Tex Mex Paste Recipe (Hello Fresh Copycat)

This paste makes a perfect addition to tomato sauce, pork, chicken, or fajitas! It’s not too spicy and with a touch of cumin, you have all the Mexican flavors you’re looking for!

What Is Tex Mex Paste

Tex Mex paste is a spicy blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, and chili paste, combined with 8 different spices used in Tex Mex cuisine.

It has a thick consistency, close to a paste – hence its name. The taste is heavenly smoky and savory. And it has touches of sweetness thanks to the tomatoes-onions blend.

Hello Fresh Tex Mex Paste Ingredients

Hello Fresh Tex Mex paste has a long list of ingredients – but don’t get scared! This recipe is actually super simple.

All you need to make this paste is a few ingredients (mostly spices) and a food processor.

In detail, you’ll need fire-roasted tomatoes mixed with chipotle sauce, tomato paste, chili paste, fresh garlic and onion, rice vinegar, and olive oil. Then, you add warming spices: dried coriander, smoked paprika, dried oregano, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, garlic powder and a pinch of salt to the wet ingredients.

How to Make Tex Mex Paste

Set the oven to 400°F.

Place garlic cloves on a baking tray or dish lined with tin foil. Coat lightly with olive oil and wrap the foil around the garlic.

Roast the garlic for 45 minutes.

Add onion, roasted garlic, and fire-roasted tomatoes to the food processor.

Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato and chili paste, chipotle sauce, and rice vinegar to the saucepan. Mix well.

Add the dry ingredients and combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in the saucepan. Stir well.

Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 15 minutes. The paste is ready once it thickens up and becomes fragrant.

How to Use Tex Mex Paste

Tex mex paste is traditionally used in Mexican dishes like enchiladas, burritos, chili, or tacos.

You can also throw this tex mex paste with whatever pasta, rice dishes, tomato sauce, beans, soup, or anything you have on hand. My husband literally adds this paste to any of his dishes (he has no limit).

You can also use it as a marina for meat or seafood.

Combined with mayonnaise, it also makes a delectable dip for an appetizer table.

Variations & Substitutes for Tex Mex Paste

• If you can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes in the grocery store, you can use diced canned tomatoes. Just add some paprika to recreate the smoky flavor.
• You can also use dried chipotle peppers instead of chipotle sauce. For this, rehydrate 1 ounce dried chipotle peppers by boiling them for 20 minutes in a large pot. Add them then into the food processor and blend with the other wet ingredients.
• Roasting the garlic produces a more authentic hellofresh tex mex paste and a taste that’s closer to the original recipe. But if you want to skip this step, you can simply put the 5 garlic cloves raw in the food processor. Keep in mind that the taste will be stronger and sharper.
• If the paste is too intense for you, you can add a touch of honey or brown sugar. The sweetness will balance the heat nicely.

How to Store Tex Mex Paste

Store this paste for about two weeks in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer.

A good way of freezing the paste is to use an ice tray. Doing so will create mini tex mex paste cubes that you can use as per your needs.

How Spicy Is Tex Mex Paste?

To me, this paste is moderately spicy (and I usually don’t like too much heat in my dishes).

Since it contains one tablespoon of chipotle sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili paste (+1 teaspoon chili powder), which are then mixed with tomatoes and olive oil, the heat won’t be overpowering. Nothing you can’t handle if you have the same palate as me.

Ultimately, this also depends on how generous you’re with the hot sauces and spices.

Try These Next!

• Trader Joe’s Bruschetta Sauce


• Smoky Red Pepper Crema


• Wingstop Atomic Sauce Recipe

Liked This Recipe?

Let me know in the comment section! I’d love to hear your feedback. And don’t forget to leave a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