Salsa Macha (Spicy Mexican Chilli Oil)
Salsa macha is a seductively spicy, smoky, and nutty Mexican condiment. Drizzle this homemade Mexican chilli crisp over everything from tacos and dips to scrambled eggs for an indulgent kick.
Salsa Macha, or Mexican chilli oil, is a delicious and versatile condiment that adds a spicy kick to any dish. Made with dried chiles, nuts, and seeds, this oil-based salsa is perfect for tacos, eggs, or even as a dip for tortilla chips.
It’s safe to say that I’m a little obsessed with this salsa macha recipe at the moment – I get a touch anxious when my jar is nearing its end! But, luckily it’s super easy to make homemade salsa macha using a variety of dried chiles, nuts, and seeds, along with some fragrant spices.
The recipe is also super flexible, so you can use what you have available. And, it results in a savoury, smoky, slightly spicy, and nutty salsa that adds some crunch and a touch of Mexican flavour to your meals.
Why you’ll love this chunky chile oil
- It’s easy to make: With just a few simple ingredients and a food processor, you can whip up a batch of this spicy salsa in no time.
- It’s customizable: You can use a variety of dried chiles in this recipe to adjust the spice level to your liking. Plus, you can switch up the nuts and seeds to create different flavour profiles.
- It’s versatile: Use this salsa macha to add a spicy kick to tacos, eggs, salads, and more. It’s also delicious as a dipping sauce for chips or vegetables.
What is salsa macha?
Salsa macha is a delicious Mexican condiment made from dried chillies, nuts, seeds, and spices. It’s nutty, spicy, and crunchy, hence the nickname of “Mexican chilli crisp“.
Some salsa macha recipes also add apple cider vinegar and brown sugar, but I prefer mine sugar-free.
This spicy and nutty condiment is also naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients and substitutes
This recipe, as written in the recipe card, is my absolute favourite variation of this chile oil. But, luckily, it’s also super flexible. So, you can go ahead and substitute to your liking!
- Dried chiles: The chiles, stems and seeds removed, form the base of this salsa, and you can use any combination you like. I prefer a mix of flavorful, mild or medium-hot chiles like chiles cascabel (or dried guajillo chiles) and ancho chiles. Then I add some chiles de árbol for heat – add more árbol chiles for a very spicy salsa macha or omit them for a mild version. You can also try chipotle chiles, pasilla chiles, morita chiles, or New Mexico chiles. Aim for roughly 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of dried chiles in total.
- Vegetable oil: This recipe calls for a cup and a half of neutral oil for the perfect ratio of crispy bits to red chile oil. You can use more or less to fit the ratio of oil to crispy bits you prefer. You can use any neutral oil like sunflower oil, avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Garlic: Fresh whole garlic cloves.
- Raw cashew nuts: This version with cashew nuts is beautifully nutty and naturally sweet. But you can also use raw almonds or raw unsalted peanuts (with a pinch of brown sugar for sweetness).
- Raw sesame seeds: These seeds toast to crispy perfection with the residual heat of the oil. I use white sesame seeds, but black sesame seeds are also great. You can also use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead.
- Dried oregano: If you can find it, dried Mexican oregano is the authentic choice. But normal dried oregano works just fine.
- Salt: You can use kosher salt or fine sea salt. Always season to your personal taste.
Some recipes also call for white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), and you can add a dash if you want. But I love my salsa macha as I do my chilli crisp, spicy, crispy and indulgently rich.
How I make salsa macha
The first time I ever tasted salsa macha was from the salsa macha recipe in Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez. I was instantly hooked.
Luckily it’s also super easy to make!
Fry Aromatics: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Roughly chop them into small pieces. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the garlic raw nuts until the garlic is golden brown. Then add the chopped chiles to the pan with the oil to cook for 30 seconds until the oil is reddish. Remove with a slotted spoon to cool for 5 minutes. While the chile mixture cools, add the sesame seeds to the hot oil and let them toast as they sit.
Blitz: Blitz the cooled chiles in a food processor with the dried oregano and salt until coarsely ground. Add the oil and sesame seeds and continue blending until the chiles are ground to your desired consistency.
