Tasty Mexican Chile Oil

This handcrafted Salsa Macha turns basic items into a deep, toasty chile oil that makes everything taste better, from tacos to veggies. When you mix toasted chiles with seeds and nuts, you get flavor layers that just don't exist in anything from the store.

I started making this after my trip to Oaxaca where I couldn't get enough of this tasty traditional sauce. Now I always have some in my fridge—it's my go-to trick for wowing friends at dinner without trying too hard.

Ingredients

• Avocado Oil: Makes a neutral base that doesn't mess with the other flavors
• Shallot and Garlic: Build the flavor foundation when lightly cooked in oil
• Chile Flakes: Bring heat and beautiful color; mix different kinds for better taste
• Dry Roasted Peanuts: Give a nice nutty taste that works well with the spice
• Roasted Pepitas: Throw in some crunch and a bit of earthiness
• Roasted Sesame Seeds: Add a nutty flavor similar to tahini that ties everything together
• Soy Sauce: Packs in savory goodness without making it taste too foreign
• Hot Sauce or Vinegar: Cuts through the richness and adds some zing
• Kosher Salt: Makes every flavor pop; try fancy flaky salt if you can
• Granulated Sugar: Takes the edge off the heat; add more or less as you like

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Workspace:

Grab a big heat-safe bowl and put a mesh strainer on top with chile flakes in the bowl. This setup lets you quickly drain the hot oil so nothing burns.

Heat The Oil:

Get your avocado oil hot—around 300-325°F in a good heavy pot. This temp matters a lot. Too cold and the flavors won't come out, too hot and everything burns. A cooking thermometer really helps here.

Fry The Aromatics:

Drop your chopped shallots and garlic into the hot oil and cook them for about 5-6 minutes until they're nice and golden. Keep stirring so they cook evenly and watch them closely—they'll burn fast if you don't pay attention.

Infuse The Chiles:

Carefully pour the hot oil through the strainer onto the chile flakes below. The strainer will catch the fried bits which you'll add back in later. Let the chiles sit in the hot oil for half a minute to a minute; this key step brings out all their good flavors.

Build Layers Of Flavor:

While the oil's still warm, mix in the nuts, seeds, soy sauce, hot sauce, and some of the salt and sugar. Stir everything together gently, which helps blend the flavors but keeps the nice texture.

Final Assembly:

After the oil cools down to room temp, put those fried shallots and garlic back in. Give it a taste and add more salt or sugar until it tastes just right—a bit savory, spicy, and with a touch of sweetness.

I really love using black sesame seeds in this salsa macha because they look stunning against the red oil and taste nuttier than the white ones. My grandma always told me good food should look pretty first, and this sauce definitely does with its rich colored oil dotted with seeds and chiles.

Picking Your Chiles

Chile flakes work fine for quick cooking, but if you want to go old-school, use whole dried chiles instead. Just lightly toast 3-6 dried chiles like ancho, guajillo, arbol, or chipotle in a dry pan until they smell good, then cut off the stems and shake out the seeds before throwing them in the oil. You'll get a deeper flavor that changes depending on which chiles you pick. Any Mexican grandma would tell you this is the real way to do it.

Storage Guidelines

Your salsa macha will stay good in the fridge for about a month if you keep it in a clean, sealed container. The oil gets solid when it's cold, so let it warm up before you use it. Always grab portions with clean spoons so you don't get bacteria in there. If it starts smelling funny or grows mold, throw it out right away, though that hardly ever happens since oil naturally keeps things fresh.

Serving Suggestions

Make everyday food taste fancy by spooning this salsa over avocado toast, morning eggs, baked sweet potatoes, or corn on the cob. Mix it with lime juice and a bit of honey to marinate chicken or pork. For a quick party snack, pour some over room temp goat cheese and serve with crackers. Even just the oil by itself makes a yummy bread dip when you have friends over.

This salsa macha can turn the plainest meal into something you won't forget. You only need a little bit to make your food taste like it came from a fancy restaurant.

Recipe Q&A

→ What's the best way to use Salsa Macha?

This sauce works with almost everything! Try it on tacos, cheese melts, cooked meats, veggie dishes, breakfast eggs, grain bowls, or even spread on toast with avocado. You can toss a bit into your favorite soup, use it to flavor meat before cooking, or blend with fresh lime juice for a quick dressing.

→ Can I substitute the types of chiles used?

You sure can! While many folks make Salsa Macha with árbol, ancho, or guajillo chiles, you can tweak the heat and flavor by picking different dried peppers. Want it milder? Use more ancho or guajillo and less árbol. Looking for more kick? Throw in some dried chipotle or morita chiles for a smoky touch.

→ Why does the recipe call for straining the garlic and shallots?

We strain out the garlic and shallots so they don't burn when you pour hot oil on the chile flakes. By adding them back in later, they stay tasty instead of turning bitter, but their flavor still gets into the oil during the first cooking step.

→ How can I adjust the texture of Salsa Macha?

For a thicker sauce, just add more nuts and seeds or don't chop them as finely. If you want it smoother, throw some finished sauce in a food processor for a few pulses. You can also play with how much oil you use. More oil makes it runnier, while extra solids create a thicker, stronger sauce.

→ Does Salsa Macha need to be refrigerated?

Yeah, keeping it cold is a good idea to make it last longer. Even though the oil and chiles naturally help preserve things, the fresh garlic and shallots won't stay good at room temp. Always grab a clean spoon when you're serving to keep it fresh as long as possible.

→ Can I make Salsa Macha without nuts for allergy concerns?

You bet! If peanuts are a problem, just skip them and add more pepitas or sunflower seeds instead. Need to avoid all nuts? Just use more seeds like sesame and pepitas, or toss in some crunchy fried onions for texture. The chile-infused oil will still taste amazing on its own.