Guajillo adobo paste
A thick, tangy paste of dried guajillo and ancho chillies, garlic, vinegar and spices. Marinates meat, fish and vegetables.
Make this once, then cook it into 38 different dishes.
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.30 a head
- Makesabout 300 g, enough for 3 to 4 marinades for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Heat a dry pan over a medium heat. Toast the guajillos and anchos for 15 to 20 seconds on each side, pressing flat, until they smell fruity. Do not let them blacken.
0 min 40 s - 2
Put the chillies in a bowl, cover with 350 ml hot (not boiling) water and weigh them down with a plate. Soak for 20 minutes until completely soft.
20 min - 3
Drain the chillies, keeping the soaking water. Put them in a blender with the garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano, pepper, cloves, salt and 60 ml of the soaking water.
- 4
Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until very smooth, scraping down the sides. Add more soaking water, a spoonful at a time, only if the blades will not catch. The paste should be thick, like tomato purée.
- 5
Taste (carefully, as it is concentrated). It should be tangy, salty and well spiced. Add a pinch more salt if needed.
- 6
Spoon into a clean jar and pour a thin film of oil over the top if you like. Chill. Use in the dish recipes that call for your ready made guajillo adobo paste.
About guajillo adobo paste
Guajillo adobo paste is a thick Mexican marinade made from rehydrated dried guajillo and ancho chillies blended with garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano and cloves. Adobo means marinade or seasoning, and in Mexico it describes a chilli based paste used to season and preserve meat.
The flavour is deep and fruity, tangy from the vinegar, savoury from garlic and warm from cumin and clove, with a mild to medium heat. It colours food a rich brick red. Guajillo provides brightness and ancho provides sweetness and body.
Spread it on pork, chicken, beef, fish, prawns or vegetables before roasting, grilling or braising. It is the base of birria, adobada pork for tacos al pastor style dishes, and chicken adobo rojo. It is concentrated, so a spoonful flavours a lot of food.
Tips
- Toast the chillies for 15 to 20 seconds a side, only until fragrant. If they scorch, the paste will taste bitter and acrid.
- Use the soaking water sparingly. Add it a spoonful at a time while blending until you get a thick, spoonable paste, not a sauce.
- Remove the seeds and veins. They add bitterness and grit; the flavour comes from the chilli flesh.
- For safety, take the amount of paste you need from the jar before it touches raw meat. Do not dip raw meat into the jar, and boil any leftover marinade that touched raw meat for at least 2 minutes before using it as a sauce, or throw it away.
- For a tangy, slightly sweet note typical of Mexican marinades, add 2 tbsp orange juice to the paste when you marinate.
Storing and freezing
Keep the paste in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, with a thin layer of oil on top. Freeze in 80 g portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. Marinated raw meat should be kept in the fridge and cooked within 24 hours.
Dishes you can make with guajillo adobo paste
Tacos de Pescado al Adobo (Guajillo Fish Tacos)
GFDFEFCamarones al Adobo (Guajillo Adobo Prawns)
GFDFEFPescado a la Talla (Acapulco Style Grilled Fish with Adobo)
DFEFNFTostadas de Camarón al Adobo (Adobo Prawn Tostadas)
GFDFEFTacos de Camarón Adobados con Piña (Adobo Prawn and Pineapple Tacos)
DFEFNFCaldo de Camarón (Mexican Prawn and Guajillo Soup)
DFEFNFCazuela de Mariscos al Guajillo (Seafood Stew)
DFEFNFQuesadillas de Camarón al Adobo (Adobo Prawn Quesadillas)
EFNFPescado Empapelado al Adobo (Adobo Fish Baked in Parcels)
GFDFEFSalmón al Adobo de Guajillo con Aguacate (Guajillo Salmon with Avocado Salsa)
EFNFLCAtún Adobado a la Plancha (Seared Adobo Tuna Steaks)
GFDFEFPulpo Adobado a la Parrilla (Grilled Adobo Octopus)
DFEFNFQuestions
What is the difference between adobo paste and chipotle in adobo?
Guajillo adobo paste is a thick marinade built on guajillo and ancho chillies, vinegar and spices. Chipotle in adobo is smoked jalapeño chillies in a tomato and vinegar sauce. They taste different: this one is fruity and tangy, chipotle is smoky.
How long should I marinate meat in adobo paste?
Chicken and fish need 1 to 4 hours, pork and beef are best overnight (12 to 24 hours). Marinate in the fridge, never on the worktop, and cook raw meat within 24 hours.
Can I use the leftover marinade as a sauce?
Only if you boil it first. Marinade that has touched raw meat can carry bacteria, so bring it to a rolling boil and simmer for at least 2 minutes. It is safer to keep a separate spoonful of paste aside for the sauce.
Is guajillo adobo paste gluten free and vegan?
Yes. It contains chillies, garlic, vinegar and spices, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
How spicy is the paste?
Mild to medium. Guajillo and ancho are both gentle chillies. For more heat, soak 2 chiles de arbol with the others.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.