Salsa campechana translates fairly easy. Campechana is a word used to describe something that is made up of different components or ingredients. The results of this salsa campechana give the appearance of a salsa ground down in a molcajete(lava stone mortar). But, with a few quick pulses from your food processor this salsa from authentic and fresh ingredients is done!
Stop! Check out this updated video I just added! This day, I used my blender instead of the food processor and had slightly different results.
I used all the same ingredients, but there were a few slight differences in how I cooked the chile de arbol and the color of the guajillo peppers.
It’s fine if you don’t have a molcajete
Every time I post a salsa recipe that is prepared in a lava stone mortar(molcajete), I get the same question? Can it be prepared in the blender or food processor? Of course it can. And even though it will still be delicious, nothing yields the same results as when you use a molcajete. It’s one of those traditions that I want to keep alive. For many years I could not use my molcajete due to some chronic pain in my left arm. It’s a lot better now and I have mastered my molcajete! Lol! I enjoy it so much I have a acquired a small collection in different sizes.
Food Processor or Blender?
These are two more options when it comes to preparing salsa. Of course, you could chop everything by hand if you prefer. In the original photos, I prepared the salsa in the processor. I can see the individual ingredients very clearly. In the video version, I used a blender, pulsing mostly, to achieve a coarse salsa. The color of the video salsa also looks a bit darker because the guajillo peppers were darker, and I toasted all the dried chiles too! Same delicious flavor though!
Invest in a few kitchen tools and appliances!
My cast iron comal! I cannot live without it. I use it to cook my homemade tortillas, pan sear steak, easy crispy tacos and yes, I love it for dry roasting and blackening salsa ingredients! A good blender, knives, cutting boards, bowls and cooking utensils make my life in the kitchen a lot easier!
Take your time and adjust the recipe to suit your taste
In the original recipe, I did not take the time to toast the chile de arbol, but in the video version, I did. It really does add a nice smoky toasted flavor in the end. But, it’s perfectly fine if you prefer to just soften them in simmering water. If you want to yield a less spicy salsa campechana, you can reduce the amount of chile de arbol and bump up the chile guajillo amount.
Why cook the salsa after blending?
When you prepare salsa from scratch, did you ever notice how the next morning it looks like it congealed and separates? One way to prevent this is to fry or cook your salsa after you have blended it. It really works. It cooks out any remaining raw flavors, thickens the salsa slightly and gives it a better texture in the end. Most importantly, it extends the life of your salsa for at least an extra 2 weeks! I knew I would not be cooking this salsa after I processed it, so I added fresh cilantro before blending. Many times, I will add finely chopped cilantro after I cooked the salsa.
The food processor works great for pulsing salsa and giving them a chunky or coarse texture. For smoother salsa, I always use my blender.
Go to the end of the post to see how this salsa campechana looks blended smooth! Some people don’t care for chunky salsa, so there is that option s well.
Above is the original prepared in the processor. Below is the blender version with darker chile peppers.
Here is the salsa campechana blended smooth in my small powder blender. I would suggest cooking the smooth version at a steady simmer for at least 8-9 minutes.
Salsa Campechana
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillo remove husk and rinse
- 2/3 of large white onion, 260 gr sliced into thick rings
- 6 cloves of garlic, 32 gr
- 2 large guajillo peppers, 22 gr stems and seeds removed
- 1 c chile de arbol, 15 gr remove stem only, if any
- Large handful of fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
- 1 c water from softening the peppers
Instructions
- On a comal or skillet at medium heat, add tomatillos, onion, garlic and chile guajillo and arbol. Dry roast for 20 minutes, removing guajillos and arbol after 1-2 minutes. Remove garlic after 10-12 minutes. Turn as needed.
- Transfer dried chiles to a saucepan with warming water. let them soften or 7 minutes.
- When ready, transfer the chiles and 1 c of reserved water to a food processor or blender. Blend them first for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, garlic and onion. Blend or pulse to achieve a coarse and chunky salsa.
- Add a big handful of fresh cilantro to the processor(blender) and salt to taste. Pulse to blend to achieve a molcajete-style looking salsa. If you prefer it smooth, than go ahead and blend on high! If salsa is too thick, pour in a little more water.
Notes
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I purchased a molcajete. I would love to use it for this recipe. Can you create a video of that?
James have you seen some of my other video using the molcajete? I can eventually record a video,of course, it just may be a little while. I will probably cut the recipe in half though. The molcajete wouldn’t hold as much as my food processor.
Yes, I love the salsa on chunky side, love the molcajete method above all, the “taste” is so much better in the molcajete. The toasted/ cooked ingredients impart so much deep, deliciousness, so I love the cooked method. Thanks so much for ALL your tips & instructions, variety ideas. I have seen where the molcajete is turned upside down on open stove flame till really hot ! use a cloth to grab molcajete off the stove, then it looks like they pore the salsa into the molcajete ( it actually boils ) it looks delicious ) but am unsure what is the correct process, could you investigate and issue your own recipe for that ? Thanks so much for sharing all your Beautiful & real deal Mex. cookery.
Hi Boo! I have already shared some video clips on my blog on how I prepared a molacajete preparado filled with salsa, cheese, meat, chorizo and nopales. There are different ways to approach heating the molcajete. Most times people do it on an outdoor grill, but I didn’t have one at the time That I did it on my stove top with a cast iron griddle. Ideally you would want to heat it on a large outdoor grill and then have space to grill your meats and vegetables or whatever you are going to add to the molcajete. I would suggest preparing any salsa ahead of time. Search molcajete preparado on my blog and you will see how I did it.