If you are looking for an authentic and spicy Mexican salsa, take a look at this creamy jalapeño salsa recipe. It's super easy to make and it's completely addicting!
This is my first year with a vegetable garden here in Texas, and I’m a little surprised with how good my pepper plants are growing. It seems like they really like the hot summer weather here!
So far, I have harvested:
- Habanero peppers
- Piquin peppers
- Serrano pepper
- Jalapeño peppers
In fact, the jalapeños in this creamy jalapeño salsa recipe came from my small garden. Next year, I hope to plant poblano peppers, given the success I’ve had with my harvest this year!
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Different Variations Of Hot Peppers From Mexico
In Mexico, we have a huge variety of peppers, some of which are only known and used in the same region where they are grown. The agriculture and farming department reports that we have 64 types of peppers, giving Mexico the largest diversity of peppers in the world!
The state of Oaxaca is the state with the greatest reported variety of peppers, boasting 25 different types!
The most commonly produced types of peppers in Mexico are:
- Serrano
- Jalapeño
- Guajillo
- Ancho
I've made a few different salsas with some of those common hot peppers (like this ancho-arbol chili pepper salsa) and I'm thrilled to share my new salsa featuring the jalapeño.
I have to say this creamy jalapeño salsa is really easy to make! It lasts for several days in your fridge and can be used for tacos, grilled meats, and even on top of fried eggs! And, don't forget those tortilla chips.
Homemade Jalapeño Salsa Recipe
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this salsa... you only need 5!
- Jalapeño peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
How To Make Creamy Jalapeño Salsa: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.
Clean, Cut, and Deseed Jalapeño Peppers
- Before you do anything, make sure to give your jalapeño peppers a good washing and pat them dry.
- Then, take the jalapeño peppers and cut them lengthwise down the middle using a pairing knife.
- After they are cut, remove the stems, veins, and seeds.
Boil The Peppers and Garlic
- Place the cut peppers and peeled garlic clove into a saucepan and cover with 1½ cups of water.
- Turn the heat up to bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- Place a lid on top without completely covering the saucepan, allowing some space to release the steam.
- Cook the peppers and garlic for about 12-15 minutes.
Blend The Jalapeño Salsa
- Once the peppers and garlic are cooked and cooled, place them in your blender (I used my Vitamix Blender) with about ⅓ cup of the cooking water and the vegetable oil.
- Blend everything together until you have a very fine and creamy sauce.
- Season with salt and enjoy your creamy jalapeño salsa!
Tips For Making The Best Jalapeño Sauce
- Make a double batch. You can make two jars of this creamy jalapeño salsa by doubling the number of ingredients in this recipe.
- Make it as spicy as you like! When prepping the jalapeños to cook, you can always leave a few of the seeds in it. That's where the spicy heat comes from! It just depends on how spicy you would like it.
- Use gloves when handling peppers. When you are cleaning and cutting the jalapeño peppers, make sure to wear food-safe gloves to avoid getting the juices and spice onto your hands. Also, make sure to NOT touch your face to avoid any burning!
How To Properly Store Homemade Jalapeño Salsa
To make sure this salsa stays fresh, I recommend storing it in an airtight container. I like to use glass mason jars!
You can store this jalapeño sauce in the refrigerator between 1-2 weeks.
What To Serve With Mexican Jalapeño Salsa
This salsa works great with so many diffrent recipes.
For breakfast, I like to make these crispy chorizo and potato tacos with a spoonful of this creamy jalapeño salsa over the top. It's one of my favorite breakfast recipes!
I also like to add a few scoops of this spicy green sauce along side many meat dishes like pork carnitas or chicken tamales.
Also, eat it with some freshly made tortilla chips too!
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for creamy jalapeño salsa, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Roasted Red Jalapeño Salsa Recipe
- Salsa Verde Recipe
- Creamy Habanero Salsa
- Salsa Macha Recipe
- Super Spicy Salsa With Puya And Arbol Peppers
I hope you make this recipe for Mexican jalapeño sauce! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Creamy Jalapeño Salsa
Ingredients
- 8 Jalapeño peppers
- 1 medium-size garlic clove
- 1½ cups of water
- 1 /3 cup vegetable oil*
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the jalapeños lengthwise and remove the stems, veins, and seeds (if you want a rather mild salsa). If you want your salsa very spicy, leave the veins and just remove the seeds.
- Place peppers and peeled garlic clove into a saucepan and cover with 1½ cups of water.
- Turn the heat up to bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Place a lid on without completely covering the saucepan, allowing some space to release the steam. Cook like this for about 12-15 minutes until the peppers are cooked. If needed, add more water while cooking, just enough to cover the peppers.
- Once the peppers and garlic are cooked and cooled, place them in your blender with about ⅓ cup of the cooking water and the vegetable oil. Process until you have a very fine and creamy sauce. Sometimes, I process the salsa just with the water and then pour the oil slowly through the hole in the small cap on the lid.
Season with salt and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have Jalapeños, use Serranos (about 12 regular size Serranos).
- Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, so if you plan on using another type of oil, like olive oil, keep in mind that it will affect the final flavor of the salsa.
