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This salsa macha recipe is a rich, nutty Mexican chile oil made with toasted dried chiles, garlic, peanuts, and sesame seeds preserved in oil for deeply savory flavors.
About the Dish
Where do I even start with this recipe? If I was stranded on an island and had one recipe to take, this would be it! This salsa lives in my fridge 24/7, I make it in serious quantities, and it ends up on almost everything I cook without me even meaning to. If you have see my other recipes, you know I add it to my crudos, eggs, vegetables, tons of appetizers. It’s my go-to topping for everything because it is just that good.
I always thought this would be something I’d eventually sell because it’s that central to how I cook, but I used it so openly and so often that people kept asking for it and I love you guys that much, so here it is. This is my favorite recipe, one I’ve adjusted for so many years until it felt finished, and the one I reach for every single day.
Table of Contents
Prep the Ingredients
The Dried Chiles
Chile Morita | Chiles De Arbol | Chiles Guajillo
Remove stems from all dried chiles. Shake out loose seeds and remove more from the chiles de arbol if you want less heat.
The Garlic
Slice the garlic thinly and evenly so it cooks gently and crisps without browning. All slices should be uniform to prevent burning.
The Nuts
Peanuts | Toasted Sesame Seeds
Use plain, unsalted peanuts. The sesame seeds should already be toasted and fully cooled so they stay fragrant and nutty when added.
The Seasonings
Brown Sugar | Smoked Paprika | Mexican Oregano | Salt | Vinegar | Tamari
Measure all dry seasonings in advance so they can be added quickly without interrupting the cooking flow. Have the vinegar and tamari measured and ready to add at the end.
Ingredient Swaps
- Use dried chipotles instead of chili morita if you can’t find them.
- The tamari is optional but I really do recommend it!
- If you are short on time and just need something that truly isn’t as good but is very convenient, I always recommend the Chili Crisps.
Nadia’s Tips
- Make sure that you do not burn the garlic! Remove it when it becomes pale golden and don’t wait too long.
- If you are almost out but you have some chiles and peanuts in the bottom, adding a bit of oil will extend the life of it.
The Perfect Pairings
I honestly put this Salsa Macha on SO many of my recipes. It is a staple in my house at all times. Some of my favorites are Spicy Butter Scallops, Spicy Ramen, I love topping any eggs with them but my Spicy Heavy Cream Eggs are especially great, Din Tai Fung Cucumber Saladis one of my most popular recipes on here and another one that is great to add it to. I could go on
Salsa Macha FAQ
You want it spoonable. Not thick, not runny, just enough oil to coat everything while still holding texture. If it pours like salad dressing, it is too thin. If it sits stiff in the jar, add more oil.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this salsa macha keeps well for up to two weeks as long as the solids stay fully covered in oil.
A good-quality olive oil makes a difference here since it is part of the final flavor. I usually use Cobram Estate Classic, but any olive oil you already like will work.
Yes, you can freeze it. The texture will loosen slightly once thawed, but the flavor holds up well. That said, it rarely lasts long enough in my house to make it to the freezer.
No. The chiles soften and bloom directly in the warm oil, which builds flavor without watering anything down.
Yes. Remove more seeds from the chiles de arbol for a milder version, or add extra for more heat. You can also thin it slightly with more oil if it feels too intense.
Salsa Macha
Equipment
- large skillet
- slotted spoon
- heatproof bowl
- airtight container
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups chile morita
- 6 chiles de arbol, seeds removed if desired
- 2 chiles guajillo
- ½ cup peanuts
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari, optional
- olive oil, enough to fully cover solids and adjust consistency
Instructions
- Crisp the Garlic: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently, stirring often, until very lightly golden. Do not let it brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic to a plate and reserve the oil in the pan.⅓ cup avocado oil, 8 garlic cloves
- Blend the Chiles and Peanuts: In a food processor, pulse the chile morita, chiles de arbol, and chiles guajillo until finely chopped. Add the peanuts and pulse briefly until coarse. Do not let the mixture turn into a paste.1 ½ cups chile morita, 6 chiles de arbol, 2 chiles guajillo, ½ cup peanuts
- Toast the Chile Mixture: Add the blended chile mixture to the reserved oil along with the brown sugar, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the vinegar and tamari, then immediately turn off the heat.2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon white vinegar or red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon tamari
- Assemble: Finely chop the reserved garlic and stir it back into the mixture. Add enough olive oil to fully cover the solids, adjusting until the texture is spoonable but not thin.olive oil
- Cool and Store: Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This may be a dumb question but I’m in Toronto, Canada where fresh Mexican ingredients can be tricky to find…but the chilies used in this recipe are whole dried chilies, aren’t they??
Thanks so much!
Hey Susan, That’s not a dumb question at all! They are all dried chilies. I hope that means you can find them!
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is sooooooo good! It made a ton too! I now see why you always add it to everything!
Hey Carmen, Yes 🙌 I make monthly batches of this and I have for years! I’m so glad you loved it too!
Nadia, could you possible make a video for this recipe? Mine did not come out at all like what is pictured. It was quite chunky. I think my issue came in the dried chile phase. I cut all the chilies open and took the seeds out (despite this, the sauce is pretty darn hot). I pulsed them in the food processor but they really didn’t end up in small pieces. So, I soaked them in hot water thinking this would reconstitute them, then I added peanuts…but I pulsed quite a lot and the peanuts still were in big chunks. Can you provide more detail/guidance on the processing of the dried peppers so they are in the right form for this recipe? Thanks so much!!
Hey Elaine, salsa macha is generally spicy. You can leave out the chiles de arbol or just do 1-2 but definitely seed them if you’re not looking for a lot of spice. Maybe try blending instead of pulsing? My food processor leaves them pretty small so I’ve never had problem with them not being small enough. Try doing the same thing with the peanuts but be careful because it can easily turn into peanut paste. With the chilies, do not soak them, you don’t want them reconstituted, you want them in their dry state. It might help to throw them in the blender and just keep going until pretty smooth and then remove them and do the same with your peanuts. I’m in the process of actually trying to sell my salsa macha so if I do get there I’ll post it on the website and you can just get it first hand! Hopefully this helps!
Hi Nadia, I saw you rub this on the cauliflower for the roasted cauliflower recipe, which looks amazing. It looks to me like the main ingredient is the dried chile morita, which will be HOT. Is there a milder chile I could use? I like flavor and some moderate warmth but I’m thinking if this is too hot we won’t enjoy the dish. THANK YOU I am so excited to make the cauliflower.
Never mind. I saw you don’t use that much of this salsa mâcha in the roasted cauliflower recipe, but I appreciate you making me aware of a salsa I never heard of.
Hey Marie, It isn’t super spicy to me but everyone is different spice levels and the chilis can sometimes be spicier than other times. But like you said, it actually isn’t a lot that you add into the cauliflower recipe. If you are worried about it, the chili crisps that I buy from Amazon aren’t that spicy so you may want to just buy those. You can always add less and taste till you reach the flavor/heat point that you’re happy with. You can also just omit that ingredient completely and it will still be delicious! Let me know how you like the cauliflower!