This copycat Hello Fresh Tex Mex Paste recipe a simple way to give all of your Tex Mex dishes an extra punch of flavor. Fire roasted tomatoes combine with tomato paste, sauteed onions and garlic, smoky spices, honey, spicy chipotle and a touch of cocoa powder for a deeply flavorful paste to easily season many recipes. Keep this paste on hand in the fridge or freezer to make weeknight meals even easier! {Gluten-free & vegetarian}
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Easy Tex Mex Paste Recipe
If you’ve ever tasted the Tex Mex Paste from Hello Fresh, you already understand the need for a copycat recipe. It’s smoky and savory with a touch of sweetness and incredible flavor.
We love using it to make tacos, enchiladas, and other Southwest-inspired dishes, but you can also add it to mason jar salads or burrito bowls, use it as a marinade, or add it any time you want lots and lots of flavor. You will want to keep this homemade Tex Mex paste recipe on hand at all times!
What is Hello Fresh Tex Mex Paste?
Tex Mex paste is an intensely flavorful condiment sauce made by cooking down tomatoes, chilis, and a Southwest spice blend.
The peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes add a hearty, smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the bold flavor of tomato paste, and the spices give it that classic Tex-Mex flavor like the sauce of your favorite Texas chili. I also like to add a little vinegar for a sweet, tangy flavor and honey for a bit of sweetness.
Like pesto or sun-dried tomatoes, it can add a concentrated flavor to burgers, side dishes, sauces, salads, and more. It’s the easiest way to add that Tex-Mex flavor to any dish, the subtle sweetness makes it irresistible!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Versatile spice blend that adds instant flavor to your favorite recipes
- Just a hint of sweetness to balance the rich, savory spices
- Made with simple ingredients – no preservatives, stabilizers, or other processed ingredients
- Intentionally made with minimal salt so that you can control the sodium content
- Lasts for months in the freezer
- Inexpensive to make with common pantry staples & spices
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: Add a drizzle of oil to sautee the aromatics and bring out their flavor.
- Aromatics: Gently saute diced white onion and minced garlic for extra depth of flavor.
- Seasonings: Raid your spice cabinet for Mexican spices like chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, coriander, dried oregano, and salt to taste.
- Tomato paste: This is the main ingredient, and it adds instant flavor to any dish.
- Chipotles in adobo: Use both the chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce for lots of smoky, spicy goodness.
- Fire roasted tomatoes: This is another great way to add smokiness and extra tomato flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Don’t worry – this won’t make the paste too tangy. The vinegar will cook down and leave a subtle sweetness.
- Honey: For a touch of sweetness.
- Cocoa powder: Like a mole, the bitter, earthy flavor of cocoa powder pairs well in savory applications.
How to Make Tex Mex Paste – Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a medium size pot over medium-high heat, add in the oil and onions and saute until translucent and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and spices and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure to scrap the bottom of the pan. Add in the rest of the ingredients, mixing until well combined. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender and blend all ingredients until smooth and fully combined. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can very carefully transfer to a regular blender or food processor.
- Pour into a container to cool completely, then store in the fridge or freezer.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- If you like it extra spicy, you can add in more chipotle peppers or adobo sauce. For an even milder sauce, just use the chipotle pepper and skip adding in the adobo sauce.
- This paste does not contain extra salt so you can adjust the seasoning level depending on what recipe you use it in. Always taste your recipes as you go, and adjust seasoning as desired.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the chipotles and chili powder in the paste add a pleasant heat to wake up your dishes. In this recipe, you can always minimize the heat by using less of the chipotle peppers and reducing the chili content.
Honestly, it’s a lot easier to make a Hello Fresh Tex Mex Paste dupe than to try to substitute it since it’s such a potent mixture of spices, chilis, and tomatoes. Tomato paste comes close, but you would need to add some chipotle peppers and spices as well. It’s best to make a big batch of this bold red sauce and freeze it for easy serving at any time.
