Make Your Own Taco Sauce {Ortega Taco Sauce Copycat} with healthy and natural ingredients. Easy to make with all ingredients in your cabinet already! We’ll show to just how to make it at home and you’ll never go back!
I truly feel like this sauce deserves its own entrance song it is that good.
So hidden food obsession secret about Lindsay #3.
- We all are very familiar with peanut butter
- roasted broccoli as my hidden food obsession secrets.
- Ortega sauceeeee! Oh my word Ortega sauce goes well on everything and anything Mexican. Be it, beans, tacos, nachos, just dip chips in it.. Come to think of it I’ve dipped veggies in it before.
So here it goes…
My name is Lindsay and I am a Ortega taco sauce addict.
When I get into my Mexican food kick I could easily go through 2 bottles in a month… by myself…
It is my guilty pleasure. I know the ingredients aren’t the greatest:
Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Water, Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Spices, Paprika, Citric Acid, Green Chile Powder, Onion Powder.
To be exact.
I mean not horrible but also not ideal with modified corn starch and corn syrup as the third ingredient.
Pretty mild ingredients compared to other sauces out there, but nonetheless when I’m consuming the amount of taco sauce that I was, it needed to be revamped.
My mission began when I had just a tiny amount of sauce left. Just a couple drips but I couldn’t let it go to waste. (Roland almost got in trouble for throwing it away with those last little bits of deliciousness.)
How hard could it be to make my own taco sauce? Turns out, not hard at all.
I took the back of the bottle and went to work. I figured their ‘spices’ are close to the normal spices list for taco seasoning so what wasn’t included in the ingredients list I added. Now I didn’t have green chile powder but I figured cayenne pepper would be a good substitution.
Worked like a charm. I had Roland test it out after I personally had numerous dips with a spoon and then like a lady I finally started using tortilla chips. His response? “It tastes like that taco sauce you love so much”
Booya it sure does.
Hello party in my mouth. Party on nachos, tacos, taco salad, tortilla chips… It’s party time.
Here in Michigan we are in another cold snap with -20F° temperatures with the wind chill. Yes, I wrote that right -20F°! Just disgusting. D-day for shoulder surgery is quickly coming, 5 days to be exact. My hope? The two weeks off of work and trying to recover will be the worst of the winter and I can bypass stepping foot outside the entire time.
Seriously, it’s a little disturbing how much of a homebody I am sometimes.
My meals planned?
- Taco Salads with this epic sauce
- Vegetable Chicken Meatball Soup
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
- Oh! And making myself a batch of Skinny Peanut Butter Cookies because if I’m going to subject myself to having my shoulder dislocated, cleaned out, tighten my tendons and re-attached you better believe I’m eating some cookies. Just saying.
See? I don’t need to go anywhere except watch the 10 seasons of F.R.I.E.N.D.S that appeared on Netflix.
Besides my pathetic homebody personality there is this delicious sauce to talk about.
It is the perfect spice with a hit of sweetness like the original Ortega sauce.
Roland has Franks Red Hot Sauce as his lover of sauce choice. I now am practically begged to keep making more batches of the gluten-free buffalo chicken meatballs. Not that I’m complaining, they are pretty darn good. Besides the point though, my sauce lover of sauce choice is Ortega sauce.
Storing the worlds best taco sauce.
- Like the original sauce you buy in the store it is slightly runny to be able to pour easily over your delicious Mexican anything food.
- However, after you store it in the fridge for a week or so it will separate just a little, just stir it back to together before you and your good to go.
- At first I was a little ‘put off’ by it separating but then realized there was probably a reason why the store bought version doesn’t. (i.e some modified corn starch)
Don’t need to step out on a limb when saying anything with the word ‘modified’ in front of it is the furthest from it’s naturalistic form.
Regardless this copycat sauce it definitely a must make and it is made with simple, ingredients you probably have around the house. Enjoy!
Make Your Own Taco Sauce Recipe {Ortega Taco Sauce Copycat}
Condiment
Gluten free
Mexican
Yield: 2
Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:0 min
Total Time:10 min
Ingredients:
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey (or agave nectar for vegan)
Directions:
- 1. In a medium bowl add all the ingredients and whisk together until combined.
- 2. If it is a little thick add 1 TBS of water at a time until desired thickness.
- 3. Store in the fridge or freeze half if desired.
Author: Linnie
Recipe Video:
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 188
Other nutrition information: Total Fat: 1.2g , Saturated Fat: .2g , Cholesterol: 0mg , Sodium: 2,568mg , Potassium: 1649mg , Total Carb: 44.8g , Dietary Fiber: 7.4g , Sugars: 26g , Protein: 6.5g
How much did you love this recipe?
Click a star to let me know:
(278 votes, average: 3.68 out of 5)
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OMG this is amazing because you’ve made it to be like the easiest thing ever! I’m a salsa addict but this is probably a close second!
