Salsa taquera (roasted chile de arbol salsa)
A fiery, thin taqueria salsa of toasted chile de arbol, tomatillo and garlic. A small spoonful finishes any taco.
Make this once, then cook it into 28 different dishes.
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.53 a head
- Makesabout 330 ml, enough for 3 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast the chiles de arbol for 10 to 15 seconds on each side, shaking the pan, until they smell nutty and look a shade darker. Open a window, as the fumes are strong. Tip onto a plate.
0 min 30 s - 2
In the same pan, cook the tomatillos and unpeeled garlic over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until blistered, soft and olive green. Peel the garlic.
10 min - 3
Put the chillies, tomatillos with their juices, garlic, 100 ml of the water, salt and vinegar in a blender. Blend for 1 minute until completely smooth.
- 4
Add more water a spoonful at a time until the salsa is pourable but not watery. Taste and adjust the salt.
- 5
Pour into a clean jar, cool and chill within 2 hours. Serve in tiny spoonfuls, and use in the dish recipes that call for your ready made salsa taquera.
About salsa taquera (roasted chile de arbol salsa)
Salsa taquera is a hot, thin Mexican table salsa made from toasted chile de arbol, roasted tomatillos and garlic. It is the kind of salsa served in a pot on the counter of a taco stand, to be spooned in small amounts onto tacos al pastor, carnitas, carne asada and tripe.
The chillies are toasted until just fragrant, which gives them a nutty depth, then blended with roasted tomatillos and garlic for acidity and body. The result is a sharp, savoury salsa with real heat. It is thinner than a salsa roja, and some versions use tomato instead of tomatillo.
A little goes a long way, so one batch lasts. Use it on tacos, grilled meat, eggs, soups and beans, or stir a spoonful into other sauces to add heat.
Tips
- Toast the chiles de arbol for no more than 15 seconds per side, until they smell nutty and darken a shade. They burn fast and turn bitter, and the smoke makes you cough, so open a window.
- For a milder salsa, remove the seeds from half the chillies before blending. Most of the heat sits in the seeds and veins.
- Dried chiles de arbol are sold online and in some world food shops. Dried cayenne chillies are the closest swap; use about two thirds as many.
- Use tinned tomatillos if you cannot find fresh ones. Drain them and roast only the garlic.
- Blend the salsa while the chillies are still warm and add the water gradually, so you can make it as thick or as thin as you like.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours, then keep in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze in ice cube trays, then bag the cubes, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir well.
Dishes you can make with salsa taquera (roasted chile de arbol salsa)
Tacos al Pastor (Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos de Carnitas (Crisp Pulled Pork Tacos)
DFEFNFTacos Campechanos (Steak and Chorizo Tacos)
GFDFEFTlacoyos de Frijol (Bean Stuffed Masa Cakes)
GFEFNFAguachile Rojo de Camarón (Red Chilli Prawn Aguachile)
GFDFEFHuevos al Albañil (Bricklayer's Eggs in Fiery Salsa)
DFNFVTacos de Coliflor al Pastor (Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos)
GFDFEFElotes Asados con Crema y Chile (Mexican Street Corn on the Cob)
GFNFPollo en Salsa de Chile de Árbol (Chicken in Arbol Chilli Sauce)
GFDFEFPepinos y Jícama con Limón y Chile (Mexican Cucumber and Jicama Snack)
GFDFEFQuesadillas de Pollo Deshebrado (Shredded Chicken Quesadillas)
GFEFNFTacos de Hongos al Ajillo (Garlic Mushroom Tacos)
VGVDFQuestions
How hot is salsa taquera?
Hot. Chile de arbol is typically rated around 15,000 to 30,000 Scoville units, several times hotter than a jalapeño. Use fewer chillies and remove the seeds for a milder version.
What can I use instead of chile de arbol?
Dried cayenne chillies or dried Thai bird's eye chillies work, but they are hotter, so use about two thirds as many. For a milder salsa, swap half the chillies for guajillo, which is fruity and mild.
Can I make salsa taquera with tomatoes instead of tomatillos?
Yes. Roast 250 g ripe plum tomatoes instead. It will taste sweeter and less sharp, and you may want to add 1 tbsp lime juice at the end. Both versions are found in Mexico.
How long does it keep, and can I freeze it?
Up to 5 days in the fridge in a covered jar and up to 3 months in the freezer. Freezing in ice cube trays lets you thaw just a cube or two at a time.
Is salsa taquera vegan and gluten free?
Yes. It contains only chillies, tomatillos, garlic, water and salt, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.