Chile de Arbol Salsa Recipe

4.93 from 13 votes

This chile de arbol salsa recipe is made with dried chile de arbol peppers and a few other fresh flavor-building ingredients. It's definitely hot and spicy! Great for tacos, the ultimate salsa roja.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Appetizer, Salsa

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: chile de arbol, game day, salsa

Servings: tablespoons

Calories: 8kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA WITH DRIED PEPPERS

4 cups water
1 ounce dried chile de arbol peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces onion
2 cloves garlic chopped
¼ cup packed cilantro (optional)
Juice from 1 small fresh lime
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons water for thinning, as desired

FOR CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA WITH FRESH PEPPERS

5 ounces fresh chile de arbol peppers stems and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces onion
2 cloves garlic chopped
¼ cup packed cilantro (optional)
Juice from 1 small fresh lime
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons water for thinning, as desired

Instructions

FOR CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA WITH DRIED PEPPERS

Bring 4 cups water to a boil, then remove from heat.
Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile de arbol peppers. Removing the seeds is optional for a smoother, less seedy salsa.
Dry toast the chile de arbol peppers in a dry pan, about a minute per side. This will help loosen them and release their natural oils.
Add the toasted peppers to a bowl and cover with the very hot water. Soak them for 15 minutes, or until the peppers are softened. You may need to stir a bit to make sure all of the peppers are submerged.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute, until you can smell the garlic. Add it to a food processor or blender.
Add the rehydrated peppers (but NOT the soaking liquid) to the food processor or blender along with the onion, garlic, cilantro (if using), lime juice and salt. You can reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid if desired.
Process until smooth.
Taste and adjust with salt and a few splashes of water (or some of the reserved soaking liquid) for a thinner salsa.

FOR CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA WITH FRESH PEPPERS

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cool and serve.

Video

Notes

Makes about 1 cup of salsa.

NOTE: You can enjoy the salsa right away, but it is better if you transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate at least 2 hours to let the flavors mingle. Overnight is best.

Heat Factor: HOT. Chile de arbol peppers have a nice level of heat. Enjoy! To dilute the heat, try adding fresh tomatoes to your salsa.

Storage: Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a month, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Calories estimated with dried pods.

Nutrition