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This Chile Piquin Salsa is not for wimps. It’s straight up fire, en fuego, HOT!
I’d categorize it a 10+ in spiciness. Next time someone tells you that your salsa is not hot enough, make them this recipe!
Don’t worry. I’ll show you how to tame the heat and still enjoy this yumminess with tortilla chips or on top of tacos.
Table of Contents
More Mexican Salsa Recipes:
Salsa Morita
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Chile Cascabel Salsa
Avocado Mango Salsa
Salsa Borracha
Salsa de Aguacate
Ingredients
- Chile piquin
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Onion
- Salt
- Cilantro
- Water (not pictured)
Chile piquin – you might also hear this pepper referred to as piquin or tepin.
Don’t let the size fool you. It’s small but fierce.
They have a capsicum level of 30,000-60,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale. They are 6-8 times hotter than jalapenos.
Really Spicy Salsa Recipes
Chile de Arbol Salsa
Tomato Habanero Salsa
Chipotle Salsa
Tomatillo Habanero Salsa
How to Make It
- Wash the tomatoes.
- Start by cutting a criss cross on the bottom of the tomato.
This will help in peeling the tomatoes once they are roasted.
If some of the skin is left after peeling, it’s ok. We simply don’t want huge pieces of skin in the salsa.
- Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serranos on a skillet.
- Make sure everything is blackened before removing.
Pro Tip:
Start by roasting the tomatoes first. They take the longest. After a few minutes, add the serranos. Add the onion and garlic last since they roast quickly.
Roasting garlic on the skillet with the skin on makes it easier to peel later on.
Roasting in the Oven:
- Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serranos on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and coat well.
- Place under the broiler for 7 minutes, turn and continue roasting for an additional 5 minutes.
- Dice the onion.
- Chop the serranos in half.
- Peel the tomatoes.
Let the ingredients cool slightly before dicing, chopping, and peeling.
Set everything aside until ready to use.
How to Adjust the Heat
There are two ways to bring the heat down: (1) Omit the serranos. (2) Add more tomatoes.
- In a molcajete, add the dried chile piquin.
- Grind until almost a powder.
If you don’t have a molcajete (or a Mexican mortar and pestle), you can very well use a blender.
It’s important to grind up the dried chile as best as you can, or you will have chunks of it in the salsa.
More Molcajete Recipes
Tomato Molcajete Salsa
Molcajete Salsa Verde
How to Season a Molcajete
- Once the chile piquin is finely ground, grind up the roasted garlic.
- Add the serrano, and grind up the pepper with the piquin and garlic.
- Next, slowly add the tomatoes one by one.
If you add the tomatoes in too quickly, they will squirt.
Slowly add the tomatoes individually and push down with the pestle. Once the pestle has gone down completely, then start mashing up.
- Add the roasted onion, salt, and cilantro.
- Mix with a spoon carefully scraping the bottoms and sides of the molcajete.
Some ingredients will stay on the sides or the bottom. Make sure to scrape everything and mix well.
It’s inevitable. All molcajete salsas are chunky. Only the ones made in a blender are smooth.
How Long Does It Last?
In the fridge, Salsa Chile Piquin will last up to 7 days. In the freezer, place it in an airtight plastic bag and it can last up to 6 months.
What to Eat With It?
Carnitas
Beef Barbacoa
Huevos con Jamon
Cochinita Pibil
Vegetable Tamales
This tasty and spicy Chile Piquin Salsa is perfect for any and all your favorite Mexican recipes. Take one bite, and you’ll LOVE the spice.
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Chile Piquin Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon chile piquin
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ onion
- 2 serrano peppers
- ½ bunch cilantro finely diced
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes.
- Make a criss cut cross on the bottom of the tomatoes.
- Place on a hot skillet to roast.
- After 5 minutes, turn to roast the other side.
- Add the serrano peppers.
- Roast for another 2 minutes.
- Turn the peppers and the tomatoes to char all the sides.
- Add the onion and garlic to the skillet.
- Roast everything for an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove the garlic and onions from the skillet.
- Using a knife remove the skin from the garlic clove and set aside.
- Remove the serranos and the tomatoes from the skillet.
- Let cool slightly.
- Remove the skin from the tomatoes.
- Cut off the stems from the serranos and cut in half.
- Dice the onion.
- In a molcajete, add the dried chile piquin.
- Grind until almost a powder.
- Add the roasted garlic.
- Grind until smooth.
- Add the serrano peppers.
- Grind until the peppers have been broken down.
- Slowly add one tomato at a time. Pressing down gently so as not to squirt.
- Mash it up.
- Repeat with the second tomato.
- Mash it up as well.
- Add the roasted onion, salt, and cilantro.
- Stir to combine.
- Taste for salt and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.
My mouth is watering right now. I love the look of this recipe. I can’t wait to make it tonight!
It’s so yummy. Hope you tried it!
This salsa looks spicy and oh so flavorful! I didn’t know chile pequin, thanks for this! Bring on the tortilla chips!
It is flavorful! Hope you try it
I had heard of this salsa but didn’t know it was a type of chile! Thanks for sharing this post, very helpful and I can’t wait to try this.
It’s really delicious. Hope you try it!
Oh now this is a salsa I can definitely sink my chips into! I LOVE heat and the fact that you roasted the tomatoes are killer! Definitely can’t wait to try this!
Roasted tomatoes make all the difference. Hope you try this recipe!
This salsa looks wonderful! We love spicy salsa, my husband puts it on everything. I have never tried chile piquin or serano peppers and I am intrigued. Will definitely be making your salsa! Thank you for sharing it!
I think you and your husband will love it. Hope you try it!
Nothing like an authentic Mexican salsa. Extra hot, the way we like it! Thank you for sharing!
Right? Hope you try it!
This salsa has a beautiful look, I could have the last image of all the chunky bits as my phone screen and love it every time I see it. Alas, I can only appreciate the looks of it as I know I wouldn’t stand a chance with its heat. Still, I would love to make it for my friends who have a tougher palate than mine, because it’s really really really beautiful!
Hope you try this recipe and also give it a try to taste it!
I love spicy salsa so this is really up my street! I’m not sure I can find chile piquin here in Italy! I’d have to use Italian peperoncino but I think it would still be great!
Let me know how it tuned out!
Evening cravings or weekend get togethers, a dip with chips goes without saying. Thsi salsa recipe looks so perfect for the occassion and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it, it’s really good. Hope you try it!