The Pantry
Mexican

Salsa macha

A classic chile-oil condiment with toasted peanuts, sesame, and garlic. This version makes about 1 1/2 cups, with a deep red color, crisp bits, and a pourable texture that clings to tacos, eggs, vegetables, and grilled meat.

Prep 10 minCook 15 minRest 15 minAdjust servings ↓
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Salsa macha
Photo: BurseraLinanoe · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for display.
~220 calper person · ~2640 total
~$3.75meal total · ~$0.31 per person

Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.

This recipe scales well by weight, but keep the frying layer shallow so the chiles do not scorch. For a double batch, use a wider skillet rather than a deeper pot, and blend in batches if your processor is small. The oil quantity can be increased slightly for a looser condiment, but do not increase the chiles enough to crowd the pan.

The Pantry way

Your whole cook, in one place.

Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 12 people.

Step timeline

Cooking order

9 left
Step 1

Prep the chiles and aromatics

~6 min

Prep the chiles and aromatics.

Set out a fine-mesh strainer, a heatproof bowl, and a 10-inch skillet or saucepan.

Cut the 1 oz dried guajillo chiles into 1/2-inch pieces and leave the 1/2 oz dried chile de árbol whole or lightly crushed.

Measure the 1/2 cup peanuts, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 4 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp vinegar so everything is ready before the oil heats.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup total for recipeNeutral oil
  • 1/2 cupRaw unsalted peanuts
  • 1/4 cupRaw sesame seeds
  • 4 tspGarlic
  • 1 tspKosher salt
Step 2

Toast the nuts and seeds gently

~4 min

Toast the nuts and seeds gently.

Add the 1 cup neutral oil to the skillet and warm it over medium-low heat for 1 minute.

Stir in the peanuts and sesame seeds and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sesame turns light gold and the peanuts smell nutty.

Keep the heat low enough that the oil only shimmers; if the sesame darkens too fast, pull the pan off the heat for a moment.

Ingredients
  • 1 cupNeutral oil
  • 1/2 cup total for recipeRaw unsalted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup total for recipeRaw sesame seeds
Step 3

Fry the garlic and chiles in batches

~2 min

Fry the garlic and chiles in batches.

Add the 4 tsp minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not brown hard.

Add the 1 oz guajillo pieces and 1/2 oz chile de árbol, then cook for 45 to 90 seconds, stirring, until the chiles deepen in color and smell toasted but not burnt.

If the chiles darken to near-black, the salsa will taste bitter, so lower the heat immediately.

Ingredients
  • 4 tspGarlic
Step 4

Strain and cool the oil slightly

~3 min cook

Strain and cool the oil slightly.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Pour the mixture through the strainer set over the heatproof bowl, catching the solids and reserving the oil.

Let the oil cool for 2 to 3 minutes so it is still warm but no longer aggressively sizzling; this helps the vinegar blend in without splattering.

Step 5

Check the dish

After ~3 min

Check Salsa macha and continue when ready.

Step 6

Pulse to the right texture

~7 min

Pulse to the right texture.

Transfer the strained solids to a blender or food processor.

Add the 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar, then pour in about 3/4 cup of the warm chile oil.

Pulse 8 to 12 times, stopping as soon as the salsa looks coarse and spoonable.

For a looser salsa macha, blend in the remaining oil a little at a time; for a chunkier style, keep some oil back and stir it in at the end.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup total for recipeNeutral oil
  • 1 tspKosher salt
Step 7

Jar and finish

~15 min cook

Jar and finish.

Spoon the salsa macha into a clean jar or bowl, then stir once to distribute the solids through the oil.

Let it stand for 15 minutes so the flavors settle and the bits hydrate slightly.

Taste only for seasoning adjustment after the resting time; if it seems thick

Step 8

Add a spoonful of the reserved oil, and if it…

After ~15 min

add a spoonful of the reserved oil, and if it seems sharp, let it sit a few minutes longer before serving.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup total for recipeNeutral oil
Step 9

Serve meal

~1 min

Once all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.

