Avocado Salsa
Genevieve Ko
336 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
336
10 minutes
Salsa Negra (Smoky Garlic and Walnut Salsa)
Updated July 12, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:About 2 cups salsa
- 1cup vegetable oil (preferably one with a high smoke point, like avocado or grapeseed)
- 1ounce morita chiles (about 9 dried chiles), stems removed
- 30garlic cloves, peeled (about 3 heads)
- 1cup walnuts
- 1tablespoon brown sugar, light or dark
- Salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
751 calories; 76 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 43 grams monounsaturated fat; 24 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 362 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a small (about 2-quart) saucepan fitted with a candy or deep-fry thermometer, add the oil and heat over medium high to 350 degrees. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you can check if the oil is ready by placing the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around the wood, the oil should be hot enough). Fry the chiles until they puff up, 10 to 20 seconds (see Tip). Using a slotted spoon, remove the chiles and place in the jar of a blender.
- Step 2
Carefully drop the garlic cloves into the hot oil and reduce the heat to low so that the burner is barely on. Cook the garlic until it is almost golden and easy to mash with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes (no need to stir). Cut the heat and allow the oil and garlic to cool in the saucepan; they will continue to cook in the oil as it cools.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on a sheet pan and toast until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Step 4
Add the now cooled garlic and oil, toasted walnuts, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to the chiles in the blender jar and blend until a paste forms. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Use immediately or transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.
Tip
- Fresher chiles will puff quicker than older chiles which can take a bit longer. Leave in oil for up to 60 seconds.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
kristina felix
Dry chile Moritas are available at Latino Markets just as dry Chipotles are would be a great substitute here. They are much smokier and less sweet so you could add a bit more sugar if using dry chipotle peppers.
Daniel
Chile morita is NOT a smoked jalapeño. It is a dried chile serrano.
Read
Seems like a note on substitutions for moritas (which I've never seen in stores near me) would be useful. From what I can find, they're less smoked than chipotles (which are also smoked jalapeños), and some sources say they're fruitier and smaller. I'm thinking a mix of chipotle and mulato? But maybe someone who knows chilis can help.
Mateo
Chipotle peppers are smoked Jalapeños, but not dried. The Morita is indeed a dried jalapeño. It is not a dried Serrano—which go by the names “Chico” or “Balin”. Just saying.
Beth L
This is such an flavorful and delicious salsa! I also am glad I got more of the peppers than necessary. I could eat this on a little rice by itself or with eggs in a breakfast tortilla?! Delish!
Susan
Made exactly as directed with one exception: took Thomas in LA's suggestion and minced the toasted walnuts instead of adding to blender with the other ingredients. Great call, Thomas, TYVM. This salsa is crazy good; miles better than the jarred chili crisps that are all the rage. Not mad at all that I accidentally ordered 3X the dried chilis needed. Will make again and again and again....
Yalcin
Would it make more sense to lower the heat and wait for temperature of the oil go down first, before carefully releasing the garlic into the hot oil? I am not sure what I may have done wrong, but the first batch of garlic I slowly dropped into the hot oil burned in a few seconds.
Thomas from LA
I found the texture to be a bit odd with everything blended together into a paste. I have found that blending everything else (oil, chiles, garlic) and chopping the walnuts to a 1/8-3/16" dice is a more enjoyable texture for me. As written it ended up a bit like a spicy smokey marzipan... Otherwise the flavor is excellent!
Max from San Diego
I grow/dry/smoke my own serranos and jalapeños. I just bought Moritas from my local store. They are definitely not serranos. They very much seem like, as the internet seems to agree with, lightly smoked red jalapeños. Kind of like a chipotle, but started from a red (more ripe than usually found) jalapeño and smoked more lightly, thus a fruitier and less smoked flavor than a chipotle. On another note, does anyone think walnut oil would be applicable here? I have extra from a NYT recipe.
Max from San Diego
Oh, and I’d like to enter a vote for more salsa recipes. I looove making salsa.
Shari
I found the Morita chiles on Amazon.
Camandari
2 Qs: can you use canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce AND shouldn't you toast the walnuts first????? Looks delish.
Karen
You can get Morita chilies from Penzeys
Mateo
Chipotle peppers are smoked Jalapeños, but not dried. The Morita is indeed a dried jalapeño. It is not a dried Serrano—which go by the names “Chico” or “Balin”. Just saying.
Daniel
Chile morita is NOT a smoked jalapeño. It is a dried chile serrano.
Equilibrist
I was wondering. I thought a smoked jalapeño was a chipotle pepper.
kristina felix
Dry chile Moritas are available at Latino Markets just as dry Chipotles are would be a great substitute here. They are much smokier and less sweet so you could add a bit more sugar if using dry chipotle peppers.
Read
Seems like a note on substitutions for moritas (which I've never seen in stores near me) would be useful. From what I can find, they're less smoked than chipotles (which are also smoked jalapeños), and some sources say they're fruitier and smaller. I'm thinking a mix of chipotle and mulato? But maybe someone who knows chilis can help.
Private notes are only visible to you.
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