Red Taco Sauce

Red Taco Sauce
Red Taco Sauce Header

If you’re craving a burst of flavor in your Mexican dishes, look no further than this Homemade Red Taco Sauce. This Zesty and versatile sauce can be easily made at home and pairs perfectly with Tacos, Quesadillas, Carnitas, Burritos, and Fajitas.

The best part? You can customize the Heat, Sweetness, or Tang to suit your taste buds. Whether you prefer a mild heat or a fiery kick, A sweeter sauce or with a bit more tang, this sauce is guaranteed to add that extra to your favorite dishes.

What is a Red Taco Sauce

It’s basically a tomato juice-based sauce thickened with added vinegar for some zing. Flavored with Taco Seasoning. That’s it. Pretty simple right.

Use this sauce with Tacos, Burritos, Burrito Bowls, Carnita, Fajitas, and various other recipes. You can also use this over the Taco Chip Dip for added contrast and over Taco Pasta.

OldElPasoTacoSauce

Old El Paso Taco Sauce

Made with Old El Paso Taco seasoning.

Taco Bell Border Sauce Ingredients

Border Sauce – Mild Tomato purée (tomato paste, water), vinegar, food starch or xanthan gum, salt, chili spices, sugar, natural flavors, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (P), maltodextrin, garlic concentrate (contains soy). Contains: Soy [certified vegan].

Taco Bell Red Sauce Ingredients

Red Sauce – Water, seasoning (maltodextrin, modified corn starch, paprika, salt, tomato powder, spices, natural flavors, paprika (VC), onion powder, xanthan gum, malic acid, vitamin C, citric acid, torula yeast). [certified vegan].

Two Variations

Taco Seasoning has some form of starch for slight thickening. Adding more than 1 Tbl will thicken the sauce more. This can be thinned out with more Tomato Juice or Stock.

Condiment Red Taco Sauce

The Condiment type sauce that you use to put on your Tacos is the recipe below. You usually get them in little packets at Taco Bell.

Enchilada Style Sauce

The Enchilada type sauce is made with 1/2 C Tomato Paste and Broth in place of the Tomato Juice and Cornstarch. You can use this as a condiment as well, but it is usually used in places where you will cook with the sauce.

Tomato Juice Substitute

You can substitute the Tomato Juice with 1/4 C of Tomato Paste & 3/4 C of Water. Use this in place of 1 Cup of Tomato Juice.

Red Taco Sauce Pin

Red Taco Sauce

If you're craving a burst of flavor in your Mexican dishes, look no further than this Homemade Red Taco Sauce. This Zesty and versatile sauce can be easily made at home and pairs perfectly with Tacos, Quesadillas, Carnitas, Burritos, and Fajitas.
The best part? You can customize the Heat, Sweetness, or Tang to suit your taste buds. Whether you prefer a mild heat or a fiery kick, A sweeter sauce or with a bit more tang, this sauce is guaranteed to add that extra to your favorite dishes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American, Canadian, Mexican
Keyword: Red Taco Sauce, Taco Bell Sauce, Taco Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: JAH

Equipment

  • 1 Sauce Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 C Tomato Juice
  • 1 Tbl Cornstarch
  • 1 Tbl Ketchup
  • 1 Tbl Taco Seasoning - More or less depending on taste.
  • 1/2 Tbl Vinegar - More or less depending on taste.
  • 1 tsp Sugar - More or less depending on taste.
  • 1 tsp Neutral Oil

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together and bring to boil.
  • Remove from heat and let cool. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Notes

You can add additional items to make this your own. I have played around with Sweet Chili Sauce, Sriracha, and Hot Sauces, Chili Sauce, Chili Oil etc.
You can also use 1/2 C Tomato Paste & Water/Stock until you reach your desired consistency. In place of Tomato Juice and Cornstarch. Relying on the extra Tomato Paste to thicken.
Add more Vinegar if you like it with some zing. 
Add more Sugar if you like it on the sweet side.
Add more Tomato Juice or Stock to thin it out more.
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