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    Home » Mexican Recipes » 10 Top Authentic Mexican Sauces

    10 Top Authentic Mexican Sauces

    Date: October 17, 2022 by Christian Guzman • This post may contain affiliate links. See Privacy Policy below.

    These Authentic Mexican Sauces will take your meal from good to extraordinary. Kick up your chips, tacos, burritos and enchiladas!

    • How to Serve Mexican Sauces
    • Are Red Chiles or Green Chiles More Spicy?
    • Are Mexican Sauces Very Spicy?
    • Salsa Roja “Red Sauce” Recipes
    • Salsa Verde “Green Sauce” Recipes
    24Bite: Authentic Mexican Sauces recipe roundup

    How to Serve Mexican Sauces

    In the United States, there are a lot of chunky sauces that are served with tortilla chips. Salsa is actually the Spanish word for sauce. The biggest difference I’ve seen is that, when serving sauces at the table in Mexico, there are a lot of thinner sauces.

    Actually, a lot of the food served in restaurants in Mexico aren’t extremely spicy hot. It’s the sauces served at the table that determine whether your food is spicy or not.

    Always try the sauces before you start pouring them on your food. You could be in for a surprise!

    Are Red Chiles or Green Chiles More Spicy?

    dried ancho, guajillo and chiles de arbol on a cutting board

    I’m going to have to say that red chiles are more spicy than green chiles. To me, the smaller the chile pepper, the more spicy it is. Some of them are pure fire! Arbol and Piquin, I’m looking at you.

    The yellow and orange ones, though. I’m not ready for them at all. You can review my Scoville Heat Scale to see some examples.

    Salsa Roja

    Salsa Roja (“red sauce”) is usually made with dried red chiles. You use hot water to reconstitute them before blending them in a molcajete or an electric blender. You can either reconstitute them straight or toast them a little first.

    You can add garlic, onion, cilantro and even tomatillo for flavor. Use caution in adding onion since it will turn your sauce orange if you add too much.

    Nothing wrong with that! But, if you want to keep the deep red color, you could even use onion powder instead.

    Have a browse at all
    24Bite recipes
    to customize your own search.

    Salsa Verde

    Salsa Verde (“green sauce”) is usually more fresh and bright compared to salsa roja. It’s made from green chiles, tomatillos, onion, garlic and cilantro.

    You can either roast the chile peppers or saute them in a little oil. I’ve even boiled them in water. Your decision is based on the taste you want or could mean simply that you don’t want to turn on the oven in the summer.

    If you roast the chiles, you blacken the thin peel so it can be removed easily. I’ve learned that you need to use high heat so the chiles char on the outside but don’t turn to mush on the inside.

    roasted and charred poblano chiles

    Are Mexican Sauces Spicy?

    Authentic Mexican Sauces are as spicy as you want to make them. You can use the chile peppers you love at the level of spicy that you want.

    When making red chile sauce (“salsa roja”), use more California chiles for less spicy sauce. Use more Chiles de Arbol, Piquin or Cascabel for more spicy.

    When making green chile sauce (“salsa verde”), use more Poblano or Anaheim. You could even replace some with green Bell Peppers, if necessary. For more spicy, use more serrano.

    closeup of jalapeno peppers on a cutting board

    Fresh Salsa

    I usually serve a fresh Pico de Gallo on the side. You can also add it directly to your tacos.



    How to Make Pico De Gallo From Scratch
    Learn how to make Pico de Gallo from scratch to serve this fresh and healthy side to any authentic Mexican meal of enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, beans and more.
    Recipe

    If you want something like a Pico de Gallo but still cooked, try this Chili’s Salsa Copycat.



    Chili’s Salsa Copycat Recipe
    This Chili's Salsa Copycat Recipe answers the question, "Can I make this at home?" Yes, you can and it's so easy!
    Recipe

    Salsa Roja (“Red Sauce”) Recipes

    These sauces can be served with tacos. Just drizzle it on at the table. If you have a lot, smothered burritos are great. Some are also used to make the filling for tamales or to braise meat for Chicken Birria Tacos, Chile Colorado or Chicken Tinga.

