This marinated salsa – more like a pickle or relish – is sweet, mildly spicy, and beguiling. It is a very versatile salsa, too, as you can use it like a regular salsa and spoon it on top of any kind of antojito, like tacos, quesadillas, and even scoop it up with chips. It can also act as a luxurious relish for grilled meat, chicken or seafood, not to mention paninis, tortas or hamburgers. You can also use it as the surprising final touch on crostinis with a base of goat or fresh cheese, or cherry tomatoes… And these are just a few options.
6 to 8 ancho chiles (rinsed, stemmed and seeded, about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt (or to taste)
2 teaspoons brown sugar or grated piloncillo (or to taste)
Categories
Sauce
Cuisine
Mexican
Steps
Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut the stemmed and seeded chiles lengthwise into thin strips and place them in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, garlic, vinegars, oil, salt and sugar to the bowl and toss to mix well. Transfer everything to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.
Reviews
Soumya Sampige on 2025-09-12 (5 stars): I’ve made this ancho chile pickle a few times. You can add this to anything and this will give it such a tangy kick. It’s especially delicious over avocado toast. Thank you Pati!
