This easy Chipotle Aioli is the perfect bright and tangy way to spice up sandwiches and burgers or use as a dipping sauce for pretty much anything.
Last year I shared my favorite Garlic Aioli with you, and today I have a little twist on that recipe: Chipotle Aioli.
Quick and Easy Chipotle Aioli
Chipotle aioli is everything great about classic aioli with a little spicy chipotle kick. It’s the perfect bright and tangy way to finish off sandwiches and burgers or as a dipping sauce for pretty much anything.
And the best part is that it’s made with pantry staples, so as long as you have the chipotle element (we’ll talk more on that in a second), you probably always have the ingredients on hand to whip up a quick batch.
How to Make Chipotle Aioli
To make chipotle aioli, you’ll need just four ingredients plus salt and pepper: mayonnaise, a crushed clove of garlic, lemon or lime juice, and either chipotle powder or a spoonful of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers .
Both the ground powder and canned sauce work well, but I tend to use the powder more often since I rarely have an open can of peppers in my fridge.
But if you use lots of canned chipotles, the canned stuff might be the perfect option for you!
Whether you’re using powder or liquid, the method to make the aioli is going to be the same. You just stir together all the ingredients and then adjust to taste. Chipotle peppers are very spicy, so you can add a lot of powder/sauce and make the aioli really firey or stick to the ratios in the written recipe below for a more mild heat.
Where to Use Chipotle Aioli
As I mentioned above, this aioli is absolutely killer on sandwiches or burgers. I have two sandwiches on the site that use it already, my Chipotle Turkey Panini and Chicken Fajita Sandwiches .
It’s also a fabulous dipping sauce for:
- Roasted Potatoes
- Onion rings
- Fries
- Smashed Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Recipe Notes
- If you’re looking to cut calories, you can replace up to half of the mayonnaise with plain, unsweetened (preferably full-fat) yogurt. I find that this works better with aioli you’re using as a dip rather than a spread, but feel free to experiment. Your preferences may differ from mine!
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 56g ) mayonnaise
- ▢ 1 clove garlic pressed
- ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients.
- Add more chipotle powder/adobo sauce for more heat and additional salt and pepper needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to quickly ripen bananas to be used in baking recipes.
I’ve written quite a few posts on what to do with that brown banana that’s been sitting on your counter all week, but today we’re going to chat about the opposite situtation, what to do when you really need an overripe banana for baking and all you have is a bunch of perfectly unblemished yellow bananas.
The Fastest Way to Ripen Bananas (For Baking)
The quickest way to ripen bananas for baking is to just bake them. Pop as many bananas as you need in the oven, and when they come out you have perfectly soft and sweet bananas ready to go.
It’s that simple.
This was one of my favorite kitchen hacks I ever learned because it means that you can make a perfect loaf of banana bread whenever you want, not when those bananas on the counter decide they’re ready for it.
How to Ripen Bananas in the Oven
To ripen bananas in the oven, bake them at 300°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until deeply blacked and soft to the touch.
Baking Tip: I recommend baking bananas on parchment paper or foil as the bananas will often split and begin to leak, and the sugars in the juice can burn on your tray.
Once browned, the bananas will need to cool before you use them in any baking recipes. You can speed up that process by peeling and mashing them so heat escapes more quickly.
How to Store Ripened Bananas
If you ripen more bananas than you need, the extras can be stored (unpeeled or peeled) in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, simply defrost completely (overnight in the fridge will do the trick), peel if needed and mash.
Recipes to Make with Ripened Bananas
- One Banana, One Bowl Banana Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Pancakes
- Banana Milkshake
- Small Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe Notes
- This recipe in NOT for ripening bananas to eat them raw. Unless you like banana mush, you will not enjoy the texture of the bananas ripened this way.
- I don’t recommend attempting this with completely green, unripe bananas. They won’t have developed enough sugars and flavor be useful in baked goods, even after baking.
Ingredients
Equipment
- ▢ Baking sheet
- ▢ Parchment paper or foil optional
Ripened Bananas
- ▢ Bananas *
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Bake banana(s) for 30 to 40 minutes, until blackened and soft to the touch.
- Cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle. Peel and transfer banana to a bowl and mash so that it cools more quickly. Cool completely before using in recipes.
Notes
Making Fajita Vegetables is a great way to use up leftover onion and bell pepper halves, and they’re handy to have in the fridge to toss into a salad or burrito or liven up a plate of scrambled eggs.
I’ve been a little fajita obsessed lately and have added a bunch of fajita recipes to the site over the last few months, including Steak Fajitas , Easy Chicken Fajitas , and Chicken Fajita Sandwiches .
And today I have one more fajita recipe for you: Fajita Vegetables. Making a batch of fajita veggies has become one of my favorite ways to use up leftover onion and bell pepper halves, and they’re so handy to have in the fridge to toss into a salad or burrito or liven up a plate of scrambled eggs.
How to Make Fajita Vegetables
- If you’re using leftover bell peppers and onions you’ve used part of in other recipes, not a problem. You can cook almost any amount of veggies this way. Just use a ratio of approximately twice the peppers to onions. This doesn’t have to be exact, it’s just a good ratio to shoot for so onions don’t completely take over the flavor.
Start with a nice large pan. You’re probably going to have to crowd the pan a little, but the bigger, the better. Heat a little vegetable oil over medium-high heat and once it’s hot, add the peppers and onions.
Add veggie fajitas seasoning: salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin, and toss to coat.
- After you toss the veggies a few times, let them sit so they develop some of those browned edges before tossing again. Repeat until veggies are tender-crisp.
For softer vegetables: Once the vegetables have browned a bit, turn heat down as necessary to keep them from burning, and continue to cook until they reach your desired level of doneness.
For very soft vegetables: If you like your fajita veggies with little-to-no bite, add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan once they’ve started to brown. Cook the veggies, stirring often, until water has evaporated and veggies are soft, adding more water by the tablespoon if necessary.
What to Do With Fajita Veggies
Fajita veggies are good for so much more than just adding chicken or beef and wrapping in a tortilla (though they’re great for that too).
- Chop roughly and add warmed veggies to omelets or scramble them with eggs and top with cheese.
- Add them to salads , burritos , burrito bowls , and quesadillas
- Use them as a topping on your hot dogs and sausages (if you’ve never tried it, this is sooooo good!)
You Might Also Enjoy
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Easy Carne Asada
- Homemade Carnitas
- Barbacoa
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ▢ 1/2 large onion sliced
- ▢ 2 bell peppers any color sliced
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add onion and bell pepper slices. Sprinkle spices over the top and generously salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 8 minutes, until edges are browned and vegetables are tender-crisp.
- For softer vegetables, once the veggies have browned a bit, turn heat down to medium to keep them from burning, and continue to cook until they reach your desired level of doneness.
- For veggies with no bite, add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan once they’ve started to brown. Cook the veggies, stirring often, until water has evaporated and veggies are soft, adding more water by the tablespoon if necessary.
Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ( 56g ) mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients.
- Add more chipotle powder/adobo sauce for more heat and additional salt and pepper needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
