Authentic Mexican Salsa Trilogy

Here are the three most authentic Mexican salsa recipes local Mexicans make at home. Perfect for chips, homemade tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and more. All gluten-free and vegan.

A few years ago, I did a cross-country trip in Mexico, starting from a beautiful small town called Valle de Bravo. I was lucky enough to visit Valladolid, Mérida, Campeche, Tulum, Chichén Itzá,  and Akumal, and I had a chance to see some of the Mayan ruins. The experience was surreal. 

I met Suzanne, a marvelous mother of two who makes the best Mexican food I had ever had, including homemade salsa. During my stay with her family in Valle de Bravo and on the rest of the trip, we took God-knows-how-many tequila shots, and we jumped into the pool together in the middle of the night (probably an impulsive decision made after the tequila shots). We also spent a lot of time cooking together. She generously let me “steal” her authentic Mexican recipes by allowing me to hang out with her in the kitchen all the time.

Just like Mexican restaurants, Mexicans serve fresh salsa at home as an appetizer. The homemade salsa recipes are not limited to tomato salsa made with fresh tomatoes (they always use fresh ingredients, so no canned tomatoes), onions, cilantro, and lime juice. They love spicy salsa, so they add different kinds of chili peppers such as chipotle peppers, jalapeño peppers, or Guajillo peppers, etc. It’s not surprising to find toasted nuts or cumin in their salsa as well. 

Then the salsa gets thrown into homemade burritos with meat, veggies, and black beans. It gets to top off nachos, tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas along with pico de gallo. 

In this post, you’ll find not one, but THREE delicious Mexican salsa recipes. They might not be restaurant-style salsas, but they are the ones that local Mexicans make at home! 

Whenever you need an easy recipe to add some authentic flavor to your homemade Mexican food, pick one of these. Or make all three. Add them to your Mexican recipe list, so you can make the best salsa at Cinco de Mayo or anytime you want. 

Recipe credits go to my wonderful friend, Suzanne!

Mexican Salsa Recipe #1: Salsa de Guajillo

I love the smoky flavor of this salsa. It goes well with pretty much everything—tacos, tortilla chips, quesadillas, or even pasta. You name it. The secret is to toast Roma tomatoes and Guajillo chilies before blending them. Don’t discard the Guajillo seeds if you like some extra heat.

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Recipe #2: Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)

Don’t lower your guard because of the lovely color of this salsa. This recipe calls for 5 serrano peppers. You may also use 2-3 jalapenos. I love the extra kick from leaving the seeds in when blending. But feel free to cut down the heat by using fewer chilies. It tastes super refreshing, just as it looks. Most of the ingredients we use for this salsa have a natural green color. You can find tomatillos in Mexican grocery stores.

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Recipe #3: Salsa de Cacahuate

Cacahuate means peanut in English. Toasted peanuts and white sesame seeds bring a great mixed aroma to this salsa. It goes perfectly well with chips and seafood. Serve it with any food according to your own preference. It cannot go wrong!

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