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Salsa macha is a hot commodity right now. Jars of the oil-based salsa have become a common sight at taquerias, restaurants, and grocery stores across the United States over the past few years. But the tasty topper, known for adding crunchy texture and spicy-nutty flavor to tacos, eggs, and other savory foods, has deep roots in Mexican cuisine.
To find out more about the condiment and why it deserves a spot in your refrigerator, we chatted with Rene Gonzalez Mendez, the owner of Pinche Salsa, a maker of jarred salsa macha, and the executive chef of Xiquita Restaurante y Bar, a restaurant specializing in Mexico City cuisine in Denver, Colorado.
What Is Salsa Macha?
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Salsa macha is a salsa primarily made with oil and finely chopped garlic, seeds, and dried peppers, such as morita, chipotle, árbol, and ancho chiles.
“It is only made in three states of Mexico: Veracruz, Chiapas, and Oaxaca,” says Mendez, who was born and raised in Mexico City.
The exact origins of salsa macha are unknown, but it likely originated in the Veracruz region, where the Indigenous Totonac people traditionally created a paste of dried chilies, sesame seeds, and salt that eventually evolved into the oil-based salsa we know today.
“Salsa macha is a blend of pre-Hispanic and Spanish cuisine,” Mendez says. “Dried chillies and seeds have been used by Mexico's Indigenous people for centuries, while olive oil was introduced by Spain.”
Mendez founded Pinche Salsa, to share the culture of his homeland after working in restaurants for more than 25 years. He makes and sells three types of salsa macha online: mild Grasshopper, spicy Chile Morita, and extra spicy Red Chile Pepper. They’re all handmade with combinations of chiles, sesame seeds, peanuts, garlic, and other ingredients fried in canola oil (including crunchy grasshoppers, a widely used ingredient in Mexican cuisine).
“Pinche Salsa reflects the salsa that I grew up eating in Mexico,” Mendez says. “My father's side of the family is from Veracruz, Mexico, and I wanted the world to have a small taste of such a beautiful place.”
I Asked 5 Chefs for Their Favorite Store-Bought Salsa, and Now I’m Editing My Shopping List
How to Make Salsa Macha?
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To make your own salsa macha, you need dried peppers such as ancho (mild and sweet) or guajillo chiles (fruity and smoky) or chile de árbol (extra hot), often available at Mexican grocery stores or international markets. You can really use any combination of chiles—but choose a mixture that has the flavor profiles you want for your salsa macha. For example, for a super-spicy condiment, look for chile de árbol peppers.
The peppers are often toasted to wake up their flavors, then ground with chopped garlic and an assortment of nuts and seeds (common options include sesame seeds, pepetas, and peanuts) in a molcajete (a Mexican version of a mortar and pestle) or a food processor. Afterward, the ingredients are carefully cooked in a hot neutral oil just until they’re toasted. Mendez uses canola, but other recipes call for vegetable, grape seed, or olive oil. Some salsa macha recipe variations feature oregano, sugar, salt, or vinegar, while others call for cooking all of the ingredients in oil first before throwing the salsa into a food processor.
Mendez advice for making your own salsa macha? “Always use the best quality ingredients and make it with love,” he says.
What’s the Difference Between Salsa Macha and Chili Crisp?
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Salsa macha is often even referred to as “Mexican chili crisp” because it has a similar appearance to the beloved condiment with Chinese roots, typically composed of dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and other aromatics such as garlic and scallions.
But while there’s some overlap in some of the ingredients used in Chinese-style chili crisp and salsa macha—think: fried garlic, chiles, and oil—the condiments have very different flavor profiles. Depending on the recipe, chili crisp tends to have ultra-savory, umami-rich flavors (and a tongue-tingling effect, if Sichuan peppercorns are present), while salsa macha is often nutty, smoky, and fruity.
What Do You Eat with Salsa Macha?
The versatility of salsa macha extends beyond Mexican dishes. Mendez says it goes well with all savory foods, from pasta and pizza to tacos and garnachas (fried corn tortillas crowned with meat, beans, cabbage, salsa, and cheese).
Drizzle salsa macha on your scrambled eggs, a halved avocado, or corn on the cob. You can also whisk the condiment into salad dressing, slather a little on your turkey sandwich, or brush it on roasted veggies. “I even eat it on sushi,” Mendez says.
Best Salsa Macha Products
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If you don’t want to make your own salsa macha, don’t worry! There are tons of jarred salsa macha products available online and at retail stores such as Walmart, Target, and Kroger. Here are a few to keep in mind:
- Pinche Salsa: Mendez’s salsa macha comes in three heat levels. I love the Chile Morita, whose smokiness and heat is balanced by the nuttiness of sunflower and pumpkin seeds and peanuts.
- SOMOS Mexican Chili Crisp: This salsa macha contains almonds and avocado oil in lieu of the typical peanuts and vegetable oil.
- Grand Luchito Mexican Crunchy Salsa Macha: Handmade in Mexico, Grand Luchito’s version is sweetened with dark agave syrup to balance out the heat of dried chiles.
- Tia Lupita Foods Mexican Chili Crunch: The Tia Lupita brand offers two types of salsa macha: one studded with sweet-tart cranberries and another packed with lots of peanuts.
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