Salsa De Chile De Arbol is flavorful, spicy, and very easy to make. It’s the ideal salsa to accompany many Mexican meals, especially when it comes to tacos, sopes, tostadas, quesadillas, tlacoyos or any Mexican appetizer. This sauce consists of a mixture of tomatoes with chiles de árbol, a hot sauce that is very famous for its intensity.
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Hello friends! I want to share with you one of my favorites salsas to make. It’s easy, delicious and everyone I serve it to, loves it too. It’s the perfect Salsa Roja to serve with Tortilla Chips or any Mexican dishes such as Huevos Divorciados, Tinga, and Huevos Con Chorizo.
When eating Mexican food, it’s all about balance – flavor, color and texture, carefully chosen to compliment the filling. And this condiment always adds the final touch to a meal!
What is Chile De Arbol?
Arbol means tree in Spanish. The name “chile de árbol”, originating in Mexico and Central America, due to the shape of the plant where it grows, because it is taller than other varieties, but it’s officially classified as a tree.
When this chile is fresh, it’s green in color and when it matures it acquires its characteristic bright, dark red color. Some people consume it fresh, however, it is more common to do it when it is dry.
Did you know that Mexico has 29 different types of chiles!? Chile de arbol is the classic chile that characterizes the state of Jalisco. They are a rich source of vitamin E, vitamin B, vitamin c, potassium, copper and iron, in addition to other antioxidants.
This chile is an icon of Mexican culture, it’s one of the most popular chiles used in classic Mexican dishes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crowd pleaser: Everyone will love it!
- So flavorful! It’s so good and a little bit goes a long way.
- Easy to make: It’s so easy to master and it’s perfect to have in your fridge handy at all times.
Ingredients
For this salsa de chile de árbol, we need green tomatillos (if you can’t find tomatillos, it’s okay to substitute with roma tomatoes or even canned ones)
- Chile de arbol peppers .
- Guajillo chiles – I add 2 for extra texture and color.
- Tomatillos – They can also use red tomatoes as a substitute.
- Onion – It can be white or yellow.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- A bouillon cube – vegetable, chicken or beef. Use your favorite kind.
- Salt & pepper.
- If you like very spicy salsas, add a serrano pepper.
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.
Equipment
To cook it you will need a small pot, a skillet and a food processor or blender.
How to make Salsa De Chile De Arbol:
This is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. See the detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.
- 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.
- Boil the tomatillos until they start to turn yellow and before they crack.
- While the tomatillos cook, heat a small pan 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 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.
- Remove from skillet and add to the pot with the tomatillos.
- Repeat this process for the Chiles de Arbol.
Important note! 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 a blender.
- Blend until you reach your desired consistency. 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.
Tips & Notes
- 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.
- 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!
Storing
- Fridge – Before, storing, make sure the salsa is at room temperature and not hot. Store in the refrigerator in a glass jar or container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer – Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
- To Thaw – Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Serving Suggestions
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!
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!
FAQs
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 árbol.
* Hot + = Leave the seeds in the peppers
* Super hot = Add a serrano pepper or two.
Add a tablespoon of sugar or 1/4 cup or more of tomato sauce to balance the flavor a little bit.
Leaving the seeds makes the salsa more spicy so remove them if your tolerance for heat is not too high.
Not a problem! Just add a tablespoon of sugar to remove some of the tanginess.
More Mexican Salsas:
Try any of my delicious salsas…. Always authentic, easy & delicious!
I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Recipe:
Salsa De Chile De Arbol Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh tomatillos - see notes
- ¼ of a medium onion (yellow or white)
- 2 large garlic cloves - peeled
- 1 fresh serrano pepper - optional for a very spicy salsa
- 1 bouillon cube (vegetable, chicken or beef)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 20 to 30 dried Chile de Arbol - no stems and seeds
- 2 guajillo chiles - no stems and seeds
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small to medium pot, place the tomatillo, onion, garlic, serrano pepper and bouillon cube with enough water to cover everything.1 pound fresh tomatillos , ¼ of a medium onion (yellow or white), 2 large garlic cloves, 1 fresh serrano pepper, 1 bouillon cube (vegetable, chicken or beef)
- Cook uncovered on medium heat.
- Saute the dried chiles while the tomatillo mixture cook: on a hot skillet, sauté the guajillo chiles on ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil for about 45 seconds on each side. Note: This is a very fast step as it if it cooks too long, the chile will become bitter.2 guajillo chiles, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Remove from skillet and add to the tomatillo mixture. Repeat this process for the chiles de arbol.20 to 30 dried Chile de Arbol
- Cook the tomatillos until they start to turn yellow and before they crack. Remove pot from heat and set to cool off.
- Remove the tomatillos from the pot and transfer to a bowl to cool off. Leave the rest of the ingredients in the hot water to continue hydrating the dried chiles.
- Once the tomatillos have cooled off, add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pure well. NOTE: Do not add the cooked water yet. Only add a little bit at the time if your salsa turns out too dense.
- Taste for salt & pepper and add some according to taste.¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
Video
Notes
- Do you add the cooking water in with the rest of the ingredients when blending? You don’t add the water as the tomatoes will make it liquid enough. If can add some from the cooking water if you think it’s too dry
* 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.
