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Salsa de Guajillo Chile (Mexican Guajillo Chiles and Garlic Salsa)

mexican-salsaguajillochileMexican salsa made with guajillo chile peppers, a mild dried chile with a complex fruity flavour. It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico for making salsas. In this recipe, the chiles aren’t toasted as they are in many other salsa recipes which allows the flavour of the guajillo to come through. Don’t like your salsa too hot? This is a good one for you, rich chile flavour but with less burn. This a versatile salsa that goes well with many dishes. Try this guajillo chile sauce on tacos, enchiladas, chicken, scrambled eggs or on cactus salad.

16 guajillo chiles, also called chile cascabel ancho
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
3-4 cups water
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
sea salt

Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the chiles. Discard.

Peel the cloves garlic. Chop the cilantro. You can use the stems. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients, about 4 cups. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 minute then turn off the heat.

Allow the ingredients to soak for 15 minutes. The dried chiles will reconstitute in this time.

Pour all of the ingredients including 2 cups the soaking water into the blender. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add a little water if needed to blend. Strain the mixture into mixing a bowl. Discard the paste that remains in the strainer.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of cooking oil in your saucepan over medium heat then add the strained salsa and 1 tsp. salt. Turn the heat to low. Add up to a cup of soaking water to get the desired consistency. Simmer the salsa for 30 minutes until it thickens. The salsa will darken in color during this time.

Taste the salsa and add sea salt if needed to get desired taste.

Makes 8 servings.

Cook's Notes:

  • The flavour of the salsa will deepen if you let it rest for a few hours before serving.
  • If you find the salsa to be too bitter for your tastes, add 1 Tbsp. of sugar to reduce the bitterness.
  • This salsa freezes well. Portion it in freezer bags and it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
  • If the salsa is too thick, add ¼ cup of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • If the salsa is too thin, simmer until enough water has evaporated until the desired consistency is reached.
  • If you find the salsa to be too bitter for your tastes, add 1 Tbsp. of sugar to reduce the bitterness.