These two sauces have both been in use in my extended family for years. As a result, the measurements are just me trying to put numbers and amounts to something that all of us make “to taste.” So, in all likelihood, you should just put in seasoning until you like the flavor :D.

“Grandma’s Burrito Sauce” is just that–my grandmother makes burritos with this sauce, exclusively. She says she learned it from a Hispanic coworker many and many years ago. The lady took her home for lunch and made this sauce to go over their dish. It really is that fast to make; the longest part is assembling all the burritos in the pan. These burritos are best with additional condiments: sour cream, guacamole, chopped onions, pickles, and tomatoes being the ones I put on the table. Others that could be good are corn, lettuce, and cheese.

“Pepper Burrito Sauce” is my mother’s creation. It’s what I ate on burritos at home most of the time, though she did occasionally use Grandma’s recipe. This one doesn’t need a lot of additional topping, since it has a lot of veggies in the sauce. I usually just put some sour cream on the side for dipping bites in, and some of my siblings don’t even eat that.

I don’t have pictures for you, since, although I make these both quite often, I haven’t take pictures. I’ll put some up later, once I remember. Sorry :-(. I meant to post with pictures of some other things, but this weekend has been crazy!

Grandma’s Burrito Sauce (makes enough to cover an 8×8 pan well)

Ingredients:

  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • 3 TBS flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1.5 tsp Cumin
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add the flour and let it sizzle a little, just for a second or two. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk it all together.

2. Add the water a little bit at a time, whisking as you go. Let sauce heat until thickened. If it seems too thick for you add a little more water. Too thin, then add a little more flour, but be careful with that, since too much flour makes it pasty and gritty. Adjust seasonings to taste, then top your pan of burritos.

Pepper Burrito Sauce

(makes enough to cover a 9×13 pan of burritos, and freezes well if you want to save half and only make an 8×8 pan now)

Ingredients:
  • 2-3 TBS olive oil (for sauteeing, so you don’t really need to measure)
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, lightly drained (you don’t need to crush all the juice out of the can, just get most of it)
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium to large yellow onion (if you like onion, go on the large side, if not so much, more to the medium side)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
  • 1 TBS chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
  1. Slice the onions and bell peppers into strips (or chop into largeish pieces, whichever suits you best–the strips look nice and are faster, but the rough chop results in a sauce that is easier to evenly distribute and to eat!).
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sautee for a brief moment, then add the peppers and sautee until the onions begin to soften and the peppers are a little bit cooked.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and spices, mix and bring sauce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to combine flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the other seasonings as well, if you want.

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