Sarah
Hi. I’m getting ready to make this recipe. On the site there is a function to multiply the ingredients. (1x 2x, 3x). When I click on 2x or 3x the amount of oil needed does more than double or triple the original recipe using 8 jalopenas. Example: 3x the recipe (24 jalapeños) calls of 3 cups of oil, not 1 cup. Is this right?
Mely Martínez
Hello Sarah,
Thank you for letting me know that the option is not working propertly.
Danielle
Can this recipe be canned
Mely Martínez
Hello Daniella,
I'm not sure, in case you do, let me know.
Ramona Bradford
A lady here where I live... cans hers!!
Gina
Hi Mely,
I just found this recipe today and its wonderful!! Can I freeze this salsa?
Would love to make in a large batch and always have on hand since its so good on some many things?
Thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello Gina,
Yes, you can freeze it, you will have to bring to room temperature and then reheat and stir well to restore its texture. Happy cooking!
Daniella
Thank you soooo much and this recipe helped me feel so much closer to my home state Texas! I'm living on the east coast so, it has been rough trying to piece together what I know and what my parents and cousins can tell me through phone calls and social media messages. I've just found your website on pinterest and it has been a gift I've been looking for! This recipe was pretty sweet and it made my meals so much better!! (Your meals aren't complete if you don't have any sort of chile or salsa on the side.)
Mely Martínez
Hello Daniella,
You are right, the salsa has to be at the table with your meals. Happy Cooking!
Judy Peacock
I just made this but it’s not spicy. Can I add some of the uncooked veins and seeds to the blender?
Mely Martínez
Hello Judy,
Yes, you can. Many times jalapeño peppers are not spicy, that depends a lot about the way they were harvested.
Kara
Making this for the second time today. It’s absolutely incredible! I add a small capful of vinegar to mine for just the slightest touch of acid. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! ❤️
Mindy
Mine came out very creamy... but after a night in the fridge, it separates every time. What am I doing wrong? How do you keep it from separating, and how do you keep it creamy out of the fridge? Thanks!
mmartinez
Hello Mindy,
Maybe you are processing too much in the blender. Try to reheat it and stir to have a homogenous sauce again.
Mindy
Thank you! I'll try that 🙂
Amy
Thank you so much for this easy recipe!! I'm still trying to perfect it to taste more like my favorite restaurants salsa but this is very close! I add a few cloves of garlic, half an avocado (or a little less if it's a big avocado) a half handful of cilantro and extra salt-follow the rest of your recipe exactly and it tastes so phenomenal!!! My husband from El Mogote, Mexico loves it too!!
David
Mely,
I have a creamy green salsa version that is basically the same ingedients but a slightly different preparation method.
A different version that has a darker color and somewhat richer flavor can be made by heating the 1/3 C vegetable oil to low 300 F and then fry the jalapeno's whole until their skins blister a bit. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook maybe 5-7 minutes total. Let peppers cool in the oil, transfer everything to the blender jar and add water while blending to make a creamy sauce. I also add lime juice or vinegar to sharpen the salsa taste. If blending whole jalapenos, a coarse strainer can be used to remove bits of seeds and charred skin. I was told this recipe by some Mexican resto workers and they also said that some restos add a small amount of Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor although it darkens the color.
mmartinez
Hello David,
Yes, you are right, That is another way to make this salsa. It gives added flavor to the salsa. Happy cooking!
Guero Collins
I’ve been trying to find a recipe like this that is close to a green sauce at my favorite local taqueria. The family doesn’t reveal their secret :). I added a habanero and a couple of serranos since I only 4-5 jalapeños when I made this. I substituted avocado oil in place of the vegetable oil since I’m on keto, tossed in half an avocado fo thicken the texture just a little. Oh my goodness! ¡Maravillosa!
Thank you so much!
mmartinez
Hello Guero, that is the good thing about salsas, you can adjust them to the peppers you have in your kitchen. Thank you for trying the creamy jalapeño salsa.
Esther
me encanto esta receta .... La ise y mmmm esta riquísima... Muchas gracias
mmartinez
Hola Esther,
que gusto saber que te encanto la receta de la salsa cremosa de chile jalapeño.
Colleen
I’ve just bought a big bag of red jalapeños and have been looking for recipes to use them in - the creamy texture of this is right up my alley. Do you think they would work in this recipe instead of green?
Mely Martínez
Hello COllen,
Oh, yes, and it will also be even spicier.
Red
Love this! I’ve made it several times... everyone likes it, and so easy to make!😘
mmartinez
Hello Red,
So glad you like it. I can't stop eating it too! So good with chips!
Genell LeBoeuf
Good Morning!! I am writing to you to ask how do you eat this? Is this a soup?
I want to make it tonight but didn't know if I am buying chips or getting a spoon!
Thank you!!
mmartinez
Hello Genell,
This Jalapeño salsa is used with chips, tacos or grilled meats.
Gissie
So so good , Gracias from a Belgium fan
mmartinez
Hello Gissie,
Thank you for visiting Mexico in my Kitchen, and for trying the Creamy Jalapeño salsa. So glad to know you like it!
Yolanda
Muchas Gracias por la receta, Se puede congelar?
La quiero hacer aprovechando que nuestra xosecha dio mucho jalapeño.
mmartinez
Hola Yolanda,
Puedes congelar los jalapeños enteros, nunca he congelado esta salsa. Pero puedes tratar.
Saludos!
Yolanda
Gracias!!