smooth. Serve and enjoy.
Would pair well with:
Scrambled Eggs
Tacos
Pulled Pork
