Salsa Macha Recipe Salsa De Chile De Arbol

What is Salsa Macha?

Salsa Macha (AKA Brave Oil) is a unique rustic salsa variation from the Veracruz region of Mexico. It consists of dried chilies, peanuts, garlic, and oil, sautéed to release their flavors and allowed to rest to mix and mingle. The result is a delicious infused chile oil that has the consistency of a pesto or chili oil, similar to salsa al pastor. Now, there are many different variations of this classic dish. Salsa Macha can include an array of dried chilies but always incorporates spicy arbol chiles. It can also include various nuts and seeds. In this simple recipe, I’ve relied primarily on peanuts and the addition of sesame oil to create a deep, rich flavor. If you like heat-infused condiments, you’ll love this fabulous spicy salsa for dipping, adding to all sorts of other Mexican dishes, and much more!

Ingredients You Need

Ancho chiles – a fairly mild dried pepper with a savory and almost sweet chocolatey flavor (think classic mole sauce) Guajillo chiles – the flavor is not as intense as smoky ancho chile, and has more of a light fruity taste Arbol chiles – also known as bird’s beak, these dried peppers are what really bring the spicy heat to this classic salsa macha recipe Garlic – fresh cloves, peeled Peanuts – unsalted and dry roasted Oil – in this recipe, we use both peanut and sesame oil Vinegar – use your preference of white (super pungent) or red wine (more sweet) vinegar Mexican oregano – a bit more peppery and earthy than Mediterranean-style oregano Salt – a bit to bring together all of the spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors

How to Make Salsa de Chile de Arbol

First, break the stems off the top of each chile and shake out as many seeds as possible. Add the dried chiles to the jar of a food processor and pulse until they are broken into much smaller pieces. Next, add the garlic cloves and peanuts to the food processor. Pulse again until the mixture consists of small even pieces. Be careful to not over-process the ingredients… You want them to still have texture, so do not puree until smooth. Add the peanut oil and sesame oil to a skillet and cook over medium heat for a minute. Then scoop the chili and garlic mixture into the skillet and gently stir Once the oil starts to bubble, sauté the chilies and garlic for just a couple more minutes to bring out the flavors. Pro Tip: Do not cook the salsa too long; otherwise, you could burn the garlic, creating an acidic flavor. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Stir in the vinegar, oregano, and salt, then allow the salsa to cool to room temperature in the pan. Then, move it to glass jars and allow the salsa to rest for 2-3 hours before serving. Pro Tip: The longer the chiles sit in the oil, the more full-bodied and spicy the salsa will become.

Serving Suggestions

Serve salsa de chile de arbol with crunchy tortilla chips for dipping. As noted, it is a good bit thinner than traditional Tex-Mex-style salsa. But it’s also oil-based, so while it is thin, the spicy salsa is still very clingy and easy to scoop with chips. Like other salsas, this ancho chile oil is fabulous for drizzling on your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. Enjoy the fiery, smoky salsa on carne asada tacos, ground turkey tacos, or vegan tofu tacos. It’s an outstanding balance to rich cheesy enchiladas, nachos, and simple quesadillas. And I love to have a ramekin of salsa on the side of overloaded burritos and wraps! But that’s not all! The vibrant taste of ancho salsa makes it wonderfully versatile, too. Add a spoonful to eggs, stir into soups and chiles, or any dish that needs a little oomph. It’s even great to use as a vinaigrette on salads, savory bowls, sandwiches, over grilled vegetables, grilled chicken, and so much more!