🔥🌮 Happy Taco Tuesday, Fam! 🌮🔥

We’re back for Part 4 of the Jonathan Zaragoza Salsa 101 saga and things are getting dangerously addictive. Quick rewind: we kicked off with Pico de Gallo, swirled into Salsa Cremosa Rosa, got cozy with the green and creamy Salsa Falsa… and today? We’re going classic in the best way.

Say hola to Salsa de Chile Pasilla. A true sleeper hit. No frills, no fuss, just deep smoky vibes from pasilla chiles, a little fuego from chile de árbol, bright tomatillo tang, and that sweet, charred garlic magic. Simple ingredients. Massive payoff. The kind of salsa you make once and suddenly need on everything.

👇 Scroll on down for the technique, the heat, and the sauce you’ll be flexing all across your kitchen.

Cheers & hot sauce,
~ The Taco Tuesday Crew 🌶️✨

Recipe By: Jonathan Zaragoza AKA goatboyintl
🌶️🔥 Fun Fact: Mexico is home to hundreds of authentic salsas, with every region, town, and family boasting its own version, shaped by local chiles, ingredients, and traditions.

WATCH the VIDEO!

6–7 tomatillos, whole
2 medium Roma tomatoes, whole
2 large pasilla chiles, seeded and stemmed
5–6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 whole chile de árbol pods
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
2½ cups water, divided

1️⃣ Cook the base
Drop the tomatoes and tomatillos into a pot with 1½ cups water. Cover and simmer over medium until tender but still holding their shape, about 10 minutes. Pull ’em out and set aside.

2️⃣ Steep the chiles
Bring 1 cup water to a boil. On a hot comal or skillet, toast the pasilla and chile de árbol until fragrant and just turning tobacco-colored. Transfer to a bowl, cover with the boiling water, weigh them down, and let steep 25 minutes until soft and ready.

3️⃣ Char the garlic
Toss the garlic, skins on, onto the comal. Let it blacken and soften until sweet and smoky. Peel and set aside.

4️⃣ Blend the salsa
Into the blender goes the garlic, softened chiles, and a splash of that chile-soaking liquid. Blend until smooth, adding more liquid if needed. Add the cooked tomatoes and tomatillos and blend low and slow until silky.

5️⃣ Season & serve
Stir in the salt and bouillon. Taste, tweak, and trust your instincts. Serve warm or chilled… and prepare to put this salsa on everything.

Balanced Heat – Pasilla brings the smoke and depth, while chile de árbol sneaks in just enough fuego to keep things interesting.
Super Versatile – Dip it, drizzle it, spoon it. Tacos, grilled meats, roasted veggies… this one plays everywhere.
Old-School Prep – Toasting, simmering, steeping. Classic techniques, big-time flavor, zero shortcuts.

This is the kind of salsa that earns a permanent spot in your fridge. 🌶️

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