Salsa Macha Recipe – Our Desert Island Chilli Sauce

Meet salsa macha, the Mexican chilli sauce you’re going to want to put on everything. This salsa macha recipe is the first thing I ever made that turned me on to the delights of cooking with dried Mexican chillies. It’s become a staple in my household for years, delicious on all things – not just Mexican! Of course it’s great on nachos and tacos, but equally delicious on poached eggs, rice, or (bliss) in a toasted cheese sandwich.

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What is “salsa macha”?

I think of it as a dried chilli Mexican pesto. Unlike tomato-based salsas, salsa macha is made from dried chillies in oil.

The basic premise is this: lightly toast some garlic, nuts, and seeds in olive oil, then take off the heat, add a load of dried chillies and leave to cool. Whizz up in a blender with some Mexican oregano, salt, and a splash of vinegar. It’s really easy!

Why “salsa macha”?

“Macha” comes from the Spanish word for “brave” or “tough,” and in Mexican slang, it can mean “strong” or “bold.” I can’t think of better words to describe this intense, smoky-spicy salsa. Salsa macha is becoming popular all over the world, with recipes varying widely (you’ll find my preferred recipe below). It all started in Veracruz, Mexico, a coastal state with a history of Spanish and indigenous culinary influences. Over time, variations spread to other regions, with some versions using local chilies or adding sweeteners like piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar).

Uses for Salsa Macha

Like I said, salsa macha is the condiment you’re going to drizzle on everything. It really is a great way to amp up almost any dish. Turn a simple bowl of rice into a delicious meal with a drizzle of salsa macha. Or get more creative:

• Salsa macha as a topping: Drizzled over tacos, grilled meats, eggs, rice, or roasted vegetables.
• Salsama macha mixed into dishes: Stirred into soups, stews, or salad dressings for an umami-rich kick.
• Salsa macha as a condiment or dip: Served with bread, tortillas, or even as a spicy drizzle for avocado toast.
• Use salsa in place of oil or butter: Yes you can cook with salsa macha, too. I use salsa macha as a base for tortilla soup. Or use it as an alternative to garlic butter in garlic bread. The possibilities are endless.

Why Salsa Macha is Awesome

Okay, at its very crux – it’s seriously delicious. As someone who was once vegetarian, I’ve never experienced a plant-based flavour that had the same level of depth and “pow” as you might get from charred meat. So if you don’t eat meat and are looking to replicate that same deep rich flavour without turning to horrible fake meat products, you must put salsa macha on your table and use it on everything. It’s super versatile!

Salsa macha is also shelf stable which makes it great for outdoor adventures and other types of travel (just make sure you use a container with a leak proof lid!). I often pack a little bottle of salsa macha with me to spice up backpacking meals, and keep a small jar of it in the van. You can buy mini-sizes of Nalgene bottles that are very useful for transporting salsa macha and other sauces or oils.

Notes on ingredients for salsa macha

• What oil? I use extra virgin olive oil here as I think it produces the best flavour. That said, olive oil is mucho expensive, so feel free to try other oils. I notice some of the top hits for salsa macha are using vegetable or canola oil, so it’s a done thing. (If you do experiment, I’d welcome your opinion on which oil works best!)
• What chillies? Honestly, it’s up to you. I have come to favour a combo of guajillo and chipotle, sometimes with arbol to add extra heat. But sometimes i use what I happen to have around. Ancho, pasilla, etc
• What nuts and seeds? Again, you can mix it up here. I almost always include sesame seeds, along with almonds, walnuts, or peanuts. It really depends on what I happen to have in the cupboard at the time.
• Where to buy dried chillies in the UK? I’m a big fan of Cool Chile Co, where you can also buy delicious fresh corn tortillas online (a godsend to us in northwest Scotland!). And of course there is Amazon (Tajin currently sells variety packs of chillies if you want to try a few and experiment).

Links to buy ingredients used in this recipe:

Tip: You can save yourself a little legwork by using chipotle chilli flakes and guajillo chilli flakes instead of whole chillies!

• Chipotle chillies
• Guajillo chillies
• Mexican oregano
• Whole raw almonds
• Sesame seeds
• Cider vinegar

The recipe below is inspired by Chicago-based chef Rick Bayless (a personal hero!). He uses peanuts in place of the almonds – TBH, I think pretty much any kind of nut will do.

Salsa Macha

This isn’t a tomato-based “salsa” like the kind you find in jars at the grocery store. Salsa macha is more like chile pesto, a puree of dried chillies with nuts, seeds, garlic and a little salt, vinegar and Mexican oregano. And the flavour is out of this world. TIP: You can use chilli flakes instead of seeds to save you the step of deseeding the chillies.

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Ingredients

  

• 60 g dried chillies I used about 6 guajillos and 4 chipotles
• 40 g 1/3 cup almonds (or other nut)
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 garlic cloves peeled and halved
• 500 ml 2 cups olive oil
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• A generous 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

Instructions

 

• Stem the chiles, then break or cut them open and remove most of the seeds; break the chillies up roughly into thumb-sized pieces.
• In a large saucepan, combine the almonds, sesame seeds, garlic and oil. Set over medium-high heat and cook until garlic and sesame seeds are golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chiles. Let cool 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the salt until the salt dissolves, then add it to the pan along with the oregano. When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a blender and pulse until everything is chopped into small pieces (I use a Froothie Optimum 9400 power blender for this). You don’t want a super smooth puree – leave some texture in there.
• Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.