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Ingredients

For 12 people

  • 1 cup neutral oil
  • 1 oz dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1/2 oz dried chile de árbol, stemmed
  • 1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
  • 4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method

  1. Prep the chiles and aromaticsSet out a fine-mesh strainer, a heatproof bowl, and a 10-inch skillet or saucepan. Cut the 1 oz dried guajillo chiles into 1/2-inch pieces and leave the 1/2 oz dried chile de árbol whole or lightly crushed. Measure the 1/2 cup peanuts, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 4 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp vinegar so everything is ready before the oil heats.
  2. Toast the nuts and seeds gentlyAdd the 1 cup neutral oil to the skillet and warm it over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Stir in the peanuts and sesame seeds and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sesame turns light gold and the peanuts smell nutty. Keep the heat low enough that the oil only shimmers; if the sesame darkens too fast, pull the pan off the heat for a moment.
  3. Fry the garlic and chiles in batchesAdd the 4 tsp minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not brown hard. Add the 1 oz guajillo pieces and 1/2 oz chile de árbol, then cook for 45 to 90 seconds, stirring, until the chiles deepen in color and smell toasted but not burnt. If the chiles darken to near-black, the salsa will taste bitter, so lower the heat immediately.
  4. Strain and cool the oil slightlyRemove the pan from the heat. Pour the mixture through the strainer set over the heatproof bowl, catching the solids and reserving the oil. Let the oil cool for 2 to 3 minutes so it is still warm but no longer aggressively sizzling; this helps the vinegar blend in without splattering.
  5. Pulse to the right textureTransfer the strained solids to a blender or food processor. Add the 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar, then pour in about 3/4 cup of the warm chile oil. Pulse 8 to 12 times, stopping as soon as the salsa looks coarse and spoonable. For a looser salsa macha, blend in the remaining oil a little at a time; for a chunkier style, keep some oil back and stir it in at the end.
  6. Jar and finishSpoon the salsa macha into a clean jar or bowl, then stir once to distribute the solids through the oil. Let it stand for 15 minutes so the flavors settle and the bits hydrate slightly. Taste only for seasoning adjustment after the resting time; if it seems thick, add a spoonful of the reserved oil, and if it seems sharp, let it sit a few minutes longer before serving.

Before you cook

What to get ready

Heavy saucepan, heatproof strainer, food processor and clean heatproof storage container.

Dry the utensils and prepare nuts, seeds and chiles before heating oil; use a heatproof container.

If something needs adjusting

Chiles taste bitter

Fry briefly in controlled heat and remove before blackening; burnt chiles cannot be rescued with more oil.

Hot oil splatters while adding ingredients

Dry the ingredients and utensils, lower food gently and keep the pot stable. Let the oil cool before processing as directed.

Store for later

This homemade garlic-in-oil mixture is not shelf-stable. Refrigerate at 40°F or below for no more than 4 days, or freeze portions; a little vinegar does not establish a safe canning process.

National Center for Home Food Preservation: storing garlic in oil.

Make the ingredients go further

Use extra peanuts and sesame in pad Thai or bowl toppings.

Next use for your ingredients: Pad thai →

Calculate this meal with your own prices →

How to Organize a Freezer →

Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.

Tips, swaps and questions

A little kitchen know-how

For the cleanest flavor, keep the oil at medium-low and remove the chiles before they turn very dark. Refrigerate salsa macha in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 1 week; do not leave it at room temperature for storage. If the garlic seems too sharp on day one, the flavor usually mellows after a short rest in the jar.

Make it work for you

You can swap the guajillo chiles for an equal weight of ancho for a sweeter, less sharp chile flavor, or replace the peanuts with pepitas for a nuttier, seed-forward version. If you use salted peanuts, reduce the added salt to 1/2 teaspoon because the condiments and nuts will carry more salt than raw ingredients.

Use more of your garlic and apple cider vinegar in beef barbacoa.

Why did my salsa macha turn bitter or burnt-tasting?

The most common cause is frying the chiles too hot or too long. Dried chiles should darken and smell toasted, not blacken. Keep the oil at medium-low, stir constantly once the chiles go in, and pull the pan off the heat the moment the color deepens. If the garlic browns hard before the chiles are done, lower the heat and work faster in the next batch.

Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.

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