This Chile de Arbol Salsa recipe is a staple in taco stands throughout Southern California. It has the tangy tartness from the tomatillos and lime juice, heat from the dried toasted chiles, and a bit of smokiness from the cumin.

We especially love this salsa topped on soft street tacos, breakfast burritos and quesadillas, but feel free to experiment with your favorite foods!

Taco Stand Chile de Arbol Salsa
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comThis Chile de Arbol Salsa recipe is a staple in taco stands throughout Southern California. It has the tangy tartness from the tomatillos and lime juice, heat from the dried toasted chiles, and a bit of smokiness from the cumin. We especially love this salsa topped on soft tacos, breakfast burritos and quesadillas, but feel free to experiment with your favorite foods!
Ingredients
- 24-28 ounces canned crushed tomatillos
- 10 dried chiles de arbol stems removed
- 2 dried guajillo chiles optional
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 2-6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- Fresh squeezed lime juice and salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add all of the chiles and roast until lightly browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet.
- Place tomatillos in blender with roasted chiles, cumin, garlic, onion and cilantro. Puree the mixture using a little bit of the tomatillo liquid to form a not-too-thick consistency. The mixture should just barely coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and lime juice to taste.
Let’s get cooking!Join me @cheftips on Facebook & Instagram
Check out my Cooking Videos!Subscribe to my Chef Tips channel on YouTube!