This traditional arbol chile salsa is my smoky, fiery take on a classic Mexican table salsa, and once you make it you may never reach for the jarred stuff again. Chile de arbol, a slender dried Mexican pepper that brings clean, bright heat, gets blended with roasted roma tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime into a pourable, crave-worthy salsa that is equal parts spicy and addictive. I keep a jar in the fridge for chips, tacos, eggs and basically everything in between. Set it out next to my Tomatillo Salsa for a two-salsa spread, scoop it up with my Charred Corn Guacamole, and pour a Grapefruit Margarita to cool the heat.
Traditional Arbol Chile Salsa at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 👪 Servings: About 2 cups (8 servings)
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Mexican
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Smoky, spicy and bright, with clean arbol heat balanced by tangy tomatillo, roasted tomato and lime
- 📖 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian
- 📦 Storage Notes: Keeps 2 to 4 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, or up to 4 months in the freezer
- ⭐Why You'll Love It: It is a restaurant-style salsa with real, clean heat from dried chiles de arbol, not a dull jarred sauce. It comes together in 20 minutes in a blender and keeps for weeks, so a jar is always ready for chips, tacos or eggs. The smoky-spicy-tangy balance is genuinely crave-worthy.
Summarize and save this content on
Why I Love This Recipe
First things first - you're going to need some Dried Arbol Chiles for this recipe. I buy them in bulk on Amazon and keep them on hand to make this salsa whenever the mood strikes! The Chile de Arbol is a pepper native of Mexico and part of Central America. It's a tad bit spicy and incredibly delicious. It's one of the most used dried peppers in Mexican cooking, principally in salsas and we ate it every single day when we were visiting Mexico City!
When it comes to cooking, you can grind it down and use it as a powder, but I tend to reconstitute it in some kind of liquid and then use it in a salsa. Below the peppers are brought to a boil with some water and then added to the rest of the salsa mixture before pureeing into a smooth consistency! Couldn't be easier!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Dry Arbol Chiles
- Roma Tomatoes
- Tomatillos
- Garlic
- Yellow Onion
- Cilantro
- Lime Juice
- Salt
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
Substitutions & Swaps
🌶️ The Chiles
- Chiles de arbol - The default; clean, sharp, bright heat and the signature flavor here
- Pasilla chiles - A great milder swap; deep and raisiny with much less hea
- Chipotle in adobo - Swaps the dried-chile heat for smoky, slightly sweet heat
🍅 The Tomatoes & Tomatillos
- Roma tomatoes - Meaty and low-moisture, so the salsa is not watery
- Tomatillos - Bring the signature tang; husk and rinse off the sticky coating first
- Fire-roasted canned tomatoes - A reliable off-season shortcut with built-in smokiness
- All tomatillo - Skip the tomatoes for a brighter, greener, more tart salsa
🧅 The Aromatics
- Yellow onion - The base here; mellow and a little sweet once blended
- White onion - More traditional in Mexican salsa and a touch sharper
- Roasted vs raw garlic - Roast it for sweet and mellow, leave it raw for a sharper bite
- Cilantro - Stir it in at the end so it stays fresh; leave it out if you are cilantro-averse
🔥 Adjusting the Heat
- Fewer chiles - Start at 6 arbols for a medium salsa and build up to 10 for serious heat
- Remove the seeds - Shake the seeds out of the dried chiles to pull back the burn
- Add more tomato - Extra roasted tomato dilutes the heat without losing body
- A pinch of sugar - Balances the heat and acidity if your tomatoes are very tart
🌮 For Serving
- Tortilla chips - The obvious and perfect vehicle
- Tacos and taquitos - Spoon it over anything in a tortilla
- Eggs - Drizzle over fried eggs, huevos or a breakfast burrito
- Grilled meats - A bright, spicy finish for carne asada, chicken or shrimp
How to Make Traditional Arbol Chile Salsa
Step 1: Fill a medium pot with 6 cups cold water and add the dry chilies, bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Step 2: Once boiling add in the tomatoes, garlic and tomatillos. Cook for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from heat, strain and discard the water, place everything into a blender and pulse the blender to chop everything up, smooth but chunky.
