SALSA MACHA – The Mexican Chile Oil You’ll Want to Put on Everything
SALSA MACHA – The Mexican Chile Oil You’ll Want to Put on Everything
Smoky, Crunchy, Garlicky Magic in a Jar
You asked for it (a lot), so here it is: my most requested salsa is finally making its way to the blog! This one hits hard. Think fried peanuts, slow-toasted garlic, smoky morita chiles, and a little vinegar to cut the richness. Inspired by the peanut-laced salsa macha from La Guerrerense in Ensenada, this version has bite, texture, and flavor for days. I love it on ceviche tostadas, but honestly, it goes on damn near anything: eggs, my fiance’s tuna salad, noodles, tacos, even grilled veggies.
If you’ve never made salsa macha before, welcome. You’re about to be that person who always has a jar of it in the fridge.
Why This Salsa Macha Works
🔥 Dried chiles bring layered heat and smokiness
🥜 Fried peanuts add texture and depth
🧄 Slow-cooked garlic mellows and sweetens
🌾 Pepitas + sesame = nutty, savory, craveable richness
🍷 A splash of vinegar brings the whole thing to life
Also worth noting: this version’s heavy on the texture. The peanuts and pumpkin seeds are what make it iconic. If you want a thinner oil, you can blitz it more — but I like mine chunky, unapologetically so.
Ingredients (Yields: 1 Pint)
300g neutral oil (about 1¼ cups)
40g red-skinned peanuts, raw (about ⅓ cup)
40g pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw (about ¼ cup)
40g peeled garlic, whole (about 1 small head)
30g ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed (about 2 chiles)
5g morita chiles, stemmed (about 2 chiles)
5g chiles de árbol, stemmed (about 5 chiles)
10g sesame seeds, raw (about 1 tablespoon)
1g Mexican oregano, dried (about ½ teaspoon)
0.5g coriander seeds, whole (about ¼ teaspoon)
15g apple cider vinegar (about 1 tablespoon)
6g Diamond Crystal kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon)
4g sugar (about 1 teaspoon)
Instructions
1️⃣ Toast the Chiles
Slice the ancho chiles into smaller pieces to match the size of the other chiles. Toast all chiles on a comal or dry skillet until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Set aside.
2️⃣ Fry the Peanuts
In a medium pot, combine oil and peanuts. Heat over medium, stirring often, until peanuts are golden brown. Immediately remove them from the oil and set aside.
3️⃣ Infuse the Oil
In the same oil, add pepitas, sesame seeds, garlic, toasted chiles, oregano, and coriander seeds. Cook over low heat until garlic is golden and soft. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
4️⃣ Blend the Salsa
Strain the solids from the oil. Transfer the solids to a food processor with salt and sugar, and pulse until your desired texture is reached—chunky, spoonable, but not a paste.
5️⃣ Season & Rest
Transfer to a container, stir in the vinegar, and let it marinate at room temp for 24 hours. Trust, it gets even better with time. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Tools I Used
Tips & Tricks
🌶️ Want more heat? Add extra árbol chiles
💤 Let it rest. Overnight marination = deeper flavor
♻️ Swap dried chiles 1:1 depending on what you’ve got
🥄 Don’t skip the vinegar, it balances the richness
Make It & Show Me
Make this salsa macha and tag me @goatboyintl I wanna see where you put it. Bonus points if it ends up on ceviche.
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