Chile pasilla: the dried chilaca in Mexican cooking

What is it?

Chile pasilla is the dehydrated chile chilaca, one of the darkest and most aromatic dried varieties in Mexican cooking. It is long and thin, measures between 15 and 20 cm, has wrinkled skin and a very dark, almost black colour with purple reflections. Hence its name, derived from 'pasa' (raisin) due to its resemblance to a raisin. It is grown above all in Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas and Jalisco. Its heat is low to moderate (1,000-2,500 Scoville units) and it provides a herbal, smoky flavour and a slight sweetness of bitter chocolate. It is used to prepare mole negro, salsa borracha, salsa de pasilla, pork adobos and dark pipianes, among other dishes.

Origin and history

The chile chilaca, fresh and long, was already known in Mesoamerica and was grown in the central and western parts of present-day Mexico. Colonial sources mention it as one of the everyday chillies of the Bajío. On drying, the pasilla was obtained, which became popular between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as an ingredient in regional moles of central Mexico, Michoacán and Oaxaca. In some regions it is also known as chile negro or chile achocolatado, which has generated confusion with chilhuacle negro. Larousse Cocina and the Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana by Ricardo Muñoz Zurita identify it as a key ingredient in Bajío cooking. SADER includes it among the traditional dried chillies of Mexico. Today it is still produced artisanally in small family plots in the Bajío and is sun-dried in yards or rooftops.

Characteristic ingredients

Chile pasilla is obtained by sun-drying chile chilaca for several days when it has fully ripened and acquired a dark red tone. On drying, its skin wrinkles and turns almost black with purple reflections, retaining some flexibility. It should not be confused with chile pasilla oaxaqueño, which is a different smoked chilli, nor with chilhuacle negro from Oaxaca. Pasilla measures between 15 and 20 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. Before using, it is de-veined, de-seeded and lightly toasted on a comal, taking care not to burn it to avoid bitterness. It is then rehydrated in hot water for 10-15 minutes and blended. Its heat is low (1,000-2,500 SHU) and it provides a herbal flavour with smoky hints and a sweet bitter-chocolate note. It is combined with ancho, mulato and guajillo for mole negro and poblano, and with tomato for salsa borracha and salsa de pasilla.

Cultural significance

Chile pasilla forms part of the repertoire of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is indispensable in classic mole poblano and Oaxacan moles negros, where it provides the characteristic dark colour and deep flavour. Salsa borracha, made with pasilla, pulque and aged cheese, is one of the traditional accompaniments to mutton barbacoa from Hidalgo and the State of Mexico, especially at family festivities and ranch weddings. In the Bajío, Guanajuato is one of the main producers and chile pasilla is sold in regional markets in bunches. Its artisanal production generates rural employment in small farming communities. For Mexican gastronomy, alongside ancho, mulato and guajillo, it makes up the classic quartet of dried chillies of central Mexico.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chile pasilla and chile pasilla oaxaqueño?

Common pasilla is sun-dried chile chilaca from the Bajío, dark, herbal and not very spicy (1,000-2,500 SHU). Pasilla oaxaqueño is a completely different chilli: it is a smoked chilli grown in the Sierra Mixe of Oaxaca with a smoky flavour and greater heat (8,000-15,000 SHU). Although they share a name, they are not interchangeable in traditional recipes.

What does chile pasilla taste like?

It provides a deep, herbal and slightly smoky flavour, with notes of raisin, bitter chocolate, coffee and tobacco. Its heat is low to moderate (1,000-2,500 Scoville units), similar to chile ancho. When lightly toasted on a comal it develops sweet caramel and toasted-cocoa aromas that enrich moles and dark salsas.

How is chile pasilla used?

It is de-veined, de-seeded, lightly toasted and rehydrated in hot water for about 15 minutes. It is then blended with broth, garlic, tomato or tomatillo and spices. It is the base of Pueblan and Oaxacan mole negro, salsa borracha, salsa de pasilla with aged cheese, pork adobos and dark pipianes. It is also served toasted in flakes on dishes such as sopa de tortilla.

Where does chile pasilla originate?

The chile chilaca from which it comes is native to central Mexico, especially the Bajío and the west. Today the main producing area for dried pasilla is Guanajuato, together with Aguascalientes, Zacatecas and Jalisco. It is one of the most representative chillies of Bajío cooking and the central Altiplano, both in everyday preparations and in festive moles.