So, the other day I was trying to whip up some enchiladas, right? And the recipe called for ancho chiles. I was like, “Ancho what now?” I mean, I’ve heard of them, but they’re not exactly a staple in my pantry.
I did a quick search online and found out ancho chiles are basically dried poblano peppers. Mild, a little sweet, a little smoky. Sounded good, but I didn’t have any on hand.
Then I remembered I had a bunch of other dried chiles kicking around. I mean, as a food blogger I have collected various dried chiles. So, I decided to play mad scientist in the kitchen.

First up, I tried guajillo chiles. They’re a bit hotter than anchos, but they have a nice fruity flavor. I toasted them up in a dry pan for a minute, then soaked them in hot water to rehydrate. The color was a bit brighter, more red than the deep brown I was expecting from anchos. I blended them with a little water in my high-speed blender and add them in my enchilada sauce.
- The flavor was good, but definitely spicier than I wanted. My enchiladas turned out to be spicier than my family could endure.
Next, I experimented with mulato chiles. These are supposed to be similar to anchos, but with a more chocolatey, licorice-like flavor. I followed the same toasting and soaking process, hoping for better results.
- The flavor was closer, but still not quite right. It was richer, but the sweetness was missing. The final dish was tasting kind of strange.
Finally, I hit the jackpot with a combination of chipotle and pasilla chiles. Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapeños, so they bring the heat and the smokiness. Pasilla chiles are dried chilaca peppers, which are mild and a bit sweet.
- I used about half a chipotle for every two pasillas. Toasted, soaked, blended. And bam! It was pretty darn close to the ancho flavor I was going for. The smokiness was there, the sweetness was there, and there was just a hint of heat. I stirred the sauce into my enchilada sauce. My family loved the final result!
So, there you have it. If you ever find yourself without ancho chiles, don’t panic. A mix of chipotle and pasilla chiles can do the trick. And hey, don’t be afraid to experiment with other dried chiles. You might just discover your new favorite flavor combination!
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