Salsa macha: chiles, oil, nuts and seeds
An easy guide to salsa macha, the crunchy Mexican chile oil. Compare the chiles, oils, nuts and seeds that published recipes use, and see what to check before you cook.
Contents
The short answer: what salsa macha is
Salsa macha is a Mexican chile oil. Dried chiles, garlic and nuts, most often peanuts, are cooked in oil and finished with seeds such as sesame. The result is a rich, crunchy, oil-based salsa, not a fresh, watery one. Published recipes describe it as smoky, nutty and crunchy, and those qualities come from the dried chiles and the fried or toasted nuts and seeds.
For an easy version, start from the core that the recipes reviewed for this guide share: dried chiles, garlic, peanuts and sesame seeds in oil. The chile mix, the oil and any extra nuts or seeds are where recipes differ. No single formula defines the dish.
Core ingredients for an easy salsa macha
- Dried chiles: the defining ingredient. Recipes describe them as fried or toasted.
- Garlic: named in most of the ingredient descriptions reviewed.
- Oil: the base that holds everything. Recipes name vegetable, olive, extra virgin olive, grapeseed and peanut oil.
- Nuts: peanuts are the most common. One recipe refers to nuts in general.
- Seeds: sesame is the usual choice. One recipe also adds sunflower seeds.
Which chiles go into salsa macha?
The chiles change from recipe to recipe, and many recipes blend several types. The dried chiles named in the recipes reviewed were guajillo, morita, chile de árbol, chipotle and chile negro. Some recipes use one chile on its own. One relies on chile de árbol, and another is built on dried chipotles. Others combine two or three types, such as guajillo with morita and árbol, or guajillo with árbol and chile negro. Some recipes remove the stems and seeds from the chiles before cooking.
How published recipes compare
The table below summarizes ingredient lists and descriptions from several published salsa macha recipes. Several of the lists were only partly available, so a blank cell can mean the source wasn't visible rather than the ingredient being absent. The quantities are the recipes' own and are not a recommended ratio.
| Recipe | Chiles | Oil | Nuts and seeds |
| Recipe 1 | 2 large dried guajillo, 3 dried morita, 8 dried árbol | 1 cup vegetable oil | 1/4 cup unsalted raw peanuts (list cut off after this) |
| Recipe 2 | 2 ounces dried chipotle, stemmed, seeded and torn (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups) | 2 1/2 cups olive oil | 1/3 cup raw unsalted peanuts (list cut off after this) |
| Recipe 3 | 4 guajillo and 2 árbol, stems and seeds removed; 1 chile negro | 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil | Not visible in available text |
| Recipe 4 | Chile de árbol | 1 cup olive, peanut, vegetable or grapeseed oil | Nuts (type not specified in available text) |
| Recipe 5 | Toasted chiles (types not specified) | Not specified | Peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds |
| Recipe 6 (labeled easy) | Dried chiles (types not specified) | Not specified | Peanuts, sesame seeds |
Traditional and less common additions
One recipe describes salsa macha as typically made with fried chiles, garlic, peanuts and sesame seeds. The same recipe also mentions tanas (ants), black garlic and fermented soybeans. The available text doesn't show whether these are traditional regional ingredients or modern variations, so treat them as documented options rather than requirements. None of the material reviewed here establishes which region salsa macha comes from or what counts as the authentic version.
Choosing the oil
The oil you choose affects the overall flavor. Some recipes call for neutral vegetable oil. Others use olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. One recipe says olive, grapeseed, peanut or vegetable oil all work. For a simple version, choose an oil you already like and follow the quantity in the recipe you're using. Oil amounts in the recipes reviewed range from 1 cup to 2 1/2 cups, and the batch sizes differ too.
What to check before you cook
This guide covers which ingredients go into salsa macha. It does not include a verified cooking method. The material reviewed didn't include frying temperatures, cooking times, the order of steps, how fine to grind the mixture, or how long to store it and where. Follow one complete, tested recipe for those details, including its storage instructions, rather than combining quantities from several recipes.
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