A medium to hot chili pepper the ancho chili has a fruity, smoky flavor that it imparts to dishes it is added to. It goes well with vegetables, meat and especially fish.
We have found 28 simple and tasty ancho paste recipes you have to try.
1. Angel Hair Pasta With Ancho Paste
A simple but delicious recipe for angel hair pasta and a tasty sauce. The ancho paste is combined with garlic, chicken stock and vegetable oil and then mixed with the pasta.
The dish is served with Romano cheese and avocado slices.
2. Fish Tacos With Ancho Dressing
These fish tacos can be made with cod or mahi mahi. The fish is sprinkled with a combination of spices and cooked on a gas grill.
The ancho dressing is a combination of mayonnaise, liquid smoke, tomato paste, lime juice and the ancho paste.
3. Shrimp With Ancho Butter Sauce
This is a great dish for getting stuck into with your hands, especially to soak up all the delicious sauce with some crackers or bread.
The sauce is a mixture of ancho paste, butter and cream, so what’s not to love about this recipe?
4. Vegan Mexican Squash Soup
A vegan winter soup made with kabocha squash, apple and onion with a tasty dose of ancho paste. Coconut milk adds a creamy consistency.
The soup takes only 15 minutes to prepare and is cooked in just 40. Serve garnished with fresh herbs.
5. Tostaditos With Black Beans & Soyrizo
This is a wonderfully filling and delicious Mexican dish. Black beans on warm tortillas served with baby lettuce, tomatillo salsa and cooked soyrizo which is flavored with ancho paste.
A great vegan recipe packed with goodness and flavor.
6. Barbecue Sandwiches
A great recipe for vegan barbecue sandwiches. The recipe allows you to make your own ancho paste, barbecue sauce and wheat gluten from scratch.
There are a lot of wonderful flavors in this dish in addition to the ancho paste such as liquid smoke and molasses.
7. Ancho-Orange Chicken
This is a delicious recipe for glazed chicken breasts coated in orange and ancho paste.
It is served with creamy Jasmine rice studded with golden raisins, roasted carrots and kale. The smoky ancho taste is offset by the sweetness of the orange.
8. Shrimp Pasta With Creamy Ancho Chili & Tamarind Sauce
An easy dish to make for an outstanding family dinner. The penne pasta mixed with the Mexican crema and Parmesan cheese is a wonderful foil for the smoky, slightly hot ancho chili and tamarind sauce.
9. Smoky Ancho Pinto Bean Soup With Orecchiette Pasta
If you need a filling and tasty dish for cold winter days then this is the recipe for you.
Filled with pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, frozen corn and orecchiette pasta, the flavor of the ancho chile gives it a smoky, spicy taste.
10. Chicken Mole With Coriander Rice
This dish takes just 30 minutes to prepare and cooks in 2 hours. If you don’t have any whole chilies use grilled red peppers and add some ancho paste to get that smoky, hot taste. The chicken mole is served with coriander rice.
11. Roast Salmon With Ancho Chili-Ginger Sauce
A great recipe for those who like strong flavors, but they do balance each other out in this dish.
The sauce is made from vinegar, ginger, ancho chili, honey and vegetable oil. This is poured over the salmon once cooked and served with couscous and roast vegetables.
12. Grilled Fish With Ancho-Tamarind Sauce
For this grilled fish recipe you can use halibut, sea bass or cobia. All will taste equally delicious when marinated in the tamarind and ancho sauce (for more easy yet delicious Tamarind sauce ideas, read here).
While it is marinating you can prepare the eggplant. A flavorsome and tasty dish for any occasion.
13. Lemon Sole With Chipotle & Ancho Chili Recado
An easy-to-follow recipe for lemon sole with a delicious recado made from chipotle and ancho chilies.
If you can’t find whole chilies for this recipe you can use ancho paste instead. Serve with a chunky avocado and cherry tomato salad.
14. Fish Kofta In Ancho Chili & Tomato Sauce
Delicious rainbow trout is the star of this dish with a spicy tamarind rasam but of course, you could use any fish that you have available.
Or even make it a vegan dish by substituting the fish for some cooked vegetables.