Taste: Adjust the salt to your liking. You can also add vinegar and brown sugar if you prefer.
Storage
Transfer the salsa macha to an airtight container and let it cool in the coldest part of your kitchen for an hour.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze it into ice cubes for longer storage (though this affects the texture of the crispy bits).
Use your spicy salsa macha straight away, but letting it chill in the fridge allows the flavour to develop. It keeps getting better and better!
Frequently asked questions
Salsa macha is a spicy chili oil-based sauce typically made with dried chilies, garlic, oil, and sometimes nuts or seeds. The exact ingredients and ratios may vary depending on the recipe or region.
No, salsa macha and chilli crisp are not the same. They may have some similar ingredients, but salsa macha is a Mexican condiment typically made with dried chiles whereas chilli crisp is an Asian condiment that may use fresh chillies. Salsa macha also has a thicker, paste-like consistency, while chilli crisp is more of a chunky oil.
Like any other oil-based condiment containing plant-based ingredients, salsa macha can cause illness if not stored properly. It is best to keep it refrigerated and use it within a week to be completely safe. Always use clean utensils when scooping it out to avoid contamination
Serving suggestions
You can’t go wrong adding salsa macha to absolutely anything and everything. But in case you’re not convinced yet, I have a few ideas for you.
Tacos: Use salsa macha as a topping for your favourite tacos, whether it’s carne asada, barbacoa, or fish tacos.
Eggs: Drizzle salsa macha on top of your fried or scrambled eggs, add a spoonful to your omelette, or turn up the heat of your spicy shakshuka.
Tex-Mex dishes: It’s the perfect accompaniment to any Tex-Mex dish, like enchiladas, burritos, tamales, or fajitas.
Salads: Drizzle it over your favourite salad from Mexican street corn salad, crisp green salads to potato salad!
Avocado toast: Spoon salsa macha over plain avo toast and you won’t be able to eat it any other way ever again!
Or, try it with my favourite Mexican street corn dip!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 large ancho chiles *
- 5 large cascabel chiles *
- 2 chile de árbol (optional) , or more for spicy salsa macha
- 1½ cup vegetable oil
- 5 large garlic cloves , peeled
- ¾ cup raw cashews , or raw peanuts or raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , more to taste
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles and roughly chop them into smaller pieces.
- Add the oil, whole garlic cloves and raw cashews to a saucepan. Place on medium heat and cook until the cashews and garlic are golden brown – about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the heat down if they are browning too quickly, and give the pan a swirl every now and then. It will sizzle and start to smell amazing.
- Add the chiles to the pan with the cashews, garlic and oil. Continue to cook until the oil is reddish – about 30 seconds – and remove the saucepan from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chile and cashew mixture to a heat-proof bowl.
- Add the sesame seeds to the hot oil and set aside. They will toast as they sit.
- Allow the fried chilli, garlic and cashew mixture to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, add it to a food processor with the dried oregano and salt. Blitz until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the sesame seeds and oil mixture. Keep blitzing until the chiles are ground to your liking – I like mine a chunky, crunchy mix but you can keep going until you have a paste.
- Taste, and add another ½ teaspoon if it needs it.
- Transfer to an airtight container and leave it in the coldest part of your kitchen to cool down for an hour. Then refrigerate for up to 7 days. The flavour will keep improving!
Notes
- Chiles: You can use any combination of dried chiles, but I like to stick to a base of flavorful mild or medium-hot chiles like chiles cascabel, chipotle, guajillo chiles, and ancho chiles. Then I boost the heat with spicy chile de arbol to taste. There is no right or wrong here, just different types of delicious!
- Storage: The salsa macha is ready to use immediately, but allowing the chilli oil to rest for an hour will give it a serious flavour boost. But, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than an hour. For longer storage, refrigerate it. You can also freeze it into ice cubes (though this will affect the texture and flavour).
More Spicy Condiments
If you love salsa macha as much as I do, you may also like these spicy condiments!
If you love this salsa macha as much as I do, let me know by leaving a comment! ❤️ And, please feel free to ask if you have any questions.