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Aji criollo or salsa de aji is a spicy Peruvian salsa prepared with a combination of yellow aji chili peppers and oil. The sauce is usually pleasantly spicy, but it can also be extremely hot and spicy, so one should be careful when tasting it for the first time.
The sauce is traditionally used as an accompaniment to various meat and fish dishes, but it's also often used as a dip for french fries and tequeños. Although it shares the name with an Ecuadorian sauce, those two differ significantly, both in appearance (Ecuadorian version is green), and in the method of preparation and ingredients used.
Chiltomate is a rich Yucatecan salsa consisting of tomatoes, habanero chili peppers, coriander, and onions. Tomatoes, habaneros, and onions should be roasted before being blended with coriander and salt. Once prepared, chiltomate should have a thick consistency with some chunks remaining in the salsa, while the flavor should be spicy, sweet, and slightly smoky.
It is recommended to serve it with papadzules, enchiladas, or huevos motulenos.
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Chancho en piedra is a Chilean salsa that is essentially a variation of pebre salsa with more sauce-like consistency. Apart from the tomatoes, it contains garlic, chili peppers, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley or coriander.
It is recommended to serve it with bread, sopapillas, or empanadas. The name chancho en piedra means pig on a stone or pig on a rock, referring to the preparation of this salsa in a stone mortar and pestle.
MOST ICONIC Chancho en piedra
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Salsa de rocoto is a hot Peruvian sauce or dip that's a staple at most tables in the country. It is prepared with fiery red rocoto peppers, oil, and lime juice, with the occasional addition of parsley, cilantro, or milk. Due to the fact that this salsa is so popular in the country, there are numerous variations, ranging from medium hot to insanely hot, so be careful when trying it for the first time.
Use the salsa with a variety of fish and meat dishes, potatoes, or try it in sandwiches.
Salsa de chipotle quemado or burnt chipotle salsa is a flavorful Mexican sauce made by toasting dried chiles until they develop a brown color, then combining them with onions, agave syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt. This smoky salsa is often used as a complement to robust meat dishes made with lamb or goat.
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Salsa macha is a traditional salsa originating from Orizaba in Veracruz. Although there are many variations, this spicy salsa is usually made with a combination of chili peppers, oil, peanuts (or similar nuts), garlic, sesame seeds, and salt. The peanuts, chili peppers, garlic, and sesame seeds are browned in oil, cooled, then mixed with more oil and blended to a semi-coarse consistency.
The salsa is seasoned with salt to taste, and it's then served as a condiment with Mexican dishes such as tortas, enchiladas, tacos, or burritos.
X’nipek is a Mexican salsa that is similar to the popular pico de gallo. It originates from the Yucatan peninsula. It consists of finely chopped tomatoes, charred onions, charred habanero chiles, cilantro, and sour orange juice. The ingredients are simply combined in a bowl, seasoned with salt, then served, either as a side dish or as a topping for tacos or empanadas.
In Mayan, x’nipek means dog’s nose, referring to the heat of this flavorful salsa – if you consume it, your nose will surely run.
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Often referred to as Chilean salsa and being the most popular condiment in the country, the versatile pebre is a staple in Chile. It is created with a combination of spicy and crunchy ingredients, with the addition of fragrant fresh herbs doused in a sour vinegar coating.
Most common elements in pebre are garlic, traditional spicy aji peppers, cilantro, onions, vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil, and occasionally tomatoes. All of the ingredients are chopped, thoroughly mixed, and shortly rested, allowing the flavors to blend.
VARIATIONS OF Pebre
MOST ICONIC Pebre
View moreSalsa ranchera is a traditional salsa originating from Puebla. It's made with a combination of poblano chili peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, onions, garlic, roasted cumin seeds, oregano, chicken stock, olive oil, and sea salt. The chili peppers are peeled and seeded, then blended with tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, stock, and olive oil.
If the mixture becomes too thick, it's recommended to add some water. Once prepared, this traditional Mexican salsa is typically served with fish, meat, or poultry, but it's also often used with tacos.
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Salsa a la huancaina is a Peruvian sauce that is traditionally used in the preparation of a famous appetizer called papas a la huancaina. This salsa is made with aji amarillo peppers or aji amarillo paste, onions, garlic, oil, evaporated milk, and queso fresco.
The combination of these ingredients is blended until the sauce develops a smooth and thick texture. If the sauce is too thin, saltine crackers are typically used to thicken it. Salsa Huancaina is often used as a dip for french fries, boiled potatoes, corn, and fried yucca.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 19 Salsas in the World” list until March 20, 2025, 1,829 ratings were recorded, of which 939 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.