Name: Spicy salsa taquera
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 1 Onion (peeled and roughly chopped); 5 Plum tomatoes (roughly chopped); 3 Cloves Garlic (peeled); 6 Arbol chilies (dried with stems removed); Kosher (salt to taste)

Jump to Recipe

Turn up the heat with this spicy salsa taquera made with four simple ingredients, tomatoes, onions, garlic, oil, and the heat behind it, Arbol peppers! We love authentic Mexican food and taqueria-style salsa, we also love salsa with heat and so would love to share with you this spicy Mexican-inspired salsa!

Close up of spicy tequera salsa with a dried chili on top and tortilla chips.

Why you’ll love this easy salsa recipe

If you are a Mexican food fan, then you’ll probably already have the ingredients in your store cupboard.

Love your food spicy? Then this spicy salsa taquera is for you!

With vivid color, a bowl of this salsa will brighten up any table!

Quick and easy to make, this salsa will be ready in just 20 minutes.

It’s 100% vegetarian and vegan.

What is salsa taquera?

Salsa taquera is a hot and spicy tomato-based salsa that has onion, garlic, and lots of Arbol chili peppers.

In Mexico, a taqueria will have many different delicious salsas to try, not all are as hot as salsa taquera, salsa roja or pico de gallo are milder salsas to try.

This brightly colored fiery salsa is bursting full of flavor and is the perfect salsa for your Mexican night dinner.

Ingredients needed oil, kosher salt, onion, tomatoes, Arbol chilies, & garlic.

How hot are Arbol chili peppers?

Arbol chili peppers are a Mexican chili pepper that’s small but very spicy and it’s commonly used in Mexican cuisine.

This fiery little pepper grows green to start with and then turns bright red and has a heat index of 15,000 – 30,000.

Let’s put that into perspective for you, jalapeno peppers are between 2500 – 8000 and cayenne peppers are 30,000 – 50,000.

You can buy Arbol chiles dried like the ones we’ve used, or fresh and powdered.

Can I use different chili peppers?

Yes, you can.

If you don’t have Arbol chili peppers then you can use an alternative, but just remember that this is a spicy salsa, so you need a spicy replacement.

What do you serve salsa taquera with?

Our salsa taquera is perfect served with tortilla chips or veggies, it’s often a good thing to taste it first with these before you combine it with the sauce of a taco or burrito.

Add it to your favorite burritos and tacos for a little spice burst, this is good salsa, that livens up any food!

Overhead shot of salsa taquera with a dried red chili on top.

How do I store it?

You can store our salsa taquera in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

Recipe notes and expert tips

Want a smoky flavor?
Roast your vegetables on a dry skillet until they blister, this will give a smokier flavor.
Need to turn down the heat?
Remove the seeds from your chili Arbol and reduce the amount you use to suit your own taste.
Add more tomatoes
It’s very common practice to add in extra tomatoes, try adding tomatillos for a different flavor combination.
Want a thinner consistency?
Add a little more oil or water when blending

A bowl of delicious salsa tequera with someone dipping in a tortilla chip, with torilla chips around the plate, and Arbol chili peppers.

More delicious recipes for you to try

If you love our salsa taquera, then try these easy recipes; vegan birria tacos, tirokafteri, onion salad, and garlic dip.

How to make salsa taquera with step-by-step instructions

Making our salsa taquera is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

Place a pan on medium heat, add oil, and when hot add your onion and plum tomatoes, cook for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Now add your garlic, stir and cook for a couple of minutes, your tomatoes and onions should just be starting to blister slightly.

Process shots, photo one; vook onions, plum tomatoes, garlic cloves, and Arbol chilies; photo two, place in blender and blend until a smooth sauce.

Then, add your Arbol chili peppers, stir and cook for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.

Next, add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until your salsa is smooth, it’ll be a thick consistency so just add a little water if you prefer it thinner.

Add salt to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or tacos, and enjoy!

Overhead shot of a bowl of taquera salsa with one red Arbol chili on top, by the side is a plate of tortilla chips and on the surface you can see two red Arbol chilies, there is a blue linen wrapped around the bowl of salsa.

We hope you enjoy making and eating our taqueria-style salsa and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

A bowl of homemade salsa taquera with an Arbol chili on top.

Print Pin Recipe

5 from 1 vote