SALSA DE CHILE DE ÁRBOL Y CACAHUATE – Spicy, Nutty, and Addictively Good

Salsa de Chile de Árbol y Cacahuate Recipe – Spicy, Nutty, and Textural

Intro

This salsa can do it all. It’s earthy, spicy, and a total textural flex. Peanuts and chile de árbol are an all-time combo - smoky heat meets roasted nuttiness in a way that just works.

Think of it as a chameleon salsa: bold enough for tacos, smooth enough for noodles, and layered enough to keep you coming back bite after bite. Just know - she’s got some heat, so tread lightly (or don’t).

Why This Salsa Works

🌶 Perfect Balance → Smoky, spicy, and earthy all at once.
🥜 Peanut Power → Adds richness, crunch, and deep flavor.
🔥 Heat with Character → The árbol chiles bring the fire without overpowering.
🍜 Versatile AF → Killer on tacos, tostadas, pozole… even noodles with a little extra peanut butter mixed in.

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Ingredients

YIELD: 1 Pint

• 75 g neutral oil (about ⅓ cup)

• 30 g chile de árbol, whole (about 25–30 chiles)

• 25 g red-skinned peanuts, raw and whole (about 3 Tbsp)

• 50 g white onion, large dice (about ¼ medium onion)

• 30 g garlic, peeled and whole (about 6 cloves)

• 225 g tomatillos, whole (about 4 medium tomatillos)

• 350 g water (about 1 ½ cups)

• 4 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt (about ¾ tsp)

• 2 g Knorr chicken bouillon (optional, about ½ tsp)

Instructions

1️⃣ Cook the Tomatillos

Add tomatillos and water to a pot. Simmer on low, covered, for 5 minutes. Flip tomatillos and cook 5 more minutes until tender but not burst. Cool and reserve both tomatillos and liquid.

2️⃣ Toast Chiles & Peanuts

In a pan, heat oil over medium. Add árbol chiles and peanuts, stirring until fragrant and toasted (2–3 minutes). Do not burn. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

3️⃣ Cook the Aromatics

In the same oil, cook onions and garlic over medium-low heat until golden brown and tender. Cool and reserve.

4️⃣ Blend It Up

Combine the chiles, peanuts, oil/onion/garlic mixture in a blender with about 100 g (½ cup) of tomatillo water. Blend on high until desired texture is reached.

Add the tomatillos and blend again on low until smooth but not soupy. Season with salt and bouillon to taste.

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Tips + Tricks

🌶 Control the Heat → Remove some árbol chiles if you prefer less spice.
🥜 Peanut Hack → Use toasted peanuts for a richer, oilier texture.
🔥 Don’t Burn the Chiles! → Bitterness kills the flavor — low and slow is key.
🍜 Surprisingly Good on Noodles → Add a spoonful of peanut butter and toss with rice or ramen noodles.

Tools I Used

• Blender for texture control

• Fine-mesh strainer for draining oil

• Heavy pan for even toasting

Make It + Show Me

If you make this salsa de chile de árbol y cacahuate, tag me @goatboyintl so I can see your creations!