Dark pasilla chile salsa with roasted garlic. Fruity, earthy and perfect for barbacoa.
About this recipe
Pasilla chile salsa is a dark, aromatic salsa made from toasted and rehydrated pasilla chiles, roasted garlic and a touch of vinegar. It has a unique flavour with fruity, earthy and mildly smoky notes, without being excessively hot. It is the classic salsa to accompany barbacoa tacos and consomme.
History & Origin
Pasilla chile salsa is one of the most elegant and complex salsas in the Mexican repertoire, and its history is intimately linked to the chile that gives it its name. The pasilla chile, also called chile negro, gets its name because its wrinkled skin resembles a raisin or dried grape (pasa). It is one of the holy trinity of dried Mexican chiles along with ancho and guajillo, and is grown mainly in the states of Michoacan, Guanajuato and Aguascalientes. Its flavour profile is unique among Mexican chiles: it has fruity notes reminiscent of prune, earthy overtones like chocolate and a moderate heat that does not assault but rather caresses the palate. Pasilla salsa is the traditional and inseparable companion of lamb barbacoa in central Mexico. At the barbacoa stands of Hidalgo, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico, you will always find this salsa on the table, served in a volcanic-stone molcajete. It is prepared by toasting the pasilla chiles on a griddle until they puff slightly and release their aroma, then briefly rehydrating them and grinding them with roasted garlic and salt. Some cooks add a splash of vinegar or orange juice that enhances the fruity notes of the chile. The ideal texture is semi-rustic, with small pieces of chile that burst in the mouth.
Estimated cost
$4.30
Total cost
$0.54
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
20
Calories
0.5g
Protein
3.5g
Carbohydrates
0.5g
Fat
1g
Fiber
220mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Remove the stems and seeds from the pasilla chiles. Open them and shake out the seeds.
💡 Reserve some seeds: you can toast them and add them in if you want a spicier kick.
- 2
Heat a dry griddle or pan over medium heat. Toast the pasilla chiles, pressing them briefly against the griddle, 15-20 seconds per side, until they puff slightly and release an intense aroma. Do not burn them.
💡 Pasilla chile toasts very quickly. If it burns, the salsa will be bitter.
- 3
Place the toasted chiles in a bowl with hot water and leave to soak for 10 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving some of the water.
- 4
On the same griddle, roast the garlic cloves with skin until golden and soft, about 5 minutes.
- 5
Peel the roasted garlic. Place the rehydrated chiles, garlic, salt and a splash of vinegar in the blender or molcajete.
- 6
Blend or grind, adding a little of the soaking water until you have a semi-thick salsa with a slightly rustic texture.
- 7
Serve at room temperature. Keeps refrigerated for up to a week and improves with resting.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for European kitchens. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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