Mexican Pepita Salsa, or Pumpkin Seed Salsa Macha

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A jar of homemade coarse grain mustard in a glass jar with a hinged lid, on a gray surface beside a wooden spoon with pepita salsa and a draped cloth.

Mexican Pepita Salsa, or Pumpkin Seed Salsa Macha

Homemade Mexican Pepita Salsa or Salsa Macha is a potent blended salsa with pumpkin seeds and mixed chilli peppers.

Add a smoky, complex flavor with this pumpkin seed salsa to any taco night or vegetarian dish!

Pepita salsa will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks in a sealed jar.

Course salsa, Sauce

Cuisine Mexican, Mexican cuisine

Keyword chiles, chiles de arbol, chillis, dried ancho peppers, gluten-free, guajillo chiles, keto, paleo, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, salsa, sauce, sesame seeds, whole 30

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings ml

Calories 1711kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup neutral oil such as canola grapeseed, or olive oil
2 dried guajillo chiles
2 dried ancho peppers
2 chiles de arbol
4 garlic cloves diced
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lime juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

To make the salsa macha, add ½ cup oil to pan, and heat it on medium heat. Add chiles and let toast, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds longer.
Remove chiles and garlic from pan to the bowl of a food processor or blender (reserve the oil back in the pan). Add pumpkin seeds to pan. Lower heat to medium low and toast seeds, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add sesame seeds and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
Transfer pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, along with oil, to blender with chiles and garlic, adding vinegar and salt. Pulse several times until the salsa is processed and well combined, but still retaining some texture - you are not trying to process it into a puree.
Pepita salsa will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks in a sealed jar.

Video

Notes

However, if you are allergic to sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, you can replace them for peanuts, thus making a peanut salsa macha. You can also use another nut or seed instead, like sunflower seeds or even almonds (these would result in a much milder salsa macha).

Nutrition