Spice up your taste buds with this smoky homemade chipotle seasoning mix! This easy spice blend is a delicious, versatile mix of chipotle chili powder (ground chipotle peppers), dried herbs, and spices. It's easy to make, lasts for months, and is a smoky alternative to Mexican-style chili powder or other spicy blends.
Homemade seasoning blends like Thai-inspired curry powder, Indian garam masala, or Ethiopian Berbere spice are great ways to discover new spice combinations.
More importantly, when you make them yourself, you have complete control over the seasonings, including the amount of salt and spiciness. Plus, you don't need to worry about artificial flavors or colors.
Table of Contents
🌶 What is Chipotle?
'Chipotle' comprises two Aztec words: chilli (hot pepper) and poctli (smoke).
The spicy flavor of chipotle peppers comes from one simple ingredient - jalapeno peppers. Yep, chipotle peppers are jalapeno peppers left on the vine long enough to turn red. They are then smoked and dried.
The spice level is a result of the jalapeno pepper. The smoky flavor is determined by the type of wood used for smoking, usually pecan or applewood.
⭐ Chipotle Powder versus Chipotle Seasoning
There's a difference - chipotle powder is made by grinding chipotle peppers. You may also run across chipotle chili flakes, which are pulverized, not ground chipotle peppers. If you have them, you'll notice that they have pronounced seeds.
📋 Ingredients and Notes
Chipotle peppers. I recommend grinding whole chipotle peppers before mixing the other ingredients. This gives you an accurate measure. If you use chipotle powder, you can skip this step. Check that your chipotle powder is just ground chilies.
Smoked paprika. This adds a smoky flavor with slightly less heat than chipotle peppers. Depending on your heat tolerance, use hot or mild.
Oregano. I used regular, Mediterranean-style oregano. If you use Mexican oregano, I recommend ¾ teaspoon because it has a more pronounced flavor.
Salt. Salt is optional. I used smoked sea salt. Use sea salt, kosher salt, or leave it salt-free.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
⏲️ Instructions and Pro Tips
If you start with whole chipotle chilies or chili flakes, grind them before mixing them with the rest of the spices. Here's what I discovered in my testing:
- 1 medium chipotle pepper = 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili flakes = 2 ¾ teaspoons chipotle powder.
🥣 How to Make Chipotle Seasoning
Make chipotle powder by grinding whole chipotle chilies or chili flakes.
Add all the ingredients to an airtight container and shake to mix.
Want to save this recipe? 🥣
🥘 How Do You Use Chipotle Seasoning?
Use homemade chipotle seasoning like any chili powder blend in your favorite recipes. It adds mouthwatering flavor to three-bean chili, 5-alarm vegan chili with bulgur, vegan taco meat, or spicy refried black beans. Add a bit of heat to bbq sauces or a touch of chipotle spice to traditional pico de Gallo or mango salsa fresca. It's also great for spice rubs or marinades for tofu or tempeh.
🌡️ Storage and Freezing
Store chipotle seasoning in an airtight container or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Check that the container and lid are completely dry. Moisture will cause spices to clump. Keep them in a cool, dry place like a spice cupboard. Consider places where it won't be impacted by steam or moisture from cooking.
Denise's tip: Label your spicy seasoning with the name, date, and other information, such as salt-free or super-hot.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Chipotle powder is ground chipotle peppers, which are smoked and dried jalapenos. Cayenne pepper is made from ground, dried red chili peppers.
Hot smoked paprika is the best substitute for chipotle powder. Smoked paprika is a mix of smoked chili peppers, so it has a smoky flavor that's not quite as spicy as chipotle powder.
Regular oregano is commonly referred to as Mediterranean oregano. It has a slightly minty flavor with notes of thyme. Mexican oregano is more pungent.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Homemade Chipotle Seasoning Mix
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder - see notes
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt - optional
Instructions
- Make chipotle powder by grinding 1-2 whole chipotle peppers or 1 ½ tablespoons of chipotle chili flakes.
- Add all the ingredients to a dry, airtight container and shake to mix.
- Taste and adjust the spices as desired.
- Makes 4 tablespoons.
- Label and store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
- After testing, 1 chipotle pepper yielded 2 heaping teaspoons of ground chipotle powder, and 1 tablespoon of chipotle chili flakes yielded 2 ¾ teaspoons of chipotle powder.
- This recipe was developed using regular, Mediterranean-style oregano. Mexican oregano is stronger, so I recommend starting with ½ - ¾ teaspoon.
- Label chipotle seasoning with the date and particulars like salt-free or super-hot.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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