• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Curry Trail

Simple Flavorful Recipes For The Home Cook

  • Recipe Index
  • Side Dish
  • Chicken
  • About Me
Home > Condiments, Sauces & Seasonings > Taco Bell Baja Sauce Recipe (Copycat)

Taco Bell Baja Sauce Recipe (Copycat)

Published: Aug 25, 2022

Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
spoonful of baja sauce with text

Taco bell Baja sauce is a creamy topping for crispy shrimp tacos, fish tacos, and other Mexican food. This delicious condiment has bursting zesty flavors that are a great addition to tacos and crucial in other Mexican food like burritos and fajitas.

close view of baja sauce in bowl
Jump to:
  • Baja Sauce Recipe
  • Baja sauce Vs spicy ranch
  • Ingredients
  • How to make baja sauce
  • Tips to make best baja sauce
  • FAQS
  • MORE CONDIMENTS
  • 📋Taco Bell Baja Sauce Recipe (Copycat)
  • Recipe Notes

Baja Sauce Recipe

  • This taco bell copycat Baja sauce recipe is the heart of any Mexican food you can think of.
  • It’s creamy, tangy, slightly spicy, and crucial in tacos for its taste.
  • This Baja-style copycat Chipotle sauce needs straightforward ingredients and you can whip it up in 5 minutes.
  • Your taco Tuesday isn’t complete with a generous drizzling of this chipotle’s sauce on top of tacos. A condiment that plays a vital role in the taste of tacos.
  • Baja sauce is vital for the taste of tacos. Don’t just stop there, you can use delicious condiments for dipping shrimp, fish, chicken, veggies, fries, and more.
  • You can easily customize the sauce as per your preference. If you like it spicy use hotter pepper or add chili powder or even sriracha to suit your palate.

Baja sauce Vs spicy ranch

The baja sauce recipe has specific ingredients and uses mayonnaise as the base. It tastes similar to the spicy ranch but it’s not the same.

While the Baja sauce recipe uses mayonnaise and has a hint of tang from lime juice, spicy ranch sauce is a sour-cream-based sauce with a bit of spice to it.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need-

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ red bell peppers
  • 1 jalapeno
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika or chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of ½ lime or use 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
all ingredients for baja sauce

Ingredients additions and substitutions

Use pickled jalapeno if you don’t have fresh jalapeno. Remove seed from jalapeno if you like it milder, for a spicier version leave the seeds on.

To give it a smoky flavor add 2-3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce.

Use crystal lime salt instead of freshly squeezed lime juice. I used lemon juice, if using lemon juice adjust the quantity per your taste. Do not use bottled lemon juice, always use freshly squeezed juice only.

Paprika can be substituted with chili powder or cayenne pepper.

You can also add little sriracha to make the spicier sauce.

How to make baja sauce

To make Baja sauce, add mayonnaise, chopped red bell peppers, chopped jalapeno, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, salt, oregano, lime juice, and Parmesan cheese to a blender.

Blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender in between and blend to make a smooth creamy sauce.

step by step picture collage of baja sauce

Rest the sauce in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Serve it over tacos. Enjoy!

Tips to make best baja sauce

  1. Use a powerful blender to make the sauce. Scraped sides of the blender while blending to get a creamy, smooth consistency sauce.
  2. To give it a smoky flavor add 2-3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce along with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Allow Baja sauce to rest for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before servings. As the sauce rests, it develops more flavor.
close view of baja sauce in bowl

FAQS

What is baja sauce?

It’s a ranch-like sauce that has unique flavors. This creamy, tang and a slightly spicy sauce forms a vital flavor boost for tacos, burritos, and fajitas.

Why is it called baja sauce?

The sauce was created in the Baja California region of Mexico. So I speculate that’s how it got the name.

Is baja sauce spicy to taste?

It is slightly spicy as there is jalapeno and paprika in the recipe. You can customize the recipe to make it spicier or mild depending on your taste preference.

Can I make baja sauce diary free?

Yes, you can switch mayonnaise with diary-free yogurt. Replace parmesan cheese with diary-free cheese (hard cheese).

Does Taco Bell still serve baja sauce?

No, taco bell got rid of Baja sauce around 2014. There was no known reason why the chain stopped serving the sauce, but not to worry as now you can make it at home easily and that too customize it to your liking as well.

How long can the sauce be stored?

Store the sauce in air tight container. Baja sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze baja sauce?

I don’t recommend freezing. The main component of the sauce is mayonnaise which when frozen can turn grainy and change its texture and taste.

MORE CONDIMENTS

  • short version of garlic aioli is wood bowl

    Garlic Aioli Sauce (Cheat Version)

  • close view of dipping sauce with fried chicken

    5 Minutes Honey Mustard Sauce

  • Close-up view of spicy schezwan sauce in a jar.

