Guide to Mexican Salsas: Green, Red, Habanero and More

In Mexico there is a saying: "without salsa it is not food". And it is literal. Mexican salsa is not an optional condiment you put on top of the dish - it is a fundamental part of the meal, as essential as the rice or the beans. A Mexican can forgive many things, but a dish without salsa is unforgivable.

The fascinating thing about Mexican salsas is their infinite variety. Every family, every street stall, every restaurant has its own version. There are raw and cooked salsas, green and red, mild and explosive, fresh and fermented. In this guide we teach you the most important ones, with recipes adapted to ingredients you can find in Spain.

Raw green salsa: the queen of the taquerías

Raw green salsa is probably the most consumed salsa in Mexico. Fresh, acidic, spicy and herbaceous, it goes with absolutely everything: tacos, quesadillas, eggs, chilaquiles, enchiladas, grilled meat.

Original ingredients: Green tomatillo, serrano chile, cilantro, onion, garlic, salt.

Spanish adaptation:

• 4-5 green tomatoes (unripe, firm) or 1 can of tomatillos (Latin shop)
• 2-3 pickled jalapeños (or 1 fresh green guindilla)
• ½ bunch of fresh cilantro (stalks included)
• ¼ of a white onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt to taste

Preparation (5 minutes): Blend everything together until you obtain a fluid, homogeneous salsa. If you use fresh green tomatoes, you can boil them for 5 minutes first to soften them. The salsa should be liquid but with body - not watery. Taste and adjust the salt and heat.

Storage: In a glass jar in the fridge, it lasts 5-7 days. It can be frozen in an ice-cube tray to have portions ready.

Charred red salsa: depth and heat

Charred red salsa is the other great table salsa in Mexico. Deeper and smokier than the green one, with a complex flavor that comes from charring the ingredients. It is the classic salsa that accompanies grilled meat tacos, tortas and tamales.

Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 3-4 dried guajillo chiles (Latin shop) or 2 tablespoons of pimentón de la Vera + 1 dried guindilla
• 2-3 pickled jalapeños
• 3 cloves of garlic (with skin)
• ¼ of an onion
• Salt to taste

Preparation (20 minutes):

1. Char the tomatoes, garlic (with skin) and onion directly over the stovetop flame, on a grill or in a cast-iron pan until they burn on the outside. This charring is intentional - it provides smokiness.
2. If you use guajillo chiles: remove the seeds, toast in a dry pan for 30 seconds, soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
3. Blend everything together: charred tomatoes, chiles, garlic (peeled), onion, jalapeños. Add a little water if necessary.
4. Optional: fry the salsa in a pan with a little oil for 5 minutes to concentrate the flavors.

Result: A dark red salsa, slightly smoky, with layers of flavor. Perfect for tacos, huevos rancheros, grilled meat.

Habanero salsa: the Yucatecan fire

Habanero salsa is for the brave. It is the salsa of the Yucatán peninsula, where the habanero is king. Fruity, aromatic and brutally spicy, a few drops are enough to transform any dish.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 habanero chiles (fresh in a Latin shop, or bottled habanero sauce)
• 2 charred tomatoes
• ½ charred red onion
• Juice of 2 bitter oranges (or 1 orange + 1 lime)
• Salt

Preparation: Char the habaneros, tomatoes and onion in a pan or on the grill. Blend with the orange juice and salt. The consistency should be fluid. Caution: Wear gloves when handling habaneros. Do not touch your eyes. Ventilate the kitchen when charring them - the fumes are potent.

Use: As a table salsa to put in drops (not spoonfuls) on tacos, panuchos, cochinita pibil and any Yucatecan dish. A small bottle lasts weeks because it is used in minimal amounts.

Pico de gallo: the universal fresh salsa

Pico de gallo is not really a salsa but a chopped salad that accompanies practically everything in Mexican cooking. It is fresh, crunchy and the perfect complement to any dish that needs a touch of acidity and freshness.

Ingredients:

• 3 firm ripe tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
• ½ white onion chopped very fine
• 1-2 chopped pickled jalapeños (or fresh guindilla)
• A bunch of chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt to taste

Preparation (5 minutes): Mix everything in a bowl. Do not blend - it should have defined pieces. The secret is to chop everything into cubes of the same size and to use ripe but firm tomatoes (not soft or watery). Serve immediately or refrigerate for at most 2-3 hours - after that the tomatoes release water and it loses texture.

Guacamole: the Mexican ambassador

Guacamole is probably the best-known Mexican preparation in the world. And also the most mistreated - versions with peas, mayonnaise or cream are a gastronomic crime. Authentic guacamole is simple: avocado, lime, salt and a few more ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados (they should give when pressed gently)
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ white onion chopped very fine
• 1-2 chopped jalapeños (or guindilla)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 chopped tomato (optional, but recommended)
• Salt to taste

Preparation: Mash the avocados with a fork (do not blend - it should stay rustic, with chunks). Add the lime immediately (it prevents oxidation). Mix in the onion, jalapeño, cilantro, tomato and salt. Taste and adjust. Serve immediately with totopos or as an accompaniment to tacos.

Anti-oxidation trick: Guacamole darkens quickly. To keep it for a few hours, cover with cling film directly on the surface (no air) and refrigerate. The avocado stone inside the guacamole does NOT prevent oxidation - it is a myth.

Salsa macha: the artisanal chile oil

Salsa macha is an oil salsa with dried chiles, garlic and peanuts that has become very fashionable. Originating from Veracruz, it is crunchy, oily and addictive. It is put on tacos, tostadas, eggs, pasta, pizza... literally on everything.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of mild olive oil (or sunflower oil)
• 8-10 dried chiles de árbol (or dried guindillas)
• 3 dried ancho chiles (or 1 tablespoon of sweet pimentón)
• ½ cup of toasted peanuts
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of sesame
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• Salt to taste

Preparation: Heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the whole garlic cloves until golden. Add the chiles and fry for 1-2 minutes (careful not to burn them). Add the peanuts and sesame, fry for 1 minute more. Let cool for 5 minutes. Blend or process everything (with the oil) until you obtain a rustic paste with visible pieces. Add the vinegar and salt. Pack into a glass jar.

Storage: In an airtight jar in the fridge, it lasts 2-3 months. The oil preserves the ingredients. It is a perfect gift for foodies.

Salsa taquera: the addictive orange one

That orange salsa they put out in taquerías that is so addictive you could drink it straight. It is a salsa of chile de árbol and tomatillo with a vibrant orange color and a flavor that combines heat, acidity and a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 dried chiles de árbol (or 4-5 dried guindillas)
• 3-4 medium tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt

Preparation: Char the tomatoes in a pan or on the grill. Toast the chiles in a dry pan for 30 seconds. Blend everything with garlic and salt until you obtain a fluid orange salsa. If it is too thick, add a little water.

General tips for Mexican salsas

• Always taste before serving: Salt is the difference between a good salsa and a spectacular one. Adjust until the flavors "wake up".
• Lime is magic: If your salsa is missing something but you do not know what, it is probably a splash of lime.
• Char the ingredients: Charring (tomatoes, chiles, garlic, onion) provides a depth of flavor that cannot be achieved any other way.
• Make in quantity: Cooked salsas improve with time. Make extra and store in the fridge.
• A molcajete improves everything: If you can get a molcajete (a volcanic stone mortar), salsas ground in stone have a superior texture to blended ones.

Find the ingredients for these salsas in our recommended Latin shops and use them to accompany any of our Mexican recipes. A good salsa transforms even the simplest dish into something extraordinary.