Salsa Macha Recipe, Mexican Chile Oil

What Is Salsa Macha?

Salsa macha is a spicy condiment from Veracruz, Mexico, traditionally made with dried chilies, nuts, and oil. The Spanish term “macha” basically means to crush, reflecting the preparation method. With Spanish influences, the salsa evolved using olive oil.

Originally a humble condiment, salsa macha was created as an excellent way to use and enhance the flavors of dried chilies and nuts, turning them into a versatile and delicious sauce. It is basically a Mexican Chile Oil.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

During a visit to a local upscale Mexican restaurant in Downtown Denver, one of their specials for the evening was a seafood entree topped with a mysterious Salsa Macha. The flavors were so enticingly complex, I simply had to recreate this unusual salsa in my own kitchen.

Spice Level and Flavor Profile: It’s not a spicy hot salsa, so don’t be afraid to use it for delicate flavored foods like shrimp or eggs. It’s a complex blend of smoky, spicy, and nutty flavors with a rich, oily texture. Mexican cuisine is renowned for its bold and vibrant flavors, and at the heart of many of its iconic dishes such as this unique Salsa Macha Recipe.

Make It Your Own: Play around with this one by switching and mixing chile varieties, nuts and seeds.

I hope you give this Mexican chile infused oil recipe a try. It’s a must-try Mexican condiment recipe that’s sure to leave a lasting impression on your next culinary adventure.

For my version, I relied on a recipe from Rick Bayless and from New Mexico blogging friend MJ’s Kitchen.

• Dried Chile Peppers: I used what I had on hand which was a combination of Guajilla Chile Peppers (dried Mirasol peppers) and dried Pasilla Peppers.
• Seeds and Nuts: Traditionally, peanuts, almonds, and sesame seeds are used to create a rich, nutty base for the salsa.
• Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add a pungent kick and aromatic quality to the sauce
• Oil: Neutral cooking oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, is used to fry the chilies, nuts, and garlic.
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Salt: A pinch of salt helps balance the flavors and enhance the overall taste of the salsa.

Ingredient Variations

• Dried Chile Peppers: Salsa Macha is not traditionally hot, but if you’d like more heat add a couple of dried habanero peppers. Other options are dried Ancho chiles, Chipotle or Mulata peppers. They’re all wonderful.
• Nuts: Peanuts are traditionally used in, but if you’ve got pecans or almonds on hand, those will work well.
• Seeds: Try sunflower seeds.
• Vinegar: Practically any mild vinegar will work here, such as White Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, Champagne Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar or even Rice Vinegar. Avoid Balsamic vinegar, as the flavor profile is strong and totally wrong for this salsa.

How To Make Salsa Macha

1. Step 1: Prepare the Dried Chile Peppers: Break the tops off the dried chiles and empty out most of the seeds. Break them into chunks and place them in a food processor or blender.
2. Step 2: Pulse a few times until they’re small pieces. You want them to be slightly chunky.

3. Step 3: Cook The Salsa Macha: In a heavy fry pan, heat the olive oil, garlic cloves, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts over a medium high heat. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat so the garlic doesn’t over cook. The oil is very hot and will continue to cook once you’ve removed it from the heat.
4. Step 4: Add the chopped chiles, stir and let cool 5 minutes. In a bowl, stir together vinegar, brown sugar and salt until salt is dissolved. Pour this mixture into the hot oil. Let the oil cool to room temperature. Pour into a food processor and pulse several times until chile peppers, nuts and seeds are minced. Do not make a purée. You want a somewhat coarse texture.

How Long Does It Last?

Shelf Life: Store chili oil in a glass container with a lid. Why glass? It’s just so pretty to look at. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Salsa Macha will also freeze well. Make sure the ingredients are fully submerged in the oil to prevent spoilage.

Creative Ways To Use Salsa Macha

• Use it as a dipping sauce for crusty bread.
• Pasta: Use salsa macha as a spicy and savory pasta sauce. Toss it with spaghetti, add some fresh herbs, and top it with grated cheese for a unique twist on a classic pasta dish.
• Breakfast: Try it as a condiment for scrambled eggs or breakfast burritos to start your day with a fiery kick.
• Drizzle some over your next Bean Side Dish.
• And don’t forget to top it on tacos, burritos, tostadas or enchiladas. It simply elevates the flavor of any Mexican entree.
• Sandwiches: Spread salsa macha on sandwiches and burgers for an extra kick and depth of flavor.
• Drizzle it on pizza.
• Note: This is not a great salsa to use as a salsa for chips. There’s a lot of oil in this recipe.

Two of our favorite ways is to serve Salsa Macha over Colorado roasted fingerling potatoes.

And we love it over simple scrambled eggs served on a toasted street taco flour tortilla. Delicious.

Tips for Success:

• Olive Oil - A mild extra virgin olive oil will work for this recipe, but avoid strong flavored olive oils.
• Chiles - Any mix of dried red chiles can be used. Typically, this salsa is made with guajillo pepper, anchos and chile de arbols. Play around with combinations for a different flavor profiles and spiciness.
• If you don’t have a food processor or blender, use scissors to chop the dried chile peppers. When using a food professor, pulse just a few times, don’t grind them to a powder consistency.
• Nuts and seeds - Several different types of nuts and seeds can be used. I focused on making a peanut salsa macha with the addition of pumpkin seeds, but try Pinon, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds or pecans.