Salsa Macha
Salsa macha is the condiment that goes with everything— tacos, pasta, tofu, eggs, and more. Made with toasted dried chili peppers, garlic, peanuts, and seeds. Stays fresh for a month in the fridge!
This bold and flavorful chili oil is made from dried chilies, of course, along with garlic, peanuts, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Salsa macha adds a little smokiness, heat, and nutty flavor that’s perfect on just about everything. I love it on my lentil tacos, enchiladas, scrambled egg tacos, tortilla soup, and more.
It’s also great on my smoky butternut squash and pinto bean tacos; in that recipe, you add the salsa macha to the pinto beans when cooking, and then more salsa macha is drizzled on top of the tacos!
Why I love this recipe
Like chili crisp, this salsa macha adds a nice touch of spice to whatever you put it on. And, it’s ready in just minutes, which means you can enjoy a batch whenever you are craving a slightly spicy, smoky condiment.
The other beauty of this recipe is that it’s adaptable to what works for you. I prefer my salsa macha mostly smooth, with small chunks of crispy fried chili peppers. I’ve seen other versions that are more chunky and oily, and either option works.
Please note that, as I use a generous amount of garlic in my recipe, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator for safety. It will keep for about a month!
Ingredient Notes
- Neutral Oil: I prefer a mild, neutral oil that doesn’t overpower the taste of the chili peppers. Avocado, canola, and vegetable are all good choices.
- Dried chiles: This recipe comes from Melanie, and she recommends using a variety of dried chiles for flavor. Ancho chiles have a complex, slightly smoky flavor with notes of chocolate and coffee. Morita chile peppers are a little sweeter, helping to balance the anchos. Chiles de árbol are spicy and slightly nutty. I love the mix, and you can play around with the ratios depending on preference.
- Roasted Peanuts: The peanuts add so much flavor to this salsa macha version. Which, along with the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, adds texture.
- Brown Sugar: A little sugar helps to balance the smokiness of the salsa. You can add more or less depending on preference.
How to Make
Step 1: Toast the Chili Peppers
Add the oil and chiles to a Dutch oven or other large pot and cook until toasted and puffed, but not burned. Burning the peppers will ruin the flavor of the salsa macha, so if you do this, then you’ll need to start over again.
Use a slotted spoon to place the peppers into the base of a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.
Step 2: Toast the Garlic and Nuts
Add the garlic and nuts to the warm oil and toast, stirring often, for about 3-4 minutes, taking care not to burn.
Step 3: Add to the food processor
Add the contents of the pot to the food processor with the minced chili peppers, including the oil. Pulse until very finely chopped, stopping before any ingredient becomes a paste. Taste, adjusting salt as desired. If you want a looser salsa macha, add in more oil.
Serving Suggestions
Really, there are very few dishes that this salsa macha doesn’t taste great on. Anywhere you want a hint of spicy, smoky flavor– this one works.
Try it on my chilaquiles, my bean and cheese enchiladas, vegan chorizo nachos, and more.
Storage Notes
This salsa macha makes about 1 1/2 cups and will last for about 1 month in the fridge. It will thicken in the fridge as it sits, but because of the raw garlic, it will need to be stored in the fridge over the pantry for food safety.
You can freeze this salsa macha for months in a freezer-safe container, though the texture may change slightly upon thawing.
More Salsa Recipes
- Creamy Jalapeno Salsa
- The Best Canning Salsa
- Cherry Tomato Salsa
- Salsa Roja
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Salsa Verde
- Fresh Pineapple Salsa
If you try this Salsa Macha, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
Salsa Macha Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup neutral oil
- 6 each dried ancho chile peppers , stems and seeds removed
- 4 each dried morita chile peppers , stems and seeds removed
- 4 each dried chile de arbol peppers, stems and seeds removed
- 16 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the chiles and oil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the chiles are puffed all over, about 8 minutes, taking care not to burn.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles to a food processor and blend well.
- Turn the heat off. Add the garlic and the nuts/seeds to the hot oil and allow to cook, stirring often until toasted, dry and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar.
- Transfer the nut and oil mixture to the food processor and pulse until the nuts and finely chopped, stopping before any ingredient starts to become a paste. Taste, seasoning with salt.
- Pour into jars and use immedietly, or keep refigerated for up to 1 month.