This salsa de cacahuate is creamy, spicy, and smoky. Made from toasted peanuts and chile de arbol pepper, this sauce is perfect for drizzling over tacos, quesadillas, and soups!
Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the peanuts and place them in a blender.
Add the arbol chilies to the skillet and toast over low heat for 1 minute.
Remove the chilies, add them to a bowl, and cover with hot water. Leave them to soak for 5 minutes.
Drain chilies and add to the blender with peanuts. Add garlic cloves, onion, salt and ground cumin.
Pour 1 cup of water and blend for about 2 minutes on high or until the desired texture.
Taste and adjust with salt if needed. Place in a bowl if you’re serving immediately or in a jar and store in the fridge for later.
Notes
You should definitely toast your peanuts, even if you bought them already toasted because the heat will make the oils release and enhance their flavor.
You can also try a mix of nuts to make this recipe, such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, and even hazelnuts.
Be careful when roasting the dried chilies, they are very hot and release a strong and pungent smell. Use a mask and ensure good ventilation in your kitchen.
Salsa de cacahuates lasts up to 4-5 days in your fridge, I like to use a mason jar or a glass container to store it.