Let’s talk about how to make chile de arbol salsa, shall we? It’s a classic Mexican recipe, made from a base of chile de arbol peppers along with a few other ingredients that compliment the flavor and heat of chile de arbol peppers. The focus is meant to be on the chile de arbol peppers themselves, so we’re not overdoing it, though there is plenty of room for you to experiment and make the salsa your own. If you enjoy Mexican salsa, you’ll want this recipe in your recipe box. It’s perfect for any Mexican dishes or Mexican cuisine. They’re quite hot, measuring between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), though some have been reported at up to 65,000 on the Scoville Scale, which is quite hot. At 30,000 SHU, this is 6 times hotter than the average jalapeno pepper. Heat wise, they’re similar to the serrano pepper or cayenne pepper. I’ve included recipe directions for making it both ways in the recipe card, with either dried or fresh pods. Learn more about chile de arbol peppers here. Taste and adjust with salt and a few splashes of water for a thinner salsa.
1 ounce dried chile de arbol peppers, or you can use 5 ounces fresh chile de arbol peppers 4 cups water (if using dried peppers, for rehydrating) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 ounces red onion 2 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ cup packed cilantro (optional) Juice from 1 small fresh lime 1 teaspoon salt 2-3 tablespoons water (for thinning, as desired)
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. I got a lot of seeds from my dried pods this time around. I’ve added them to a small bowl you can see how many there were. You can skip this step if you’re in a hurry. Once they are softened, you can drain but reserve some of the water from the bowl if you’d like to use it to thin out the salsa. Drain the water from the rehydrated chiles de arbol, but save 2-3 tablespoons if desired. Add the rehydrated peppers to a food processor or blender along with the onion, garlic, cilantro (if using), lime juice and salt. Purée until smooth. That’s it, my friends! Chili de Arbol salsa for you! Dig in with corn tortilla chips or spoon it onto your tacos or burritos, or anything else you’d like. Just beware. It’s quite spicy! I do love a spicy salsa. I also didn’t remove all of the seeds. Cool and serve. The color of the finished fresh salsa is pretty much the same as the salsa made from the dried pods. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. 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.