According to the ingredients label on the Tex Mex Paste, it contains fire-roasted tomato puree, red chili pepper puree, onions, salt, tomato powder, cocoa powder, rice vinegar, and some other spices, stabilizers, and preservatives. This copycat version relies on the same flavorful ingredients and truly tastes just like the original!
Storage Guidelines
Store leftover paste in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
For freezer storage, I like to line these Souper Cubes or old school ice cube trays with plastic wrap and then fill the wells with paste, freeze until firm and then place them all into a ziplock freezer bag for long term storage. It is super easy to just pick one or two out of the freezer bag when needed, and each well holds a perfect 1-2 tablespoons, which I find to be a convenient size for making meals.
How to Use Tex Mex Paste
Once you have a batch of this simple paste on hand, you’ll be adding it to many recipes! It works perfectly in Texan and Mexican dishes as it adds a smoky, tomato-y flavor and heat that soaks into every bite. However you serve it, consider pairing it with fresh lime juice, Mexican cheese, and cilantro for a balanced flavor.
- Mix it in with taco meat: Brown meat in a skillet on high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons Tex Mex Paste, 1 tablespoon of my healthy taco seasoning and ¼ cup low sodium beef broth or water. Simmer on medium low until thickened, taste and adjust seasoning as desired. You can also use the taco meat for this mason jar taco salad!
- You can also use this paste as a marinade! Mix a few tablespoons with some freshly squeezed citrus juice and some oil and use to marinate steak, chicken or pork.
- Use the paste to flavor your favorite Tex Mex dishes: It works well with chicken for enchiladas, as a base for Spanish rice, or to add flavor to countless sauces, soups or chili.
Recipe Variations
- Reduce the heat: Minimize the chili powder (or use a mild version) and use little to none of the chipotles.
- Make it hotter: For extra heat, either add another chipotle or more cayenne pepper.
- Use dried seasonings: Feel free to replace the garlic and onion with 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder. Make sure to let the paste rest for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the dried seasonings to rehydrate.
More Delicious Ways to Flavor Your Food
- Healthy Chick Fil A Sauce
- Healthy Big Mac Sauce
- Healthy Stir Fry Sauce
- Healthy BBQ Sauce
- Dairy-Free Pesto
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Hello Fresh Tex Mex Paste Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, diced fine
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1-2 canned chipotles in adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 cup fire roasted tomatoes, drained
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- salt, to taste *see notes
Instructions
- In a medium size pot over medium high heat, add in the oil and onions and saute until translucent and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and spices and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more. Making sure to scrap the bottom of the pan. Add in the rest of the ingredients, mixing until well combined. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender and blend all ingredients until smooth and fully combined. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can very carefully transfer to a regular blender or food processor.
- Pour into a container to cool completely, then store in the fridge or freezer.
To Make Taco Meat
- Brown meat in a skillet on high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons Tex Mex Paste, 2 tablespoons of my Taco Seasoning and ¼ cup low sodium beef broth or water. Simmer on medium low until thickened, taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Notes
- If you like it extra spicy, you can add in more chipotle peppers or adobo sauce. For an even milder sauce, just use the chipotle pepper and skip adding in the adobo sauce.
- This paste does not contain extra salt so you can adjust the seasoning level depending on what recipe you use it in. Always taste your recipes as you go, and adjust seasoning as desired.
I was initially hesitant to make this based on the long ingredient list but I had almost everything in my pantry already— I love the hello fresh Tex mex paste and think it’s a real bummer they don’t sell it independently but this recipe is a very good dupe, deceptively simple to make, and way cheaper than staying on their service week after week.
So happy you decided to give the recipe a shot, Tess! The best part is, once you make a batch, you can freeze it in smaller portions and use it for weeks in different recipes. I’m glad you were able to find a good alternative to the Hello Fresh paste (and save some money too)!