SalsasEasyFree

Wild Piquín Chilli Salsa

Name: Wild Piquín Chilli Salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Tomato; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 cdita Salt; 20 g Dried piquín chilli; 50 ml Water

20 min (10 prep + 10 cook) Easy 6 servings Norte de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Fiery salsa of wild piquín chilli with roasted tomato, a speciality of northern Mexico.

About this recipe

Piquín chilli salsa is one of the hottest and most aromatic salsas of northern Mexico, made with wild piquín chillies - tiny as coffee beans, intensely red - roasted tomato, garlic and salt. Piquín chilli grows wild in the mountains of northern Mexico and is five to eight times hotter than a jalapeño, but with a fruity and citrusy aromatic complexity that sets it apart. The salsa is an intense orange-red colour, liquid and fiery, perfect for seafood, prawn broth and northern Mexican antojitos.

History & Origin

Piquín chilli (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) is considered by many botanists to be the wild ancestor of all domesticated Mexican chillies. It grows spontaneously in the mountains and canyons of the north - Sonora, Chihuahua, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León - without needing cultivation, fertilisers or irrigation, dispersed by birds that are immune to capsaicin. The indigenous peoples of northern Mexico gathered it wild and used it both as a condiment and as a medicinal plant for stomach and joint pain. Today the dried piquín chilli is one of the most revered ingredients in northern cooking and appears in salsas, aguachiles, seafood dishes and as a direct snack. Its production is almost entirely wild and seasonal, making it a scarce and highly prized ingredient.

Estimated cost

£2.50

Total cost

£0.42

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

Calories

0.9g

Protein

4.5g

Carbohydrates

0.4g

Fat

1.2g

Fibre

140mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Roast the tomatoes on a comal over high heat until charred in patches and softened. Set aside.
2
Toast the piquín chillies on a dry comal over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until they darken to a deep brown and release their hot aroma.
💡 Ventilate the kitchen well - piquín chilli smoke is irritating to the eyes.
3
Roast the unpeeled garlic cloves on the comal until softened and browned, 5 minutes. Peel.
4
In a blender, blend the roasted tomatoes, toasted piquín chillies, roasted garlic and salt with a little water until you have a smooth, liquid salsa.
💡 Start with a small amount of water and add more if needed.
5
Strain the salsa to remove seeds and skins. Adjust consistency and salt.
6
Serve at room temperature. This salsa is very hot - use sparingly.