The Frugal Pantry: Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

Canned chipotle peppers—smoked jalapeños—are great, but really, it’s the surrounding sauce we love best: made from tomatoes, it’s rich and spicy, somewhat milder than the peppers themselves. A teaspoonful—or tablespoonful, depending on your heat tolerance—turns a blah ingredient like mayonnaise into something mysterious and delectable. A little bit goes a long way, but an opened can lasts practically forever in the refrigerator. It also freezes well—just chip off what you need for any given recipe.

Our boring Connecticut supermarkets have started to carry this, so it’s probably available in your store as well. If not, you can find it at any Hispanic grocery. The midsize can costs between $3 and $4.