I always keep a jar of Salsa Macha in my fridge. It’s an oil-based Mexican chile sauce that’s loaded with toasted chiles, garlic, and a mix of nuts and seeds. It’s rich, smoky, and a little bit crunchy, sort of like a Mexican-style chili crisp. I spoon it over eggs, drizzle it on tacos, or scoop it up with tortilla chips.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Disclosure.
I used to buy Salsa Macha from the Mexican market in my neighborhood. But once I started making it at home, I couldn’t go back. So much flavor gets built into the oil itself, and I love being able to control the flavors and textures. This isn’t a fresh salsa like pico de gallo or Salsa Verde. It’s closer to a chili crisp. It keeps in the fridge for weeks, and it only takes about twenty minutes of actual cooking.
I like my Salsa Macha pretty spicy, but you can make it milder by deseeding the chiles before toasting. For more crunch and texture, strain the oil before blending and add the nuts back in at the end. I’ve made a dozen versions of this over the years, and turns out a little different every time.
Ingredient Notes
Chile de árbol brings most of the heat here. If your regular market doesn’t carry it, you’ll find it in Latin markets or online. Chile guajillo is milder with deep, raisin-y flavor that balances out all that sharp heat from the árbol chiles. For a gentler salsa, deseed the chiles before you toast them, and lean more heavily on guajillo than árbol.
Any raw, unsalted peanuts and almonds work fine here, and you can swap in pepitas or sunflower seeds for a different texture. Sesame seeds add a nutty background note and also help the salsa emulsify a bit once it’s blended. Use a neutral oil for this. I prefer avocado oil, but you can use canola, grapeseed, or another neutral-flavored oil.
How To Make Salsa Macha
Most of the work for this salsa happens right in the pan. Toast the onion, garlic, chiles, nuts, and seeds in oil until everything darkens and smells nutty and toasted. Watch closely since chiles can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. Once everything cools down, toss the mixture into the blender, either all at once for a smoother texture or in stages if you want to keep some of the nuts and seeds chunky.
Blending everything together straight from the pan gives you a more uniform sauce. Straining the oil first, blending the chiles and aromatics, and then folding in the nuts and seeds at the end gives you those little pockets of crunch that make Salsa Macha so fun to eat.
What To Serve With It
Salsa macha earns its keep on just about anything off the grill. Spoon it over Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter and let it melt into the chile butter already on top. Or use it to finish off Air Fryer Carnitas piled into warm flour or corn tortillas, Shrimp Tostadas, or Chilaquiles.
Try it on classic beef Quesabirria Tacos, Fish Tacos, or Chicken Birria Tacos for extra heat. A scoop of Mexican Pickled Onions balances the heat and richness with tart lime juice.
Salsa Macha
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
- 14 chile de árbol
- 4 chile guajillo seeds removed for less heat, optional
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/8 of a white onion
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons peanuts
- 10 almonds
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sunflower seeds optional, for added texture
Instructions
- If you want a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the chile de árbol and guajillo before toasting, and use more guajillo and fewer chile de árbol overall.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add half of the vegetable oil. Once it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, chiles, sesame seeds, peanuts, and almonds. Stir constantly and cook for one to two minutes, just until everything turns lightly golden. Lower the heat if anything looks like it’s browning too fast.
- Add the remaining oil and cook for another twenty to thirty seconds so the fresh oil can pick up flavor from everything you just toasted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for fifteen to twenty minutes before blending.
- For a smooth or lightly chunky salsa, transfer everything straight to a blender once it’s cooled and blend to your preferred texture.
- For a chunkier salsa with more texture, strain the oil to separate out the solids. Blend the oil with the garlic, onion, and chiles until smooth, then add the nuts and seeds and pulse briefly, just enough to break them up while leaving some texture.
- Season with salt and pepper, and thin with a bit more oil if the salsa seems too thick.