Step 4: Add the onions and cilantro to the blender and pulse a few more times, or until you have the consistency you like. Remove to a bowl and stir in salt and lime juice. Let cool to room temp and refrigerate 3-5 days
Traditional Arbol Chile Salsa FAQs
What is arbol chile salsa?
Arbol chile salsa is a traditional Mexican table salsa made from dried chiles de arbol blended with roasted tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion, cilantro and lime. The arbol is a slender dried Mexican pepper that gives the salsa clean, sharp heat and a deep red color. It is smoky, spicy and pourable, perfect for chips, tacos and eggs.
How spicy is arbol chile salsa, and how do I make it milder?
Chiles de arbol are genuinely spicy, so the heat scales with how many you use; start around 6 for medium and go up to 10 for hot. To tame it, shake the seeds out of the dried chiles, add more roasted tomato, or swap in milder pasilla or guajillo chiles. A pinch of sugar also rounds out the burn.
What do you serve with arbol chile salsa?
It is endlessly versatile: scoop it with tortilla chips, spoon it over tacos, taquitos and quesadillas, or drizzle it on fried eggs and breakfast burritos. It is also a great bright, spicy finish for grilled meats like carne asada or chicken. Keep a jar in the fridge and you will find a use for it daily.
How long does salsa last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, this salsa keeps for 2 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. The lime and chiles help preserve it, but give it a stir and a sniff before each use. If it ever smells off or fizzy, toss it.
Can you freeze salsa?
Yes, this salsa freezes well for up to 4 months in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Freeze it in smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need. Thaw it in the fridge and stir well, since it can separate a little after freezing.
FAQs
What chiles are a good substitute for Arbol Chiles if I want a milder salsa?
Pasilla chiles are a great mild alternative to Arbol chiles.
How do you freeze salsa?
You can freeze salsa in an air-tight container or Ziplock plastic bags.
How long does salsa last?
Salsa is good for 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator or for 4 months in the freezer.
Related Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Traditional Arbol Chile Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6-10 dry arbol chiles, cleaned with a damp cloth
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 4 small tomatillos, husks removed and cleaned
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Fill a medium pot with 6 cups cold water and add the dry chilies, bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling add in the tomatoes, garlic and tomatillos. Cook 10 min. Remove from heat, strain and discard the water, place everything into a blender and pulse the blender to chop everything up, smooth but chunky.
- Add the onions and cilantro to the blender and pulse a few more times, or until you have the consistency you like. Remove to a bowl and stir in salt and lime juice. Let cool to room temp and refrigerate 3-5 days
I made this today and it is fantastic! I'll cut back on the Arbol chilies next time as it was too spicy for me. Restaurant quality salsa for sure.
This my second time making this recipe and it is so good. Definitely my go to recipe when I want a spicy salsa.
I would love this recipe, thank you
Wow! I have never had much experience using tomatillos in a recipe, nor arbol chilies, but NOW, I have a new fav salsa! And Texans need their salsa! Thanks, Gaby. The first batch I made was with extra chilies, and my spicy-loving hubby will inhale it, so I need to make a milder version next for me. It’s going to be a go-to, that’s for sure! If I can attach a photo, I will.
Hi Gaby!
Wish you could have included the heat level, so we could judge how many chili's to use. Like 5 out of ten, something like that! I like super spicey!
that's a cute idea!! Lemme see if its something my developer can build into the recipe card
I don't have tomatillos, can I just use roma tomatoes or does that alter the whole recipe?
it'll change the whole recipe but I bet it'll still be delish
I used 2 roma an no tomatillos because I didn't have any... It was still good. I used about 9 Chile de arbol.
I prefer to use both tomatoes and tomatillos in all my salsas but if I don't have both I will improvise. Still delicious just a bit different.
Hi Gaby! This looks amazing! Is there a recommended alternative to an Arbol Chile that is just a small step down? I found Ancho, Pasilla or Cascabel onlike but not sure which may be a good substitute for a milder heat ?
Pasilla!
Oh my goodness Gaby this is so good. I’m officially ruined on any other salsa for good. So, here’s to double batching! I have to try the spicier version!
How much lime juice?
Thanks,
Amy
1 lime!!
How much is a bunch of cilantro,
approx 2/3 cup packed cilantro