Thanks Marina! I hear you on being a salsa addict.. I have similar issues 🙂 Luckily salsa is basic yummy, delicious ingredients too! Nom
Omg! I loved taco so much and I gave it up for years. Then last year I got it just as a small treat to myself and got hooked again. Like an addict! But I looked at the ingredients and cancer causing warning possibilities of said ingredients I took all the ones I had and chucked them because it’s the only way I’ll give them up. Tonight I was looking at my corn tortilla chips thinking “darn no taco sauce it will never be the same” and here I am! I really hope this turns out! I’m so excited !
Hope you loved it!
Signed this other Taco Sauce Addict 😉
I too, am an Ortega Taco Sauce addict. I was googling Ortega to see if I could find a gimungus jug to purchase and I stumbled on your site. A restuarant I used to work at had them. It feels good to know there are others out there. Other brands of taco sauce are just not the same. I can’t wait to try this.
I did get a giggle out of your Nutrition Information on the recipe. It says that 2 cups is one serving. LOL. That’s about right.
Haha it is the only taco sauce for me for life! 🙂 We had friends bring us a couple jars of it as where we’ve moved doesn’t stock it at all! Great for when I’m feeling lazy and don’t feel like making this sauce at times but this recipe is the perfect stand-in when we run out or want to be a bit more economical.
Because when you put A SERVING onto a taco salad.. . . you need to be a bit more economical about it, right? 😉
Thanks lndsay.i like Ortega medium heat on tostitos with melted cheddar.you should try it.its soon good.only needs 1 minute in the microwave. I will try your recipe soon.
I just found this recipe and it is fantastic! I like it thicker so I only added about 1 tbsp of water. Il. I like taco sauce but I refuse to buy it because of the ingredients. But now that I have this recipe, I will Never buy store bought taco sauce again! And SO EASY! Thank you!
Aww thank you for taking the time to post this Jennifer! 🙂
So glad you like it too! My favorite is pouring taco sauce all over a taco salad. Taco salads must have taco sauce. 😉
I’m so glad there’s someone else out there with this addiction!
Looking forward to trying my mom’s taco dip recipe with this (and other modifications). Would these proportions be like mild, Ned, or hot?
Haha you are definitely not alone Heidi! 😉
This is definitely the mild Ortega version. If you are desiring the Hotter version, which I’ve never personally tried before since my heat tolerance is pretty pathetic. BUT I’d guess that just increasing the cayenne pepper ratio a tad would increase your desire for some extra spice.
Love the simplicity of this recipe. I added a few drops of siracha sauce to increase the heat a little.
Thanks
Thats a fantastic idea Ken! Thank you for sharing, I’m sure people who like a little more spice in their life will enjoy that. 😉
I actually rated it at 4 stars
And thank you Ken for taking the time to review it too 🙂
This might be a stupid question, but what do you mean by tomato sauce? Like the kind you use for pasta sauce? Thank you so much!
Grace I was going to ask the same question 😊😀 thank you
Can this be tripled and then water bath canned?
Robin – this can definitely be tripled. I’ve personally never canned it before but do not see why that is not possible, tomato is acidic and I believe would store well.
Don’t know why I never thought of canning it before though! Definitely am going to need to try it. 🙂
I’m going to can some this weekend. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
So how did it turn out?
I’m always nervous about canning recipes that aren’t specifically meant for canning, so I emailed an ‘expert’, who said it should definitely not be canned. I tripled your recipe for the freezer and a taco dinner, though, and LOVED it. I shared it with a friend, and she LOVED it as well! So, it shouldn’t be canned, but it definitely should be made and eaten. Thank you!
Thank you so much for letting us know! I am definitely a nervous betty when it comes to canning things ‘not standard’ so this is VERY good to know.
So glad you BOTH enjoyed it too! 🙂
I just made this and I think it is good but I haven’t had Ortega taco sauce in a very long time and can’t remember how it tastes.
I had to make some changes because I didn’t have onion powder or honey. So I added a little more garlic powder and used some organic corn syrup I had. I also simmered it for a little while to thicken it. I was impatient when tasting and didn’t wait long enough for the corn syrup to melt into the sauce. Because it didn’t taste sweet enough at that point I added some sugar and, oops, made it a bit sweet. I also added a bit more vinegar and a small amount of finely crushed dried oregano. I really hate when people make so many changes to recipes but in this case I had no choice. Except the oregano I didn’t have to added but it is kind of the secret missing ingredient in a lot of Mexican tomato based foods. I also add it in chili.
I am not a canning expert but I think the key is making sure you have enough acid in the recipe and it should be heated to a boil before canning it. If you like math you can look a specific recipe for canning taco sauce and figure out the ratio of tomato sauce(or tomato paste and water) to vinegar and make any needed adjustments to this recipe. There also are testing strips to check the acidity.
I will make this again and will make sure I have all the ingredients the next time.
Thanks!!!
I add ortega to my chili too! Lol never heard of anyone else doing it but I love the little tang it gives it.
The Ball Company has a water-bath canning recipe for taco sauce….so this should be ok to try!
I will water bath my pint jars for 25mins.
I was searching for an alternative to Ortega for a recipe and came across this. Thanks for the recipe, I’m looking forward to trying it.