    Homemade Spicy Schezwan Sauce(Schezwan Chutney)

  • 2 Ingredients Tahini Recipe

  • 1 Minute Bonefish Grill Copycat Bang Bang Sauce

  • boom boom sauce in small bowl with potato fries

    5 Minutes Boom Boom Sauce

Don’t forget to Subscribe to CurryTrail  Recipes newsletter to get our newest recipes delivered straight to your inbox.

LOVE THIS RECIPE? KEEP IN TOUCH AND DON’T MISS OUT ON ANY OF CURRYTRAIL RECIPES! FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, FACEBOOK.

HAVE YOU TRIED ONE OF MY RECIPES? I’D LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU’VE MADE! TAKE A PICTURE AND USE THE HASHTAG #CURRYTRAIL ON INSTAGRAM SO I CAN SEE! I’LL DO A HAPPY DANCE IF YOU TRY MY RECIPE AND SHARE IT WITH US!

baja sauce drizzled over tacos
No ratings yet

📋Taco Bell Baja Sauce Recipe (Copycat)

Jyothi Rajesh
Taco bell Baja sauce is a creamy topping for crispy shrimp tacos, fish tacos, and other Mexican food. This delicious condiment has bursting zesty flavors that are a great addition to tacos and crucial in other Mexican food like burritos and fajitas.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Chill Time 1 hour hr
Course condiments, dip, dressing, sauce
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 20 servings
Calories 80

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ red bell peppers
  • 1 jalapeno
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika or chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice ½ lime or use 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions
 

  • To make Baja sauce, add mayonnaise, chopped red bell peppers, chopped jalapeno, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, salt, oregano, lime juice, and Parmesan cheese to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender in between and blend to make a smooth creamy sauce.
  • Rest the sauce in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
  • Serve it over tacos. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 0.5gProtein: 0.4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 137IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.1mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

Recipe Notes

  1. Use a powerful blender to make the sauce. Scraped sides of the blender while blending to get creamy, smooth consistency sauce.
  2. To give it smoky flavor add 2-3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce along with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Allow Baja sauce to rest for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before servings. As the sauce rests, it develops more flavor.

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

Pin This Baja Sauce Recipe
Pin For Later!

More Condiments, Sauces and Seasonings

  • chimichurri sauce in jar
    Chimichurri Sauce
  • spoonful of rich, thick roasted garlic parmesan sauce in a bowl.
    Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
  • Asian spicy sweet chili sauce in 3 glass jars.
    Irresistible Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce
  • carrot and daikon matchsticks pickled in vinegar.
    Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon (Do Chua)
152 shares
  • 6
Previous
Simple Chopped Green Salad
Next
Easy Refried Bean Dip

Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply! Cancel reply

Share your thoughts!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

More About Me
Subscribe

Recipes In Your Inbox

Sign up to receive all our latest recipes straight to your inbox.

    🥗 Salad Recipes

    • healthy arugula beetroot and feta cheese salad on white plate
      Healthy Arugula Beet Salad With Feta Cheese
    • close up view of spinach and strawberry salad in a wooden bowl.
      10 Minutes Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
    • 3 bean salad in bowl
      3 Bean Salad
    • close view of Asian chicken salad
      Chinese Chicken Salad
    • pea salad with cheese, bacon and red onion in ceramic bowl
      Classic Pea Salad With Bacon And Cheese
    • classic egg salad in a bowl.
      Easy Classic Egg Salad Recipe

    🍲 Soup Recipes

    • chicken and gnocchi soup in a bowl.
      Chicken Gnocchi Soup with Bacon
    • spicy sriracha ramen noodles soup topped with soft-boiled eggs.
      20 Minutes Spicy Sriracha Ramen Noodles Soup
    • chicken detox soup in a pot.
      Healthy Immunity Boosting Chicken Detox Soup
    • leek and potato soup served in ceramic soup bowl with bacon
      Creamy Potato Leek Soup (with no added cream)
    • instant pot chicken noodles soup in white bowl
      Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
    • easy egg drop soup in bowl
      Easy Chinese Egg Drop Soup
    Featured on:
    Yummly Logo.
    Tastewise Logo.
    Plattershare Logo.
    parade Logo.
    Greatist Logo.
    Foodgawker Logo.
    Buzzfeed Logo.
    Subscribe

    Recipes In Your Inbox

      Curry Trail Submark Logo.

      Connect With me

      Categories

      • Starters/Appetizers
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch/Dinner
      • Main Dishes
      • Side Dish
      • Desserts

      About

      • About Me
      • Contact Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Accessibility
      • Latest
      ©2025, Curry Trail. All Rights Reserved. Accessibility About Privacy Policy
      Back To Top
      Design by Pixel Me Designs
      ×
      Subscribe

      Recipes In Your Inbox

      Sign up to receive all our latest recipes straight to your inbox.

        152 shares
        • Pinterest
        • 6Facebook
        • Flipboard
        • Email

        Rate This Recipe

        Your vote:




        A rating is required
        A name is required
        An email is required