15. Creamy Lentils Spiced With Ancho
Another vegan recipe that is also gluten free, these creamy lentils spiced with ancho will be your new favorite dish.
Preparation time is just 10 minutes and the dish cooks in only 30 minutes. Garnish with some coconut milk or blended cashews.
16. Oil-free Vegan Chile Bean Chili
A healthy and hearty vegan chili full of flavor. If you are having trouble finding them you can substitute the whole ancho peppers for ancho paste.
This chili takes 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook, but the result is worth the wait.
17. Smoky Lentils With Harissa Roast Cauliflower & Eggplant
This nourishing and comforting dish may be great for vegetarians, but you certainly don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy it.
Preparation time is 25 minutes and cooking time is 45 minutes. The smoky lentils owe their flavor to the ancho chili.
18. Potato Vegan Taco Salad
A tasty take on a classic dish, this potato salad is elevated to the status of taco salad. This dish is full of vitamins, not to mention lots of taste and flavor.
Preparation time is 20 minutes and cooking time is the same. That’s 40 minutes well spent.
19. Pinto Posole
This hearty vegan posole, a thick Mexican soup, is perfect for the addition of some ancho paste.
It is a spicy, healthy and delicious dish especially on chilly fall days or dark winter evenings. Preparation is around 20 minutes and cooking time is half an hour.
20. Cashew Crema & Ancho Chili Elotes
These elotes make a great side dish for your next barbecue. Grilled corn coated in cashew crema and sprinkled with cotija and ancho chili, what’s not to love about this dish.
The whole thing takes just 30 minutes, so what are you waiting for?
21. Watermelon–Ancho Chile Salsa
With just eight ingredients you can make this tasty salsa as a dip or barbecue side dish. Beefsteak tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno and ancho chilies and watermelon combine to make a rich, and refreshing accompaniment to chips, fish or meat.
22. Tamales With Ancho Chile Sauce
These tamales are made with low carb masa and pork that has been slow cooked for eight hours. It is to the shredded pork that the ancho chile sauce is added making for an authentic smoky, spicy flavor.
23. Roast Chicken With Ancho Chile
To get the best flavor from this dish, marinate the chicken overnight in the ancho chile rub. This dish is best served dressed with oranges, and with a refreshing coleslaw. Some potato chips on the side will go down nicely too.
24. Cranberry-Ancho Chile Pork
For minimum effort you will get maximum taste from this cranberry ancho chile pork dish. Coat the pork in the cumin, ancho chile, salt and pepper and put with the cranberries in a slow cooker on low for 10 hours.
25. Ancho Chile Barbecue Sauce
Make your own ancho chile barbecue sauce to add to your favorite grilled meats and vegetables. This takes just an hour and a quarter with only 12 ingredients. If you have trouble finding dried ancho chilies use ancho paste.
26. Ancho Chile Soup
Skip to the good part by using your pre-made or store bought ancho paste for this delicious soup.
Serve with some homemade fried tortilla chips and add some fried pasilla chilies for an extra kick. This recipe makes six to eight servings.
27. Ancho Chile Braised Pork Ribs
These pork ribs will be falling apart after cooking in a crock pot for six hours. Sear the meat before adding to the slow cooker and add the ancho chile sauce. Serve with some baked zucchini fries and a sprinkle of cilantro.
28. Slow-Cooker Ancho Chile & Chocolate Beef Chili
A wonderful recipe for feeding the whole family and letting your slow cooker do most of the work.
This recipe will give you 6-8 servings which will either feed everyone or leave you enough for tomorrow. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Ancho Paste Used For?
Ancho paste adds heat to dishes such as enchiladas, salsa or mole sauces. It has a fruity flavor with notes of coffee and raisins. It can also be used in dips, mayonnaise recipes and dressings.
Is Ancho Hotter Than Jalapeno?
Ancho peppers measure around 1,000-2,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A bell pepper measures 0 SHU and a jalapeno measures 5,000 SHU.
How Long Does Ancho Paste Last?
Ancho paste will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, or you can freeze it, and it will last approximately 6 months.
28 Simple & Tasty Ancho Paste Recipes You Have To Try
Ancho chile powder is an intense, earthy, rich spice that can be found in various cuisines around the world. It’s often used in Mexican food.
Ingredients
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