Salsa de habanero
Salsa de habanero is a fiery Yucatecan sauce of habanero chiles, raw or roasted, crushed with salt and sour orange juice. It is the everyday table sauce of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Description
Larousse describes the basic sauce as habaneros, raw or roasted, mashed with salt and sour orange juice, with garlic in some versions, and notes that it is widely used across the Yucatán Peninsula. The habanero is the only Capsicum chinense chile used in Mexico, the hottest chile in the national kitchen and the classic chile of Yucatecan cooking; it holds a denomination of origin as Chile Habanero de Yucatán.
Variations
Roasting the chiles on a comal tames their raw edge and adds smoke. Related Yucatecan preparations include xnipec, which adds onion, and the habanero-spiked pickled red onions served with cochinita pibil.
Serving
It is set on the table with cochinita pibil and other Yucatecan dishes and is used sparingly because of its heat.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 habanero chiles
- 1 garlic clove (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sour orange juice, or half orange and half lime juice
Steps
- Roast the habaneros on a hot comal, turning, until blistered and soft (or leave raw for a sharper sauce).
- Stem them and crush in a molcajete with the salt and garlic.
- Stir in the sour orange juice.
- Serve in a small bowl; it keeps about a week refrigerated.
Wear gloves and avoid breathing the smoke while roasting habaneros.
Reviews
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See also
References
- "Salsa de chile habanero". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Chile habanero". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.