This pebre recipe is a South American condiment much like a salsa, made with tomato, chilies, onion, cilantro, garlic, oil and more, easy to make!
We're making Pebre today, my friends, a Chilean condiment made with chili peppers, olive oil, garlic, cilantro and more.
It is very fresh and can be used in many different ways, such as a sauce, dipper, spread and more. It is much like Chile's answer to Mexican pico de gallo.
You'll find this salsa everywhere in Chile, served on a wide variety of dishes, in both homes and restaurants.
As with any sort of regional condiment, there are variations from place to place, depending on who is making it, such as the northern Chile version which is more like a sauce.
Pebre at its core, though, is a mixture of tomato, cilantro, garlic, onion, olive oil, and peppers, traditionally aji chili peppers, which I love.
Let's talk about how to make pebre, shall we?
Pebre Ingredients
- Oil, Vinegar and Water. Use 1/4 cup olive oil or a neutral oil with 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Red wine vinegar is good, too.
- Tomato.
- Peppers. Use 5 Aji Chili Peppers chopped (we used Aji Amarillos) - or use jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers.
- Onion. 1/2 small to medium-sized onion.
- Scallions. Use 1/4 cup of the white part and 1 inch of the green parts.
- Garlic. 4 cloves garlic, smashed to release their flavors.
- Cilantro. Use 1/2 to 1 cup chopped cilantro, depending on your preference.
- Salt and Pepper. Use salt and pepper to your personal taste.
Some optional additions include lemon juice and red chili flakes for some heat. Although non-traditional, you can also add in some sort of hot sauce, like sriracha, for added zing.
How to Make Pebre - the Recipe Method
Whisk. First, whisk together the oil, water, vinegar and smashed garlic in a large bowl until the mixture thickens up a bit.
The Vegetables. Next, finely chop up your tomato, peppers, onion, scallions and cilantro.
Combine. Toss the chopped onion, tomato, and vegetables into the oil mixture and mix to combine.
Season and Refrigerate. Season with salt and pepper to your personal tastes, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors mingle.
You can serve it right away, but I like to wait 2 hours to mellow.
Boom! Done! Pebre in the house! What do you think? So good, isn't it? I love pebre. So good.
About the Peppers
Aji peppers are traditionally used to make pebre. Also known generally as the Peruvian hot pepper, “aji” is the common name primarily in South America and areas of the Caribbean for chili peppers.
If you can't find ajis, you can easily substitute them for milder jalapeno peppers or spicy serrano peppers, which are equally flavorful.
Learn more about Aji Peppers, including the many different types. Also, learn more about the Scoville Scale here.
Recipe Variations
Tomatoes. Some like to skip the tomatoes, you'll have a green version of the recipe, called Pebre de Cilantro.
Chancho in Piedre. If you make this in a molcajete or with a mortar and pestle and mix it very well, you will have another popular Chilean salsa recipe called Chancho en piedra, which is a smoother version of a good pebre sauce.
Give it a try. Delicious!
Consistency. Process it to a consistency you prefer, either smooth or chunky. You can always splash in a bit of cold water to thin it out if you'd like.
Most people make it chunkier, like a pico de gallo salsa, but some prefer a Chilean pebre sauce, which is more popular in Northern Chile.
It looks more like a red chili sauce this way.
Serving Ideas for Chilean Pebre
Pebre can be used to spice up just about anything, like a simple sauce or salsa.
Consider spooning it over boiled potatoes for some zing, or drizzling it over grilled meats, particularly chicken or a good steak.
Cookbook Recommendation
I've been learning a lot about South American cooking from several different cookbooks. Here is a link to one of my favorites. Definitely recommended. Affiliate link, my friends!
- The South American Table, by Maria Baez Kijac
Try My Other Popular Recipes Like This One
- Chimichurri Recipe (Chimichurri Sauce)
- Red Chimichurri (Chimichurri Rojo)
- Zhug
- Chermoula
- Salsa Verde
- Italian Pesto
- Ajvar
- Pico de Gallo
- Arepas (South American Corn bread)
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Pebre Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (Olive oil is good, too)
- 1/4 cup water optional
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 4-5 Aji Peppers chopped (we used Aji Amarillos - or use jalapenos or serranos)
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (use 1 cup for more defined cilantro flavor)
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions white part and 1 inch of the green
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the oil, water and vinegar with the garlic in a bowl until it thickens a bit.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined.