    Dipping with chips or fresh tortillas is a great way to taste test the sauce to make sure it’s your level of spicy.



    Tomatillo Red Chili Sauce Chipotle Copycat
    Make your own Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa Chipotle Copycat from scratch and you'll never look back. When you make it yourself, you control your perfect spicy heat level.
    Recipe


    Red Enchilada Sauce
    Learn to make authentic red enchilada sauce using dried Mexican chiles for rich and robust flavor, perfect for more than just enchiladas. It's a Mexican gravy that can also be used for topping tamales, nachos, smothered burritos and more.
    Recipe

    Although it’s more authentic to make your red enchilada sauce with dried chiles, you can also try this recipe. It’s made from ground dried chiles and takes only 10 minutes!



    Quick Enchilada Sauce
    This is my Quick Enchilada Sauce for when you don't have enough time to make traditional Enchilada Sauce. 10 minutes and done!
    Recipe


    Guajillo Sauce Recipe
    This Guajillo Sauce is the perfect Salsa Roja for any of your favorite recipes. It's perfect for enchiladas, chilaquiles or tamales or can be used as a quick condiment.
    Recipe
    24bite: Homemade Tamale Sauce with Red Chiles


    Red Tamale Sauce Recipe (+video)
    Red tamale sauce is an essential recipe for your traditional Mexican pork or beef tamales. When you're ready to make a tamale commitment, be sure to use an outstanding homemade sauce like this one.
    Recipe


    Salsa Crema Chipotle
    Salsa con crema chipotle (creamy chipotle sauce) is a quick and easy recipe that you can use on tacos, fajitas or enchiladas. Get creative with a creamy dip or use it as the sauce for pizza.
    Recipe

    Salsa Verde (“Green Sauce”) Recipes

    As with the red sauces, you can use the green with any of the same dishes. Try them with chips as well. You don’t need to use only red sauces for dipping.



    Roasted Green Chiles Enchilada Sauce
    A delicious, mild Mexican chile verde sauce, perfect for enchiladas or eaten with tortilla chips. Increase or decrease to your favorite level of spicy heat by changing the peppers.
    Recipe


    Restaurant Style Salsa Verde Recipe
    Freshly made Mexican salsa verde is easy to make and it's better than anything you'll find in a bottle. Use it for dipping or as a sauce for tacos, enchiladas and chilaquiles.
    Recipe

    Although this is a recipe for Chile Lime Shrimp, the Avocado Cream is delicious and could be used on the side for many other recipes.



    Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Cream
    Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos are made with the flavors of smoky chipotle and lime then served with fresh and bright avocado crema. It's a meal in 30 minutes, great for weeknights or a relaxing weekend.
    Recipe


    Homemade Green Chile Tamale Sauce
    Homemade Green Tamale Sauce is a mild yet tangy sauce, perfect for chicken tamales. It's easy to make using Anaheim chiles and roasted tomatillos.
    Recipe

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    24Bite Blog, Mexican Recipes, Recipe Roundup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maggie says

      October 19, 2022 at 10:18 am

      All delicious recipes. My favorite is Salsa Crema Chipotle. So easy to make, and it was a huge hit.

      Reply
    2. Jamie says

      October 20, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      First of all, I love Mexican sauces. They have that amazing flavor and taste in your mouth! Second, they can complement other food giving them a boost. I just loved it!

      Reply
    3. Amy Liu Dong says

      October 21, 2022 at 10:25 am

      Everything looks delicious and easy, and I would love to try making these sauces at home.
      Saving it for my reference. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Gwynn says

      October 22, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      I’m excited to now be able to make these sauces myself at home! All sound so delicious!

      Reply
    5. Ann says

      October 23, 2022 at 9:53 am

      Wow, this is quite the list of sauces! I saved this post to use in the future for our Mexican food nights!

      Reply

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