Learn all about Morita peppers and also make a tasty Morita Salsa with a rich smoky flavor! This Mexican chile will soon become one of your favorite ingredients to cook with!
What Are Chiles Morita?
Morita chiles are jalapeño peppers that are left on the vine to ripen until they turn red. Once harvested, they’re dried and smoked to develop their fruity, slightly acidic, and earthy flavor with subtle smokey taste.
They’re small to medium-sized, averaging 3 to 5 centimeters in length, and have a flattened and shriveled, conical appearance, tapering slightly towards a rounded tip. The skin has a pliable and leathery consistency and not too rigid.
Did you know?
Jalapeños have two stages: green and red. This is due to their different maturation and when they are harvested from the plant. The sooner you pick them, the greener the Jalapeño will be and also the less spicy it will be. As the fruit matures, it will change towards a red color and the spiciness level will also increase.
Morita pepper spiciness
Moritas are not very spicy and have a moderate heat reminiscent of the intensity of a fresh red jalapeno. They rank between 5,000 – 10,000 SHU in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is important to note that Morita chile peppers are also known as a type of chipotle chile pepper and are similar to that spiciness.
Chile Morita Scoville Scale
How To Use/Cook
Chiles Morita are a versatile ingredient widely used in traditional Mexican cuisine, favored for their smokey, earthy, and fruity taste. This pepper is very popular in Mexico but mostly in the states of Chihuahua, Veracruz and Puebla.
They’re used ground in the preparation of marinades, moles and also incorporated into casseroles, bean and eggs dishes, or they can be diced and stirred into stews and soups. You can make all kinds of salsas as well like the below tasty Salsa Morita. It’s a great all-purpose table salsa and I’m sure you’ll love it!
The dried peppers can be used dried or re-hydrated, and it is recommended to toast the peppers before using them to enhance their depth of flavor.
How do you rehydrate the dried pepper?
Just immersed them in hot water for 15 to 30 minutes to rehydrate. Once softened, the peppers are often blended into sauces, salsas, glazes, and marinades as a flavoring.
Where To Buy
Look for dried chiles that are supple, not brittle; more or less unbroken; and have minimal pale spots. Store dried chiles in an airtight resealable bag, and keep them in a cool, dry place for up to six months.
Where? Check out your local latin grocery stores in the dried spices section. Many regular grocery stores will carry these chiles in the international sections as well. Or, via online retailers like Amazon, Walmart or Spice stores. In Europe there are online suppliers like The Chilli Experience.
Top Tip!
Can only find brittle dried chiles? Try this: Put them in an airtight resealable bag with a square of just-damp paper towel and by the next day, they’ll be supple.
Substitute
To maintain the smoky flavor, you can use chipotle from cans, or dried poblano peppers.
How to Store Chile Moritas
Chile Morita Salsa
Salsa Morita is a flavorful salsa made with dried Chile Morita as the star. Adding a fresh serrano pepper lends a little fire to this salsa. The result is smoky and bright, tinged with sweetness. Irresistible on tacos, tortas, on top of eggs and among so many other dishes.
Ingredients
To make this Salsa Morita you only need a few ingredients.
- Tomatoes (about 3 medium). Remove the core prior to roasting them.
- A serrano pepper. You can skip it for a milder salsa but it does lend a delicious kick!
- 3 morita chiles. Rinse under cold water to remove any dust.
- Onion. White or yellow will work.
- A garlic clove.
- Plus a little sugar, white vinegar (cider or apple vinegar will work too) and salt and pepper.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
Let’s Make Salsa Morita
- Line a large skillet with aluminum foil and heat on medium-high heat. Or roast on a grill.
- Place the tomatoes and serrano pepper. Roast until all sides have blackened and the tomatoes are cooked. Keep turning to cook all sides. About 20 minutes total.
- Note: If the pepper gets roasted faster than the tomatoes, remove and set aside. Remove the stem from the serrano pepper and keep the seeds.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add two cups of water, the chiles morita, onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Remove from heat and set aside to hydrate the chile until the tomatoes are cooked through.