How do you think tomato puree would work as an alternative to sauce? I never really buy sauce as I find it lacking compared to the other tomato products. If I need sauce, like for pasta, I make my own. I happen to have some tomato puree in the freezer from making sloppy joes, and I’m wondering if I could use that and avoid having to go shopping.
Thanks!
So glad to have you here!
Yes you most definitely can use your homemade tomato puree. I generally make my own sauce but when I initially made it we had a blight on our tomatoes that season and had to resort to canned tomatoes that winter. Which, I’ve found Muir Glen brand is pretty decent when in a pinch.
I’ve since used my own tomato puree making this and it does work great! My only warning (or at least what I experienced) my homemade puree was a little more watery than the standard canned tomato sauce. So, you might not need to add additional water to the batch to make it the consistency you might desire. Hope this helps! I’d love to hear how you like it. 🙂
Oh I gotcha! Yes, still the canned puree should work nicely. I’d recommend just adding more water a little bit at a time to the batch until you reach the desired consistency of the sauce.
I just made this sauce and it was excellent! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I was wondering if you had any idea how long it lasts in the fridge?
So glad you love it Jade! 🙂
I’d say it’s good in the fridge for about 2 months if not more. Truthfully, I go through it so quick I think about 2 months is the longest its lasted in my fridge. 😉 If anything, you can definitely freeze half of the batch and unfreeze when your ready for more. Hope this helps, thanks for stopping by!
Excited to try this, with some modifications.
Just an FYI Ortega does NOT have garlic in it (I’m allergic to garlic and have no problems with Ortega taco sauces). Planning on using canned purée (canned tomato sauce has too many ingredients for my liking) and subbing the spices for my version of Alton Brown’s taco potion. I love Ortega’s sauce, but we’re trying to get away from corn syrup, so can’t wait to try this!
Thanks for that insight! The garlic can most definitely be omitted from the recipe. Hope you enjoy it though, it’s most definitely better than the traditional sauce off the counter. It’s my favoriteeeee. 🙂
I’m on the Whole30 right now which doesn’t allow honey. I omitted the honey from this recipe and this is still an AWESOME taco sauce. I think it tastes so much like the Ortega. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! Thank you so much for coming back and reporting Sara, so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
You are a taco sauce goddess!
I have been needing to find a recipe for taco sauce for a couple of years now. My husband and I just can not seem to remember if we prefer medium or mild (always wanting the “not too hot version”)
This last trip to the store resulted in burning tongues, yikes!
So I was on a mission, I came across your recipe and I have to say we LOVE it!!
THANK YOU!!
Yay!! I am so glad you love it Lisa!! 🙂
Oh my God this is amazing. It’s so good. It’s SO. GOOD. I love ortega but it’s kind of expensive and my favorite grocery doesn’t carry it. This is so good. It took like zero minutes. I had all the ingredients. I made enough to cook my dang taco meat right in it, like delicious ortega sloppy joes. I will never be ortega less again. You are a saint.
Oooooo Ortega Sloppy Joes. You are speaking my language! 😉 So glad you enjoyed it!
I have warmed this up to a slight boil and canned it, put in pressure cooker for 30 minutes w/10 lbs pressure. Made 8 PINTS. It lasted for 7 months. This year i will be doubling my batch to last longer. Turned out Great! Everything sealed and had no issues. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Just wanted others to know.
Oh fabulous! Thank you so much for coming back to let everyone know Sue! 🙂
Hello, oh this recipe looks fabulous! I was wondering if it would be okay without the honey?
Yes! Most definitely. It’ll be missing a little bit of sweetness, but it is still good.
Perfect, I’ll be making a batch tomorrow!! Thank you so much for the quick response!!!!
Excellent! 3 small tweaks I added 1 tsp salt, added additional 1 tsp red pepper and did not add honey. The taste is outa sight. No more store bought taco sauce for us.
Of course I found it hiding in the picture after I commented. Thanks going to try this and will can a bunch if my husband likes it as well as the store brand.
This was easy and delicious. We like it really hot, so I added a 1/2 teaspoon of the green chile habanero sauce by El Yucateco. SPICY!!!
I love Ortega too, especially the GREEN SAUCE (have a recipe??). I noticed that the Nutrition information shows an ENORMOUS amount of sodium. More than enough for a whole day. Is this anywhere near correct? I’m on a limited sodium diet so always read that info. Sure sounds good and easy. Thanks for the recipe…glad I checked it out.
Hello,
If I make multiple batches how long is the shelf life of stored in a glass mason type jar in a cool dark place? Or should I freeze it and are glass jars freezable?
I can’t wait to try this! I was reading the ingredients tonight of our bottle of taco sauce, and I noticed stuff I don’t want to be eating! 🙁 Also, there seems to be a shortage of store bought taco sauce, so I’m looking forward to making some at home! (I live in Michigan and am a complete homebody in the winter, too!)
You should really add about 1/2 gram of xanthan gum(for thickening) & 4 gram sodium benzoate(for preservative).
Question: what kind of paprika? The regular stuff from the grocery store – smoked – Hungarian or…?