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05/05/2026
What you might perhaps be familiar with about salsa is the standard Mexican salsa roja, made with tomatoes, onion, chiles, and lime. But did you know that more varieties of salsa recipes exist in Mexico? So, this Cinco de Mayo, try out the different salsa recipes that are loved in Mexico and eaten with everything from tacos, quesadillas, eggs, meat, soups, tamales, tostadas and more.
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to commemorate the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican forces defeated Napoleon’s army. This was a battle fought by a mix of ill-equipped locals, yet they managed to wipe out 1,000 French troops, and the day remains a symbol of resistance.
So, to celebrate such an important day, here’s keeping this mouth-watering by going through some salsa recipes in the country, which are loved by the locals. After all, staying true to your roots and celebrating one’s home cuisine is a symbol of resistance in itself, from being swayed and dominated by cultures that once attempted to wipe out what was already good and enough.
The word ‘salsa’ simply means ‘sauce’ in Spanish and is far older than Cinco de Mayo, colonial Mexico, and older than the Mexican nation itself. When the Spanish first arrived in Mexico in the early 16th century, they encountered a local culture whose cuisine already had many sauces made from beans, tomatoes, avocados, tomatillos, chillies, squashes, and mushrooms to accompany fish and wild game.
The Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas mixed combinations of tomatoes, chillies, and other ingredients to create mixtures similar to today's salsa, and these early versions were used to enhance the taste of meats and vegetables. Salsa is the foundation on which Mexican food was built. With around 250 species of chile in Mexico, it's safe to say there are at least that many types of salsa.
In Mexican cuisine, salsa verde is a spicy green sauce made from tomatillo and green chilli peppers. It dates to the Aztec Empire, and is made from tomatillo, a small, papery-husked fruit related to the tomato but with a tart, citrusy flavour.
What’s in it:
Tomatillos (husked and rinsed)
Serrano or jalapeño chiles, to taste
White onion, roughly chopped
Garlic cloves
Fresh cilantro
Salt and a small splash of water if blending raw
Technique:
Raw (blended cold), simmered, or charred on a comal. All three produce distinct results: the raw version is the freshest one and the most acidic; the charred version has the most depth of flavour.
Best paired with: Enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles verdes, chicken tinga, huevos rancheros, tacos de canasta, quesadillas, and as a dip with tortilla chips.
Salsa verde is mostly associated with central and southern Mexico, where tomatillos grow abundantly. In New Mexico, the salsa recipe changes a bit ot use roasted Hatch chiles instead of tomatillos.
Salsa de Aguacate is the trendier, silkier, creamier cousin of salsa verde, and is made with tomatillos, serrano peppers and avocado, pureed into a smooth topping. The use of avocado pre-dates the Spanish era, and it was from the written historical records that we learned how the ancient Aztecs consumed the āhuacatl, or the avocado.
What’s in it:
Ripe avocados
Fresh tomatillos (raw)
Serrano or jalapeño peppers
White onion
Garlic
Fresh cilantro
Salt
Technique:
Blend all ingredients raw in a blender or food processor and serve with tacos al pastor, carnitas, quesadillas, tlacoyos, grilled fish, and fresh tortilla chips.
Note: Salsa de aguacate does not have a long shelf life. Avocados begin to turn brown when exposed to air because of a chemical process known as oxidation. Acidic ingredients like lime can slow it down, but it is best to eat this salsa right away.
In Mexico, pico de gallo is referred to as salsa fresca or fresh salsa, owing to the use of fresh ingredients with zero cooking involved. The word-for-word translation of pico de gallo is ‘rooster's beak’, a name whose origin is disputed but most likely refers to the way it was once eaten: pinched between finger and thumb, as a beak picks.
What’s in it:
Diced ripe tomatoes (Roma tomatoes are picked for their lower water content)
White onion, finely diced
Diced serrano peppers (preferred over jalapeño for their heat)
Roughly chopped fresh cilantro
freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt
Technique:
This Mexican salsa recipe is all pure knife, needing no blender, no comal, no heat. The tomato, onion, and serrano are diced to roughly the same size. The mixture rests for at least 15-20 minutes before serving, with the salt drawing out the tomato's liquid.
Best paired with: Tacos de cualquier tipo, grilled carne asada, tostadas, huevos rancheros, seafood tostadas, and as a topping for pozole.
Sporting the same shade of red and consistency as the salsa roja, because it is a variant of that salsa recipe, this salsa ranchera is from Puebla. It’s the same place Cinco de Mayo gets its origin story from. Salsa ranchera means country or ranch sauce, and the salsa recipe reflects the unfussy cooking of Mexican cuisine.
What’s in it:
Ripe tomatoes, charred on a comal or under a broiler
Dried chiles (ancho or pasilla), rehydrated
White onion, charred
Garlic, charred
Mexican oregano
Salt
Technique:
Char all ingredients on a dry comal or griddle, blend it until smooth, then fry in hot oil and cook down until the sauce darkens slightly and the oil separates to the edges, about 8-10 minutes. This freír step is what makes ranchera ranchera.
Best paired with: Huevos rancheros (the dish for which it is most famous, that is, fried eggs on tortillas, drowned in this sauce), enchiladas, tamales, chilaquiles, and grilled chorizo.
Originating from Veracruz and Oaxaca, salsa macha is made by frying dried chiles, garlic, nuts, and seeds in oil to create a rich, textured sauce that's equal parts spicy, nutty, and savoury. The name ‘macha’, not to be confused with the Japanese matcha, most likely derives from the verb ‘machacar’, meaning to pound into small pieces.
What’s in it:
Dried chiles: chile de árbol, guajillo, ancho or pasilla
Garlic cloves, fried golden
Peanuts (traditional in Veracruz) or sesame seeds (more common in Oaxaca)
Vegetable oil
Apple cider vinegar (optional)
Mexican oregano
Salt
Technique:
Heat oil on low and fry the garlic in it, and then add the dried chiles for a bit, being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat, add the nuts and seeds. Cool slightly, then blend into a coarse mix.
Best paired with: Drizzle over tacos, grilled fish, tostadas, eggs, or pasta. Stir into soups. Use as a marinade base. Spoon onto avocado toast. The oil alone is a superb cooking fat for frying eggs.
Storage: Salsa macha can be kept in the fridge for up to a week (or longer) as the oil acts like a preservative. Some salsa recipes push their shelf life up to a month when refrigerated.
While not exclusively associated with Cinco de Mayo, Mexican salsa recipes have a variety using tomatoes, chillies, onion, garlic, lime juice and more that is eaten with every Mexican savoury dish in the region. Sample them like you would cheese and fruit off a charcuterie board for your next game night, date night, or hangout session with pals.
Salsa means ‘sauce’ in Spanish and refers to Mexican condiments made from tomatoes, chillies, and other ingredients, served as dips or toppings.