5. In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes, serrano, chile morita peppers, onion, garlic, sugar, white vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
Note: If the salsa is too dense to blend, add ¼ cup water from where the chiles were cooked.
Transfer to a bowl, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
What to serve with
Now all you have to do is grab some tortilla chips, dip it into the salsa and savor the smoky flavors! This Morita Salsa also goes great on top of Papas Con Huevo, with Tacos Gobernador or Bistec Ranchero. Enjoy with a glass of agua fresca.
This bright, colorful, super delicious, and deeply satisfying salsa is waiting for you. Are you going to make it?
MORE EASY…
Mexican Salsas To Try:
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:
Smoky Morita Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatoes (about 3 medium) cored
- 1 small serrano pepper (optional for extra heat)
- 3 morita chiles rinsed and stemmed
- ½ medium white onion cut in two quarters
- 1 large garlic clove peeled
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Line a large skillet with aluminum foil and heat on medium-high heat. Or roast on a grill.1 pound tomatoes (about 3 medium), 1 small serrano pepper (optional for extra heat)
- Place the tomatoes and serrano pepper. Roast until all sides have blackened and the tomatoes are cooked. Keep turning to cook all sides. About 20 minutes total.
- Note: If the pepper gets roasted faster than the tomatoes, remove and set aside. Remove the stem from the serrano pepper and keep the seeds.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add two cups of water, the chiles morita, onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Remove from heat and set aside to hydrate the chile until the tomatoes are cooked through.3 morita chiles, ½ medium white onion, 1 large garlic clove
- In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes, serrano, chile morita peppers, onion, garlic, sugar, white vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.¼ teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Note: If the salsa is too dense to blend, add ¼ cup water from where the chiles were cooked.
- Transfer to a bowl and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed according to taste.
Muy Delish Notes:
Add Your Own Private Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
Wow this is so good! I’m addicted to a local brand of morita salsa but it has become a very expensive habit. I’m so happy to discover I can make something very similar for a fraction of the price. The most difficult thing was finding the morita peppers where I live. In order to better match the ingredients list of my fave brand, I used lime juice instead of vinegar, and added a big handful of cilantro. I also subbed a small home-grown jalapeno for the serano. Next time I would keep back the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno and not add until after tasting the salsa. My first batch is HOT. But so good. Thank you for this recipe. I found it especially helpful that you list the ingredients and quantities right in each step – it saves so much scrolling.
So good! Used jalapeño instead of Serrano. Thanks for sharing!
This is my go to salsa morita recipe. I omit the sugar but otherwise this is a hit every time I share it with friends. I like the smokey flavor and the subtle heat.
Great to hear Diana!!! I’m thrilled that you like this recipe for morita salsa… I need to make it again! 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
This recipe is fabulous! My moritas were so spicy (I felt like my lips were on fire just from tasting the chile water) so I only used one but it was perfect. Thanks so much for the recipe.
There are so many great recipes to use these with. Love how easy it is to prepare them. Thank you!
Thanks so much, I’ve learned a LOT here about chile morita!
What an informative post. I love chillies, so I liked learning all about them.
Chile Morita has this perfect baked aroma. It is now a must-have in my kitchen, thank you for presenting it to me.
I’ve never heard of these chillies before but I know my family love to try new ideas. This salsa looks so rich and delicious too.
I even added extra moritas. Tastes like canned tomato paste. Not like the flavorful morita salsa I’m used to.
That’s so strange! Could be the chiles you used were not good quality? This salsa has been enjoyed, approved and saved by so many!
Your Salsas are The Best Ana!!! heading to the Mexican grocery store this weekend to buy Morita chiles to make this salsa!
XOXO <3
You’ll love it Brenda!!!! It’s seriously an addicting salsa. XOXO! Ana
This salsa Morita turned out amazing! We could not stop eating it with tortilla chips…now i have to make it again to eat it with actual food lol! So good!