SALSA DE CHAPULINES – Earthy, Tangy & Straight from Oaxaca

Salsa de Chapulines – Nutty, Smoky & Boldly Traditional

Introduction

Chapulines (roasted grasshoppers) have been a beloved snack and ingredient in Mexican cuisine for centuries, dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Puebla, and other regions harvest them during the rainy season when they’re most abundant. They're crunchy, earthy, tangy, and packed with flavor.

This salsa takes those toasted chapulines and grinds them with roasted tomatillos, smoky chipotle, and fiery árbol chiles into a rustic, deeply savory salsa that’s straight from Oaxaca’s streets.

I first tried this salsa during an early morning walk in Oaxaca Centro. I smelled memelas cooking near the zócalo and found three women making them fresh in front of the church. I ordered one with a fried egg and papas con chorizo, and the salsa, this deep brown-green concoction, was unforgettable. Their version used morita chiles, but the flavor was earthy, bright, smoky, and unlike anything I’d had before.

If you’re open to trying chapulines, this salsa is an incredible entry point: nutty, tangy, and balanced with chile heat. It’s amazing on tacos but also works with chips, memelas, or even grilled meats.

Why This Salsa Works

• Chapulines add texture & umami – Crunchy, earthy, and tangy with deep savory notes.

• Smoky chiles = balance – Chipotle and árbol bring both heat and depth.

• Rustic molcajete texture – Hand-grinding creates a salsa that feels alive, not blended flat.

• Straight Oaxaca vibes – It’s bold, deeply traditional, and wildly flavorful.

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Ingredients (Yields: 1 Pint)

• 450g tomatillos, whole (about 1 lb)

• 50g white onion, quartered (about ½ medium)

• 25g garlic, whole and in its paper (about 5 cloves)

• 20g chapulines (roasted grasshoppers)

• 7g dried chipotle chiles (about 2)

• 3g chiles de árbol (about 4–5)

• 5g Diamond Crystal kosher salt (about 1 tsp)

• 150g hot water (⅔ cup)

Instructions

1️⃣ Roast the Base Ingredients

Heat a comal (or dry skillet) over medium. Roast tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles, flipping to cook evenly. Tomatillos & onions: 15–20 mins. Garlic: ~10 mins. Chiles: ~2 mins. Blackened and tender is the goal.

2️⃣ Soak the Chiles

Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, weigh down, and steep until softened. Reserve both chiles and soaking liquid.

3️⃣ Grind in the Molcajete

Wet your molcajete. Grind garlic with a pinch of salt to a paste. Add onion and repeat. Work in the chiles with a splash of soaking liquid, then add chapulines. Finally, mash in the roasted tomatillos until you reach a rustic, saucy consistency.

4️⃣ Season & Adjust

Stir in remaining salt. Adjust consistency with more water and taste — more salt, chile, or chapulines as you like.

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Tips & Tricks

🔥 Make it your own – Use morita chiles instead of chipotle for extra smokiness.
🔥 Texture matters – Keep it rustic; molcajete > blender for this one.
🔥 Serving it – Best on tacos, memelas, grilled meats, or with chips and a cold beer.
🔥 Chapulines 101 – You can find them online or in Oaxacan markets.

Tools I Used

• Molcajete – My go-to for grinding everything

• Comal – Essential for roasting ingredients evenly

Make It & Show Me

If you make this Salsa de Chapulines, tag me @goatboyintl or drop a photo in the comments below. I love seeing your spins on these recipes!