Of all the dried chiles in the Mexican arsenal morita chiles may be my favorite and this Salsa Morita is the perfect way to let them shine.
I know saying I have a favorite dried chile is a bold statement considering there are over 200 varieties of chiles at last count and that was an educated guess.
Every village has its local chile and I most certainly haven’t tasted them all.
what are morita chiles?
Dried morita chile peppers have a complexity and depth of flavor that speaks to my heart and, in my opinion, are irresistible.
If you are interested in this kind of stuff Diana Kennedy wrote a great article about the most popular dried chiles for Food & Wine that is worth checking out.
Morita chiles are like the Cinderella to chipotle chiles’ step sister.
They too are smoked jalapeño peppers but are usually made from the last of the vine—very ripened runts— so therefore, are smoked less to prevent them from disintegrating.
The result is a dried chile that keeps a bit more of it’s original jalapeño character, slightly sweet, and less of a smoke bomb.
Chipotles get all the love but moritas are the real beauty. They can be ordered online or found in most Mexican grocery stores.
They also make a killer salsa.
how to make salsa morita
They are pretty tough, so need a bit of soaking in boiling water.
If you like your salsa smoking hot leave the seeds in, otherwise remove the seeds and stems while they’re still dry.
While the chiles take their hot water bath you can put the garlic and tomatoes under the broiler to get lightly charred.
You can also char them over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet.
In the fall and winter cherry tomatoes tend to have more flavor, but in the summer use a ripe, juicy garden tomato instead.
Everything goes in the blender or food processor. Make sure you save the soaking liquid from the chiles to thin out the salsa if it is too thick. Season with salt too—a good pinch will do.
Then as the Brits would say, “Whizz it up!”
variations
Other vegetables you can add would be
- Roasted Tomatillos (add 3 or 4 to the pan with the garlic and tomatoes).
- Use tomatoes, onions and garlic (add 1/2 white onion to the pan and char with the tomatoes and garlic).
This salsa is an excellent dip but also good on tacos, nachos, eggs, you get the idea. Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!
more salsa recipes to try
To satisfy my constant chile craving, I like to always have one or two homemade Mexican salsas on hand. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Tomatillo Pico de Gallo
- Salsa de Cacahuate (Peanut and Chile Salsa)
- Radish Pico de Gallo
- Grilled Tomato Salsa
there’s just no substitute for an authentic mexican salsa recipe
Drop everything and go find a bag of dried morita chiles to make this salsa—stat! Then let me know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so that I can see your stuff!
Salsa Morita Recipe
A brick red spicy salsa recipe made from dried morita chiles, roasted garlic, and charred tomatoes. Vegan and gluten free! Salsa will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredients
- 8 dried morita chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place chiles in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over the chiles to cover. Let soak at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
- Meanwhile, heat broiler to high. Place tomatoes and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and broil until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Turn the garlic occasionally so it browns on all sides. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Remove garlic from the skins and place in a blender. Add tomatoes, and salt then lift the chiles from the water (reserving water) and place in the blender.
- Blend on high until smooth, adding some of the chile water if it is too thick. Taste and add more salt as needed.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
One More Thing
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Jajaja — Cinderella! I never knew moritas were the last chiles on the vine.
I just told someone that chipotles were smoked jalapeños and moritas were smoked chiles serranos. I must have made that up! I agree, moritas are so flavorful and complex. I make a morita chile oil that’s bomb but it’s so hard to make because the chiles are hard to blend since I don’t rehydrate them for this particular salsa.
I love this Lola! Do you not rehydrate them for flavor reasons? I bet that oil is incredible!
I saw u on tv today and appreciate u! I can’t seem to find your mango recipie could u send it to me?? Also I am dairy free gluten free and no tomatoes diet restricted that is why I was so excited for the mango salsa. Any other recipe idea for my diet restrictions would bo so helpful!! Have a super day
Hi Rhonda! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Here is the link to the mango salsa: https://www.holajalapeno.com/2014/02/smoky-chicken-tacos-with-mango-pico-de.html. Also I have an entire dairy-free section here if you are interested: https://www.holajalapeno.com/recipes/dairy-free and there are tons of gluten-free options there too! Enjoy!