Brian Nagele
Mexican cuisine is one of the most beloved culinary gifts to the world. There’s not a country in the world that doesn’t love tacos, guacamole, and enchiladas.
The best part about Mexican food for me is the endless list of garnishes and salsas that come with every dish.
They may seem elaborate and complex, but salsas are incredibly easy to make at home.
Read on to explore the following list of my favorite types of salsa with the recipes included.
If I could only have one salsa to eat with any Mexican meal, it would be Pico de Gallo.
Its chunky texture, zesty flavor, and easy assembly make it the most versatile type of salsa on my list.
You’re likely to have all the ingredients on hand, and you can always make it spicy by adding some diced fresh jalapenos.
Salsa verde is a mild, slightly sweet green sauce made by boiling green tomatoes, chiles serranos, garlic, and onion and then blending them.
The boiling brings out the sweetness and neutralizes the heat in the chiles.
This is my favorite salsa for my favorite Mexican breakfast of chilaquiles Verdes.
Meaning “red sauce” in Spanish, Salsa Roja is the standard salsa you get with those bottomless baskets of chips at your local Mexican food restaurant.
The deep red color comes from the combination of cilantro, tomatoes, and jalapenos.
The key to its fire-roasted, sweet flavor is sauteing the blended tomato, garlic, and jalapeno mixture before adding the rest of the ingredients.
The most ubiquitous eateries in Mexico are taquerias, and salsa taquera encompasses the array of salsas you get to drizzle over your order of tacos.
This salsa taquera recipe is a red sauce with a spicy kick from both guajillo and chile de Arbol peppers.
Sauteing all the ingredients brings out the sweetness in the onion, garlic, and tomatoes, which tones down the spice while enhancing the chilies’ flavors.
If you’ve ever delighted in a plate of huevos rancheros, you’re familiar with the wonderful roasted flavors of salsa ranchera.
The secret lies in roasting tomatoes and chilies in the oven to create that sweet smokey flavor.
I like to balance out the smoky and sweet with a squeeze of lime juice.
I know, I’ve already put a salsa verde recipe on my list, but this tomatillo salsa verde is for the chefs that want a bit more of a challenge.
Don’t worry, it’s worth the effort!
This recipe has you char jalapenos, poblanos, and tomatillos to then combine with the raw onion, garlic, and cilantro.
You can use the grill or broiler for this recipe, but removing the charred pepper skin is a must.
If you’re not a fan of spicy but still want a festive salsa for your chips or tostadas, try this pineapple salsa!
It’s sweet, tangy, and has every color in the rainbow.
The peppers used are mild bell peppers, their bright red, orange, and yellow pepper varieties offering the most flavor and color for this salsa.
The best part is serving it in a hollowed-out pineapple to wow guests!
Whenever something is too spicy, a recipe always recommends adding sugar.
This Mango Habanero Salsa is the very definition of sweet and spicy complements.
Habanero is one of the hottest chili peppers Mexico has to offer, so you’ll be especially thankful for every merciful chunk of sweet, cooling mango to graze your tongue.
This is an Americanized take on Mexican salsa, using yellow sweet corn native to American soils.
Still, it’s a zesty, sweet, and wonderfully textured salsa that tastes great on salads or over a bowl of black bean soup.
This recipe has a well-rounded flavor profile with sweet corn, spicy red onion, and tangy lime juice.
Peaches are some of my favorite summer fruits, making juicy snacks and delicious cobblers.
You can add peach salsa to your list of summertime recipes now, too.
This Fresh Peach Salsa recipe offers the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.
The fresh yellow peaches mixed with lime juice and chili powder is my new favorite combination.
If you’re strapped for time, this easy Restaurant-Style Salsa helps you skip a few tedious steps by using canned tomatoes and green chilies.
You can throw all the ingredients in a blender and have restaurant-worthy salsa in under a minute.
The cumin in this recipe really brings out the flavor of the cilantro. I love this salsa for all my chip-dipping needs.
Black Bean Salsa is another Southwest specialty, combining corn and beans with fresh chilies, tomatoes, cilantro, and red onions.
In addition to lime juice, Black Bean Salsa also calls for red wine vinegar, giving it a unique sweet and tangy kick that’ll have you hooked.
If you have any leftovers, you can add black-eyed peas and call it Texas Caviar!