- Refrigerate about 2 hours to allow flavors to mingle, or serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
This recipe was updated on 11/7/22 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 5/1/2014.
Boo says
This was most excellent, made it all the ways you suggested to try it out. The Chancho en piedra style was used to finish off some grilled pork chops and to flavor my chicken soup, in my picadio con papas.. So many ways to use it, tomato or not, with lime and cumin, what a nice sauce/dip. Friends and family really loved it.
Thanks so much Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Boo!
Miska Knezevic says
EXCELLENT!
Brett Ashford says
I lived in Chile for 5 years. The Chileans love Pebre, It is served in most restaurants with fresh bread. One thing... the do not like it to be very spicy, so they will use the Aji sparingly. They also often use lemon or lime juice in place of the vinegar. I normally added a dash of "Salsa Inglesa" to my Pebre and my Chilean friends wanted to know what I did that made my Pebre taste so good... they could not believe that a "Gringo" could make Pebre so well.
- Note - "Salsa Inglesa" is Worcestershire sauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Great tips, Brett! I love it! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Elaine V says
This is NOT Chilean Pebre. Not the traditional. This looks more like a chimichurri. And while most households in Chile add their own variance to the recipe, the key ingredient is a tomato base. Don’t know where you got this recipe from but it’s NOT pebre!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Elaine, I've updated this recipe to include the tomatoes this time. There is quite a bit of argument even in Chile how to make it. When I included tomatoes in the recipe the first time, I got a lot of feedback that it was NOT pebre, but "Chancho en Piedra", which I have included in the post, but which is more sauce-like. The book I reference and used to adapt the recipe is listed in the post. Thank you for underscoring the amount of disagreement on pebre. Cheers.
Chilling Mac says
What’s with the HIGHER CASE you knob.
Mike Hultquist says
Her comment was meant for my "Pebre de Cilantro" version, which I had as the hero shot before.
Pedro says
Unfortunately you left out a key ingredient, chopped tomatoes!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Pedro, tomatoes are discussed in the recipe post and notes of the actual recipe. I have updated the recipe to include them. I appreciate the feedback.
Maria Trinidad says
Pedro and Elaine are right. I'm chilean. Pebre it's made with tomatoes. The recipe you made its how pebre was made in times of colony (s. XVII- s.XIX) Chancho en piedra its another dish, that has nothing to do with pebre, wich name refers to the mortero o chancho de greda, both plates use to make and serve the dip from Talca's city. Nowadays, since s.XX, the pebre it's made with tomatoes. I'm 42 years old and I'm a chef, and never in my life have seen a pebre made with no tomatoes. In Chile, that dish it's call salsa verde and it's serve with seafood, like machas, mussels or clams. Another thing, both, pebre and salsa verde, are chop, not grounded. You have to see the pieces of vegetables. Chancho en piedra it's grounded, but we use a mortero for that, not a machine.
I hope you dont take this the wrong way, but pebre it's part of our tradition and an importan dish, that we eat all year along, with everything: barbecue, longaniza, prieta, beans, caldillo, potatoes salad, potatoes chips, sopaipillas, hot dogs or even bread.
I invite you to visit Chile, and enjoy our traditional cuisine. We also love spicy food. Greetings.
Mike Hultquist says
Maria, thank you for the information, and I have updated the recipe to include tomatoes for better accuracy. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
Matt M says
made this tonight, perfect freshness for the inferno that is California. I served it on top of grilled chicken breasts (marinated in lime, avocado oil, chipotle powder, salt, pepper, cilantro). Used a couple serranos and jalapenos from the garden - next time I will use a habanero as well, the heat was perfect for the kids, but too mild for me (and Mike). Family loved it. Thanks, as always Mike!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Matt! The chicken sounds quite outstanding! Thanks for sharing, my friend.
Norman Johnston says
Can you suggest a substitute for Aji as we do not have any chillis by that name in South Africa
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Norman, you can also try other peppers, such as the yellow bell pepper for a no heat version. If you do want some heat, use a mix of peppers, such as a yellow bell along with part of or a whole habanero or Scotch Bonnet. Let me know if this helps.
Norman Johnston says
Thanks Mike, will give it a try.
Regards.
Norman Johnston
Halima says
If I could lick my screen I would.... But my boss would frown upon drooling all over the work computers... I would kill for some of this right now. Thank you for sharing
Need to find me some Aji in South Africa... ?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Haha, yes! Don't get in trouble with the boss.