Salsa macha, which hails from Veracruz, Mexico, brings a sweet heat and chunky texture to the table. My recipe includes pepitas, peanuts, sesame seeds and three types of dried chiles, but feel free to change up the mix of nuts, seeds and chiles depending on what’s in your pantry. Chile de arbol brings most of the heat, so add more if you prefer a spicier sauce. Keep an eye on your ingredients while toasting them so they don’t burn, which can add a bitter flavor to your salsa.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 2 1/2 cups |
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups olive oil
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried arbol chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup peanuts (untoasted and unsalted)
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the guajillo, ancho and arbol chiles to the oil and toast until the chiles are aromatic, vibrant in color and slightly puffed, 15 to 30 seconds. (Do this in batches if the chiles don’t fit in the skillet.) Use tongs to transfer the chiles to a plate.
- Add the garlic to the oil and cook, stirring so it does not burn, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chiles.
- Turn off the heat under the skillet, add the peanuts, pepitas and sesame seeds to the oil and toast in the residual heat until aromatic and slightly golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts, seeds and oil to a heatproof bowl and let cool.
- Add the toasted ingredients and remaining oil, brown sugar, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a food processor. Blend until everything is combined but not pureed, 30 to 60 seconds. Salsa macha should have a chucky texture, with some of the nuts and seeds still visible.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 20 servings |
| Calories | 209 |
| Total Fat | 21 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 89 mg |