Chile De Arbol Salsa Authentic Recipe |

This salsa doubles down on the chile de arbol dried chiles. These small chiles give so much flavor, which is balanced by the smoky and sweet taste of the guajillo peppers. The tomatillos function like tomatoes here, giving the salsa a necessary acidity.

Chile De Arbol Salsa on a molcajete with tortilla chips on the side — The best Chile De Arbol salsa for tacos!

This is also the perfect Salsa Roja to serve with Tortilla Chips or with easy Mexican dishes such as Tinga, and even the classic Mexican Breakfast Chorizo and Eggs!

When eating Mexican food, it’s all about balance – flavor, color and texture, carefully chosen to compliment the filling. And salsas always add the final touch to a meal!

Speaking of balance, I made this to pair with my Cochinita Pibil as I think they go perfectly together. Add some of these Mexican Pickled Onions and you’ll have the perfect trifecta!

Salsa on top of a tortilla chip — This Chile De Arbol Salsa is made with tomatillos. So delicious!

Ingredients

For this Chile de Arbol Salsa, we need green tomatillos (if you can’t find tomatillos, it’s okay to substitute with roma tomatoes or even canned ones)

chiles de árbol,
two guajillo chiles for color,
onion,
garlic,
1 bullion (chicken or beef)
salt & pepper.
serrano peppers (optional for a more spicy salsa)

It’s important to use fresh ingredients when making your salsa. The tomatillos should be firm and unwrinkled. Dried chile de arbol should be leathery and flexible, never brittle.

Notes on dried chiles

Dried chiles keep indefinitely frozen inside a freezer bag. This will preserve their freshness too!
Prior to cooking the chiles, remove the stem and seeds. Or you can leave the seeds to increase the heat.
Dried chiles must always be cooked, either by toasting them or sautéed, then soaked in hot water. This will hydrate them making them easy to puree.

Ingredients for salsa on a white plate: Arbol chiles, onions, garlic, serrano peppers, an 2 guajillo peppers

Equipment

To cook it you will need a small pot, a skillet and a food processor or blender.

How to make Salsa Chile De Arbol:

a medium sauce pan with tomatillos, onions, garlic & beef bullion

Start by placing the onion, garlic and tomatillo in a small pot with enough water to cover the vegetables. If using a serrano pepper and beef bullion, add it on this step.

Cook the tomatillos until they start to turn yellow and before they crack.

While the tomatillos cook, sauté the guajillo chiles on 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil for about 45 seconds on each side. This is a very fast step as it if it cooks too long, the chile will become bitter.
Remove from skillet and add to the pot with the tomatillos.
Repeat this process for the Chiles de Arbol.

two chile guajillos being sauted in a small skillet

Chiles De Arbol being sauted in a small skillet

Sauté the guajillo chiles for about 45 seconds on each side. This is a very fast step as it if it cooks too long, the chile will become bitter.

A medium saucepan with cooked tomatillos, arbol chiles, guajillos, onions & garlic

Cook the tomatillos until they start to turn yellow and before they crack. Cooking them too long they will become bitter and too tangy.

Remove the tomatillos from the saucepan and place in a bowl. Set aside to cool.
Remove the saucepan from heat and set to cool off. Leave the dried chiles, onion & garlic in the hot water to continue hydrating the chiles.
Once the tomatillos have cooled off, add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix well.
NOTE: Do not add the cooked water yet. Only add a little bit at the time if your salsa turns out too dense.
Season with salt & pepper if needed.

Cooked tomatillos, arbol chiles, onion & garlic inside a food processor

Pureed red salsa inside a food processor

FAQs

How spicy is this Chile De Arbol Salsa?

You can actually make this as hot as you want! Here are a few ways to control the spicy level:
* Medium hot = 20 chiles de arbol
* Hot = 30 chiles de arbol.
* Hot + = Leave the seeds in the peppers
* Super hot = Add a serrano pepper or two.

What can I do to fix my salsa if it came out too spicy?

Add a tablespoon of sugar or 1/4 cup or more of tomato sauce to balance the flavor a little bit.

Do you leave the seeds in the chiles?

Leaving the seeds makes the salsa more spicy so remove them if your tolerance for heat is not too high.

What if my tomatillos made the salsa too tangy?

Not a problem! Just add a tablespoon of sugar to remove some of the tanginess.

Chef’s note ❤

This particular salsa made with chiles de arbol, has an enjoyable sharp heat that quickly dissipates. Usually when the salsa is still hot from cooking it, it will taste hotter than it’ll be an hour or later. So don’t be alarmed right away!

Chile De Arbol Salsa in a molcajete with a gray kitchen towel on the side — An authentic Chile De Arbol salsa recipe

Try this salsa at your next party! It goes perfect with chips & guacamole on the side. I always keep some in my refrigerator to eat with eggs, enchiladas, quesadillas and more!

That’s it my friends! As you can see, this Chile De Arbol Salsa is very easy to make and soon will be your favorite one too. Buen provecho!

If you make this recipe, I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below to let me know how you liked it.? Gracias!!!!

A molcajete with red salsa — This will be you new favorite Chile De Arbol salsa!

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Ana Frias

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