July 30, 2024 | POSTED IN

Salsa Macha

**Alt text:** Shrimp tacos topped with salsa macha, avocado, pickled red onions, and cilantro, served with lime wedges, a bowl of salsa macha, and a glass of sparkling rosé.

Some condiments sit quietly on the side of the plate. Salsa macha is not one of them.

This rich, deeply flavorful salsa comes from a version I first discovered while traveling in Mexico. It was smoky, nutty, slightly fruity, and not overwhelmingly hot — the kind of condiment that could change a simple plate of eggs, beans, tacos, grilled vegetables, or roasted meats into something memorable.

The recipe was shared by a sous chef at our resort and uses Ancho and Morita chiles, along with peanuts, sesame seeds, garlic, onion, and an unusual but wonderful addition: corn tortillas blended into the base. The tortillas give the salsa body, texture, and richness.

For our Wine Without Rules table, salsa macha is a perfect reminder that heat is not just heat. It can be smoky, savory, nutty, earthy, and layered — and that gives us many more ways to think about wine.

What Is Salsa Macha?

Salsa macha is sometimes compared to chile crisp or chile oil, but it has its own personality. It is oil-based, textured, and built from dried chiles, nuts or seeds, garlic, and seasonings.

This version is flavorful rather than fiery. The Ancho chile brings mild sweetness, smoke, and dried-fruit depth. The Morita chile adds a fruitier, gently smoky character. Peanuts and sesame seeds bring richness and crunch, while the corn tortillas help round everything out.

Use it by the spoonful, not by the cup. A little goes a long way.

Ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable oil
• 3 oz white onion, sliced
• 3 oz red onion, sliced
• 4 oz Ancho chili, seeded
• 1 ½ oz Morita chili, seeded
• 3 ½ oz corn tortilla, sliced into strips
• 6 oz unsalted, unroasted peanuts
• 1 oz garlic (about half a head)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 oz untoasted sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Heat the Oil
o In a large pan, heat 3 cups of vegetable oil to around 200°F.

Cook the Base Ingredients
o Add the sliced white and red onions, corn tortilla strips, garlic, peanuts, and sesame seeds to the pan.
o Cook for about 10 minutes, observing a slight bubbling around the garlic.

Add Chilis and Oregano
o Remove the pan from the heat.
o Add the Ancho and Morita chilis and the dried oregano.
o Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Blend the Ingredients
o Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender.
o Blend until the mixture reaches your desired texture. Traditionally, Salsa Macha has a texture similar to Chinese chili oil.

Season and Store
o Add 2 teaspoons of salt and adjust to taste.
o Transfer the salsa into jars for storage.

Notes

• The Morita chili is a less smoky chipotle pepper with a fruity flavor and slightly richer taste.
• The Ancho chili is the dried form of the Poblano pepper, offering a rich, smoky quality with sweetness and mild paprika flavor.
• To add heat – put in a couple of Arbol chilis.
• The use of corn tortilla is unusual, but an incredible addition.

How to Use It

Salsa macha is incredibly versatile. Try it with:

  • Eggs
  • Beans
  • Enchiladas
  • Tacos
  • Grilled shrimp
  • Grilled chicken
  • Pork ribs
  • Charred mushrooms
  • Roasted carrots or cauliflower
  • Salsa macha butter for grilled corn or warm tortillas

It is especially good anywhere you want a little smoke, crunch, richness, and chile depth.

Unexpected Pairings

Salsa macha may not seem like a condiment that pairs well with wine, but it gives us a lot to work with. It has heat, but also oil, nuts, garlic, smoke, crunch, and dried chile depth.
The trick is not to pair wine with “spicy.” The trick is to ask how the salsa is being used.

Occasio 2025 Sunol Highlands Sauvignon Blanc

Choose Sauvignon Blanc when salsa macha is used with lighter foods that want freshness. Try it with grilled shrimp, fish tacos, roasted cauliflower, avocado,  or crispy potatoes topped with salsa macha. The wine brings citrus, lift, and freshness, which helps reset the palate after the oil, garlic, and chile.

Occasio Sparkling Rosé

Sparkling Rosé is one of the most versatile pairings for salsa macha. The bubbles refresh the palate, the acidity cuts through the oil and nuts, and the rosé fruit helps soften the chile heat. Try it with crispy tacos, roasted potatoes, grilled shrimp, fried chicken, charred corn, chips with salsa macha crema, or salty snack boards. This is a great Wine Without Rules pairing because it feels casual, festive, and surprisingly practical.

Occasio Rosé of Grenache

Rosé belongs at the summer table, and salsa macha gives it plenty to work with. Try this pairing when salsa macha is served with grilled chicken, tomato salad, roasted carrots, corn, herbs, grain bowls, grilled zucchini, or summer squash.

This is a great middle-ground pairing: fresh enough for chile heat, but with enough fruit and texture to meet the salsa’s smoky depth.

Occasio Cabernet Franc

This is the grill pairing.
When salsa macha goes on steak, pork ribs, lamb skewers, grilled sausages, mushrooms, or charred peppers, Cabernet Franc becomes a very compelling choice.
A lightly chilled Cabernet Franc can be especially good here. It keeps the pairing fresh while still giving you red fruit, structure, and a savory edge that works beautifully with smoke and char.

Occasio Chardonnay

Chardonnay belongs with the richer side of salsa macha. Think roasted chicken, grilled corn, potatoes, mushrooms, creamy beans, pork, or salsa macha butter. Our next Chardonnay will be available in November, which makes this a pairing to remember for cooler-weather cooking. When the food is roasted, savory, or slightly buttery, Chardonnay can meet the richness while the salsa macha brings smoke, garlic, and chile depth.

The Sunol Garden Spritz

For an even more playful pairing, try salsa macha with the Sunol Garden Spritz. This is Wine Without Rules twice over: an unexpected food pairing with a wine cocktail in the glass.

Salsa macha brings smoke, chile, garlic, nuts, and richness. The Sunol Garden Spritz brings freshness, lift, citrus, bubbles, and garden aromatics. Together, they make a pairing that feels especially good with tacos, grilled shrimp, crispy potatoes, roasted cauliflower, avocado, fish tacos, or salty snacks.

This is not the pairing for a heavy steak or ribs — for those, reach for Cabernet Franc. But for a sunny patio table with chips, shrimp, vegetables, tacos, or crispy potatoes, the Sunol Garden Spritz is a bright and unexpected match.

A Final Thought

Heat is not one flavor. Salsa macha brings smoke, crunch, garlic, oil, nuts, and dried chile richness. That means the wine pairing can change depending on where the salsa goes.

No rulebook required.