Description
Blending fiery chile de arbol with zesty tomatoes creates a salsa that sparks serious flavor fireworks on your plate. Drizzle this quick Mexican condiment over tacos, eggs, or grilled meats for an instant punch of spicy excitement.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 10 dried chile de arbol peppers
- 2 medium tomatoes
Aromatic Ingredients:
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Remove the stems and slice open 10 dried chile de arbol peppers, carefully discarding all seeds to control your salsa’s heat level.
- Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (350°F) until it shimmers slightly.
- Carefully place the peppers in the hot pan and toast them for precisely 90 seconds, gently moving them around to prevent burning and release their deep, smoky aroma.
- Add 2 medium tomatoes, ½ onion, and 2 whole garlic cloves to the same pan, nestling them around the toasted chiles.
- Allow the vegetables to roast for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even charring and softening of their surfaces.
- Pour ½ cup water into the pan, creating a light simmer that will help break down the roasted ingredients.
- Transfer the entire contents of the pan to a blender, ensuring you capture all the caramelized bits for maximum flavor concentration.
- Pulse and blend the mixture until completely smooth, watching for a consistent texture without any large chunks.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp salt into the blended salsa, tasting and adjusting the seasoning to match your preferred salt level.
Notes
- Removing seeds reduces heat while keeping authentic chile flavor for those who prefer milder salsa.
- Toasting chiles briefly awakens their deep, smoky essence without burning them, which releases bitter notes.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the most vibrant and balanced salsa texture and taste.
- A high-powered blender creates the smoothest consistency, but a standard blender works perfectly fine with an extra few pulses.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 33 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg