Mexican Ranchera Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or pork lard)

1/4 cup onion (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (diced)

1 fresh serrano chile (or jalapeño chile, seeded and diced)

3 cups fresh tomatoes (peeled and diced)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground dry chile

Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Gather the ingredients.

Heat the oil or lard in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and fresh chile pepper; sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the ingredients soften but do not brown.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring once in a while, until they become soft. (Roma tomatoes may need a little more time, as they are not as juicy and do not “wilt” as readily.)

Add the oregano, ground chile (if using), and salt to taste; simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Use sauce as-is if you like the texture, or let it cool down and process it in a blender (straining after blended, if desired) if you prefer a smoother sauce.

Enjoy!

Source: Chelsie Kenyon, See full recipe on The Spruce Eats.