Virginia White Sauce: The Unknown Mexican Food  

When Plaza Azteca first came to Hampton Roads they didn't have white sauce. When they were first trying to make it, it didn't taste like the original. Like this video stated, the original came from El Toro. This is the original recipe. It was the best. 1 cup Miracle Whip, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 1/2 tsp oregano, 2 tbsp sour cream. Mix together and refrigerate it before serving it. They used to also make nachos by cutting a tostada shell in six wedges, top with melted Oaxaca cheese and each wedge topped with a pickled jalapeño pepper slice and cook it. Those were the best things served piping hot to dip into your white sauce. True story.

As a 757 native that would get upset getting mexican with no white sauce outside the area, this answers so many questions

Very very well done ! Grew up on this stuff in the 757. Thx for the awesome video ! :)

Yes I had the white sauce in Winterville and I told them I had only seen it around Richmond and was told they were from that area, its awesome

I moved to Virginia a few years ago, and this discovery has driven me near insane. I feel like i’ve discovered a drug only i know about. it’s so fucking good. I’m very glad that I found a video essay uncovering its origins. god bless you.

San Angelo, Texas is well know in West Texas for its white sauce. Two locations have a huge rivalry over the recipe. One restaurant is named “The Original Henry's” and the other his named “Los Panchitos El Paseo”

We have that white sauce in SW Virginia. It's good stuff!!

Wow, Noah! Great job with this documentary! I had no idea the white sauce was only a local thing with such an interesting story. This video also made me want to go eat at Don Pepe so that will be happening in the near future.

Si senor white sauce is the best I've ever had

Have you heard of Virginia white sauce before? Comment below!

A place called El Torito in Galax Va (southwestern VA) also has the white sauce (White Salsa) on their menu! So Good!

That white sauce is in Pennsylvania Plaza Azteca

This is ALL over Virginia and it's the shit. I used to live next to Plaza Azteca and they're also awesome. There's also a chain called Mexico Restaurant that's big too.

We had it in Ohio several years ago. Now my daughter brought me some of the same sauce from Illinois.

I was about to comment what about La Siesta, then you hit it. Grew up with it, never to be found again. That's the real white sauce mystery recipe to me! Great doc!

This is a 100% certified classic! Great job!

In Southwest Virginia (Dublin, Va.) we have a place called El Ranchero that has an amazing white sauce. I know the owner and asked him what was in it....he told me "If I tell you I would have to kill you" haha It is something I go there specifically for an order of white sauce and chips to take home. I've not had any that come close to that flavor....not sure what's in it exactly, but it's amazing. Great job on this documentary...great editing as well!!

Ive been in a rabbit hole trying to figure out the recipe. In Eau Claire wisconsin we have one "chain" that serves white sauce. Cancun mexican restaurant....it has to be the same sauce!!!

I highly recommend the white sauce at LaCasita in Richmond. It can't get any better, and they had it by the quart for takeout.

I used to live in Va Beach. Independence Blvd to be exact. I loved eating at Plaza Azteca on Independence. I LOVE that white sauce, especially to dip my chicken and cheese quesadilla's in. YUMMM....Now I have that recipe...and there are NO places here in Vermont that even know what it is. So happy to be able to make it for my family, they have never heard of it either. They are going to love it. Thank you for making this video. :)

Smith mountaine lake near roanoke has the BEST white salsa on the salsa bar at el toreno.

Just went to Mexican restaurant in Norfolk va n love the white sauce

It’s here!! What a journey this was.

I've been going on a deep dive with this recipe for the last couple days. I found a newspaper clipping on google of the recipe from El Toro. The first time I had white sauce it was at Rancho Viejo in Luray, Virginia. I live an hour or so north and had never heard of it prior. When I talk or post about it no one in my area knows what I'm talking about, they assume I'm talking about queso. It's all I ever want when I go to a mexican restaurant. I'm glad I can at least make it at home now.

I never knew Don Jose was so legendary 😂 We ate there all the time in the late 90s and then followed the manager from there to El Cap. I think I’ve had that other white sauce and don’t like it nearly as much. Thanks for sharing the recipe 😊

I grew up in the Green Run area and I would take the white sauce home and slather it on a chicken sandwich. It was life changing..

When I moved from Virginia to NC that was the largest upset. I have found another restaurant in Raleigh suburb that has it that wasn't listed in video. Good documentary!

This is an amazing video, well done. I grew up in Virginia and lived in Yorktown. It was tradition to go to Cinco De Mayo in Grafton or any of the Plaza Azteca locations. I have always been curious as to where the white sauce came from. I never knew anything about the origins of it and was enamored when I saw this video. Anywhere in the US that I have traveled, I’ve never seen it in another Mexican restaurant. I recently moved to Minnesota because of family and missed the sauce so much. Who knew something so simple would mean so much? Anyways, I appreciate all of the effort put into the research that you did and look forward to making some of my own to remember VA a little more. Next time I am back on the East Coast I plan on visiting Don Pepe to get a good taste of the iconic White Sauce!

Learned that the white sauce was only available here via the local newspaper. The stuff is great... had a white sauce the other day in a Tappahannock Mexican restaurant... tasted like ranch dressing... sucked.

Yo awesome documentary! I have lived in Richmond my entire life and always wanted to know how it was made. The history was a nice bonus too

El Rodeo in Franklin County and Salem have the best recipe hands down

Yes I grew up from Baltimore when I went home to bmore n asked about the sauce they are clueless lol

Casa Grande in Ft. Wayne, Indiana has the Miracle Whip/Salad Dressing based White Sauce. Sometimes they will bring it out with chips and salsa, other times, you have to ask for it. It is not on the menu. We love it, and will drive an hour and a half a few times a year just to eat there. I have tried to make it myself, but it never tastes as good. There used to be another place in Westfield, Indiana (much closer to me) called El Jaripeo that served white sauce, but it went out of business.

Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary ! I was born and raised in VA Beach and moved from home 11 yrs ago. I miss this sauce so much😩 So, what is your take on the recipe you dropped at the end of the video, is it pretty close?

I've had this sauce in upstate South Carolina and North Georgia region. El Patron and Puerto Nuevo Mexican Restaurant chains in this area have a salsa bar (not on the menu) with this sauce. I'm trying to find out how to make this sauce for myself. Nice doc on where this sauce is from.

I'm in chester near colonial heights:)

Im from Norfolk white sauce is everywhere

I wish you had gone to Maryland. That’s where I had it. I’ve since moved to Arizona and haven’t seen it since

We use to eat at El Toro for years.

We have a place in Stl MO that serves the white sauce!! It’s called Las Chupacabras and I believe it is the right type, it’s flavor matched the one you described. I remember after having it once I went on a huge deep dive to try and find a recipe because it was so good.

Nombre everyone has heard of it lol