Honey Free Salsa Macha
This deeply savory Mexican condiment is built on layers of toasted dried chiles, golden garlic, crunchy peanuts, and nutty sesame seeds — all slow-fried in neutral oil until every ingredient is fragrant and rich. The result is a chunky, spoonable sauce with serious depth: smoky from the anchos, fruity from the guajillos, and just enough heat from the chiles de árbol to keep things interesting. Many store-bought hot sauces and condiments sneak in sweeteners like honey or agave, but this one keeps things clean with just a small pinch of plain sugar for balance. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, so you can feel confident about exactly what's going into the jar. The technique is simpler than it looks — you're essentially frying each component in sequence in the same oil, then blending everything together into a coarse, textured paste. Drizzle it over eggs, tacos, roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or honestly anything that needs a flavor upgrade. Once you have a jar of this in the fridge, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup neutral oil (such as avocado oil or sunflower oil)
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into pieces
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into pieces
- 2 dried chiles de árbol, stems removed
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- ⅓ cup raw peanuts
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- 1
Pour the oil into a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat until the oil reaches about 300°F (150°C) — it should shimmer and move easily when the pan is tilted, but not smoke.
- 2
Add the garlic cloves to the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and lightly blistered on all sides, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as garlic can brown quickly. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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