Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Salsa de Árbol

By Rick Martinez

4.4

(2)

small bowl of bright red salsa de rbol with a spoon
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

This easy chile-spiked cooked tomato salsa pairs well with the beet-topped tostadas but is a great sauce all on its own.  

  

Like this Bon Appétit recipe? There are plenty more where this came from. Subscribe to the magazine here!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 dried chiles de árbol, seeds removed, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add chiles and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted and very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and 1 cup water, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

    Step 2

    Season tomato mixture with salt. Using a potato masher, smash until the consistency of a chunky salsa. Let cool, then stir in lime juice.

    Step 3

    Do Ahead: Salsa (without lime juice) can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Add lime juice just before serving.

TagsSalsaCondimentMexicanLatin AmericanChile de ÁrbolChileVegetableCanned TomatoTomatoDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeVeganVegetarianMake AheadSauteBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Fufu
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Creamy and bright with just a subtle bit of heat, this five-ingredient, make-ahead dip is ready for company—just add crudités.
Not-So-Secret Burger Sauce
Every sauce needs a few secrets. Ours is smoky, sweet, and savory—use it for burgers, fries, tenders, and more.
Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio
Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.
Île Flottante
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.