Creamy Jalapeno Salsa (Dairy Free)

Since returning from our trip to Austin, I’ve talked about this jalapeno dip. It was the reason I went to Whole Foods almost daily to see if they had any of this sauce back in stock.

It’s the reason I brought 10 mini-containers from TacoDeli home with me to try and recreate it. It’s that good.

We were home for only a few hours when I headed to the grocery store to load up on what I thought was in it. After some creative investigative journalism when we were in Austin, I figured out that the sauce was mostly a blend of roasted jalapeños and garlic in an oil emulsion.

This creamy jalapeño sauce is so incredibly smooth that you won’t believe it’s not packed with avocados or sour cream.

Many readers have said they’ve also tried to figure out what’s in Taco Deli’s salsa doña and are blown away that it doesn’t contain any dairy– yup, not a drop of mayonnaise! 

Why I love this recipe

This jalapeno salsa also tastes great on everything. I know this because I’ve gone through two batches in less than two weeks.

It’s also as spicy as you want it to be. Depending on the heat of your jalapeno peppers and how many seeds you add, this can be as spicy or mild as you prefer.

Inspired by the famous Salsa Doña from Taco Deli, this creamy jalapeno salsa has a distinct and irresistible flavor. It balances the heat from the jalapenos with a smooth, rich texture. Unlike most creamy jalapeno sauce recipes that rely on mayo, greek yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk, this one is completely dairy-free.

Try it on my tofu migas tacos, lentil tacos or my black bean tacos. Though, the sauce isn’t just great on tacos. I love it on eggs, pizza, really anywhere you want a little heat.

Ingredient Notes

• Jalapenos: The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it as spicy as you’d like. If you want to keep the seeds in, then it will be a fairly spicy salsa. If you omit them, it won’t be as spicy but will still have some nice heat. I recommend wearing gloves to prepare the jalapenos so you don’t burn your skin.
• Oil: You can either use a neutral oil, like canola or avocado, or olive oil. I don’t recommend an extra-virgin olive oil as it will impart too much flavor. You can use a regular olive oil that is more mild in flavor. I usually use canola because it doesn’t have any flavor.

Substitution Notes

For a milder sauce, you can substitute Anaheim peppers or poblano peppers. You can also substitute some of the jalapenos for a poblano pepper. I don’t recommend using a banana pepper as they don’t have the same depth of flavor as a jalapeno pepper does.

I don’t add other dried spices, but some readers have added cumin or smoked paprika to their salsa. Additionally, I find that the 1 teaspoon of table salt (Morton’s) is perfect for this recipe, but if you are watching your sodium intake or are sensitive to salt, I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more from there to taste.

Hard to believe that this creamy, spicy jalapeño salsa is made from such simple ingredients. Jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, oil, and salt!

Step 1: Roast the jalapenos

Toss the jalapeño peppers in a little oil, then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until mostly blackened and soft, about 10-12 minutes, flipping the peppers halfway through cooking time to get all sides cooked.

I find the easiest way to do this is by tossing fresh jalapenos with a little oil and salt, then placing them under the broiler until blackened, turning halfway through. The crisper the skin, the easier it is to remove.

Step 2: Remove the skin

Place the jalapeños in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid. This is essential in order to steam the skin so it’s easier to fall off. From here, you can also decide how spicy you want your jalapeno sauce to be. The more seeds that you remove, the milder the salsa.

I wear gloves when I do this so my hands aren’t stained with the heat of the jalapenos!

Step 3: Roast the garlic

Toss the garlic cloves with a little oil and place them on the baking sheet you just used. Put back in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes until browned (not burned! Burned garlic will ruin the entire dish.)

Don’t be put off by the 16 cloves of garlic called for here. The garlic mellows considerably as it’s cooked, and not only does it add flavor to the sauce, but blending the garlic adds body to this dairy-free sauce. 

Step 4: Puree

Once your peppers and garlic cloves are roasted and slightly cooled, place them in the base of a food processor or blender along with the cilantro. Slowly drizzle in the oil with the motor running until a creamy sauce develops.

How To Adust the Spicy Level

Salsa Dona is fairly spicy, which is why I like to make it with enough heat. Jalapeños can vary in their spice level, and you can always add more peppers, but you can’t take them away once they are added.

The very first batch I made, I kept in all of the seeds and oh my, I’m pretty sure I’m still breathing fire. For medium heat, I like a mix of 1/2 and 1/2; half of the peppers completely de-seeded, half left in.

If you’re not sure about your preferred spice level, start with 1/4 of the jalapeños and their seeds and the rest with seeds removed. Set some seeds aside, then make the sauce. If you still need a kick of heat, add more seeds and blend again.

I think this salsa is perfect, but if you want more tang, some readers like to add a little squeeze of fresh lime juice to the finished creamy jalapeno sauce. This will also help cut through some of the spice if it’s too much.