Have you recently come across Chipotle Mayo, maybe while shopping for a fresh batch of condiment, really want to get a taste of it, but are scared of how spicy it might turn out?
In this informative guide, you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about the spiciness of chipotle mayonnaise, so you can make an informed decision on whether to ditch the bottle or go for it when next you pass by the condiment aisle.
What Is Chipotle Mayo?
Chipotle mayo is a type of mayonnaise that is made with chipotle peppers. It therefore differs from the traditional mayonnaise in that it combines the smoky and spicy flavor of chipotle peppers with the creamy taste of mayonnaise.
In homemade Chipotle Mayo recipes, you’ll typically find mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought) which acts as the base of the sauce that provides the creaminess and tanginess, chipotle peppers which are basically smoked, dried jalapeño peppers that have been rehydrated and marinated in a flavorful sauce like adobo, acids like lime juice to help balance out the richness of the mayonnaise and a clove or two of minced garlic for depth of flavor and savoriness and seasoning for taste.
The homemade Chipotle Mayo is typically made by blending all the ingredients together until smooth.
For store-bought chipotle mayonnaise, the Mayo is made from scratch with an inclusion of chipotle peppers and garlic as part of the flavoring compounds.
Is Chipotle Sauce Spicy?
Chipotle sauce is a spicy sauce since it contains chipotle peppers, which are smoked and dried ripe jalapeños.
So whether or not it’s spicy shouldn’t be the question, but rather how spicy it is.
In general, Chipotle peppers have a mild heat level gauged at 2500 to 8000 on the Scoville scale (which is a scale that measures the pungency of spiciness of chilli peppers and other substances).
So most sauces or (Mayo in this case) that would be made using only them as the pungent compounds, should have only a moderate amount of heat which isn’t overpowering.
Except when more of it is used in the recipe or a different type of chill pepper or pungent compound is added too.
If you’re making chipotle sauce at home, you can easily control the level of spiciness by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers you add into the mixture and excluding any extra heat compounds the recipe calls for.
When purchasing store-bought chipotle sauce however, you wont have control over the heat.
But most of the time, if there isn’t a specific write up on the label that says how spicy the Mayo is, it’s safe to assume it’s only moderately spicy.
But when you have something like “hot” or “very spicy” written on the label, that’s a fair indication of a chipotle Mayo that is above the norm when it comes to how spicy it is.
Can You Make Chipotle Mayo Without Chipotle?
You can create a tasty alternative to chipotle mayo without using chipotle peppers, but I personally wouldn’t call that “Chipotle Mayo”, but rather name it after the most pungent compound in there, for example sriracha, mayochup or spicy Mayo, if I’m using sriracha.
When making an alternative also, bear in mind that it may not necessarily have the same flavor that comes from chipotle (that smokiness, a bit of sweetness complemented by a little bitter note).
Regardless, you can still create a delicious and spicy mayo that would taste good.
Here’s a quick alternative to using chipotle in Mayo.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon of lime juice
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
Mix everything in a bowl and season to taste.
Use the Adobo Mayo like you would your Chipotle Mayo. It works great because adobo itself has that smokiness with a bit of tartness, which somehow resembles chipotle.
Different Brands Of Chipotle Mayo And Their Level Of Spiciness
Below is a comparison of different spicy mayo brands and their level of heat.
Keep in mind that the spiciness can be subjective, so these ratings are just a rough estimate.
| Brand | Heat Ingredients | Spiciness Level |
| Sir Kensington’s Chipotle Mayonnaise | Tomato Paste, Chipotle Powder, Smoked Paprika, Black Pepper. | Mild |
| Hill Country Fare | Mustard seeds, chipotle pepper, spice. | Light |
| Kraft Mayo Sandwich Shop Chipotle Mayonnaise | Chipotle chile pepper puree, mustard flour, spice. | Medium |
| Kens Signature Chipotle Mayo | Chipotle Pepper, Mustard Bran, Mustard Flour, Spice, Chili Powder, jalapeno Pepper, Red Bell Pepper. | A bit above mild |
| Just Chipotle Mayo | Chipotle Puree (chipotle, water, salt, citric acid), Red Pepper Sauce (red peppers, vinegar, salt), Spices. | A bit above mild |
| McCormick Chipotle Mayonnaise Dressing | Chipotle Peppers, Spice, Extractives of Paprika, Extractives of White Pepper, and Extractives of Capsicum. | Medium-Hot |
| Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise | Organic Chipotle Powder, Chipotle Extract. | Medium |
| Better Body Foods Avocado Oil Mayo Chipotle Lime | Ground Chipotle Pepper, Paprika, Ground Mustard. | Medium-Hot |
| J.L. Kraft Chipotle Aioli | Chipotle pepper puree, paprika, mustard oil. | Medium |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jersey Mike’s Chipotle Mayo Spicy?
Jersey Mike’s Chipotle Mayo has a mild to moderate level of spiciness, and this comes from the inclusion of chipotle peppers.
It’s very important to note that, people perceive spiciness differently, and so even the moderate heat of this Mayo may prove super spicy to a few minority.
Before you commit it to your sandwich, it’s a good idea to do a quick test first to find out how your buds would react to it.
Spicy Mayo Vs Chipotle Mayo
Spicy mayo and chipotle mayo are both mayonnaise-based condiments with a kick of heat, except that the former is a more general categorization of mayonnaise having some kick to them, while the latter specifically refers to mayonnaise made using chipotle as the main source of heat.
So another way to look at things, is that all Chipotle Mayo are spicy Mayo, but the same cannot be said for all spicy Mayo!
Mayo vs Chipotle Mayo
Traditional mayonnaise is made from whole eggs or egg yolks, oil and acid like vinegar whereas Chipotle mayo, on the other hand, is a spicy variation of traditional mayonnaise, which combines the creaminess of traditional mayo with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Both mayonnaise can be used interchangeably so long the person consuming them doesn’t mind the extra heat of lack thereof in the respective application.