• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexico In My Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
×

You are here: Home » Recipes » Salsas

Xnipec Salsa Recipe

Published: Aug 26, 2015 · Updated: Aug 12, 2018 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

The name “Xni-pec “comes from the Maya words “ni” (nose), and “peek” (dog), referring to a dog’s wet nose, since this sauce can be so hot that your nose will sweat like a dog!

Xnipec Salsa

Xnipec Salsa | Mexican Recipes

My first experience with Habanero peppers was a funny and memorable one. Habaneros weren’t that common where I lived in the north, so when I moved to work in the southern states, I had no idea that this little pepper was so fiery hot and was also very important in the Yucatan gastronomy.


So one weekend, my sponsor family was having a barbecue and I was in charge of making the salsa to go along with the grilled meats. I was so happy to be able to help and be involved in the cooking that I wanted to do an excellent job with the presentation on the salsa.

In order to make the salsa look fresh and colorful, I mixed the tomatoes, onions, and habanero peppers…. evenly. The meat then finished grilling and everyone started fixing their tacos and getting ready to top them off with some salsa…. that’s when the unexpected happened. Here I was expecting the guests to say something like: “Wow, that was a great salsa!”, or: “Delicious!”. But no, that’s not what happened. Instead, everyone started gagging, their faces red and covered in tears.

Xnipec Salsa | Ingredients

They all started asking for water, claiming that the salsa was burning hot! My sponsor looked at me and asked how many peppers I had put in. My answer: “Just ten”. “But it has two large tomatoes”, I said. Can you imagine the heat from 10 habanero peppers! From then on, I always ask about the spiciness of every new pepper I might encounter at an Asian, Indian, or any other ethnic market. Live and learn!

Eating peppers also have its health benefits; they are a great source of vitamins C and A.

How to make Xnipec Salsa Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS:

  • Place chopped tomato and onion in a medium-size bowl.
Xnipec Salsa | Instructions step by step
  • Remove seeds and veins from Habanero pepper if you don’t want your sauce to be too hot. Mince the peppers. Be careful when handling these peppers, and wear gloves if you’re very sensitive.
Xnipec Salsa | Instructions step by step, quick and easy
  • Add to the bowl, along with the chopped cilantro.
  • Stir in the orange and lime juice and mix gently. Season with salt.**

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

More recipes:
Beef Tongue in Salsa Verde
Hot Piquin Salsa

Xnipec Salsa

Mely Martínez
Xnipec Salsa, In order to make the salsa look fresh and colorful, I mixed the tomatoes, onions, and habanero peppers…. evenly. The meat then finished grilling and everyone started fixing their tacos and getting ready to top them off with some salsa…. that’s when the unexpected happened.
4 from 10 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Salsas
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 1 ¾ Cup
Calories 71 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Medium sized tomato or 2 small plum tomatoes cored and diced.
  • ⅓ Cup of red onion finely chopped
  • 2 Habanero peppers*
  • 3 Tbsp. Cilantro finely chopped.
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • Salt to taste.

Instructions
 

  • Place chopped tomato and onion in a medium-size bowl.
  • Remove seeds and veins from Habanero pepper if you don’t want your sauce to be too hot. Mince the peppers. Be careful when handling these peppers, and wear gloves if you’re very sensitive.
  • Add to the bowl, along with the chopped cilantro.
  • Stir in the orange and lime juice and mix gently. Season with salt.**

Notes

* If you are used to eating hot sauces, adjust the number of peppers to your own liking.
**If you refrigerate this sauce at least ½ an hour prior to serving, the flavors will combine together in a pleasant taste. The salt will help release the tomatoes’ juice, and this will render a watery sauce. If you don’t like this watery effect, season with salt at the serving time.

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 28mgPotassium: 579mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3758IUVitamin C: 77mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Salsas

  • Cod Crispy Fish Tacos [Pescadillas]
  • Fresh Salsa Roja- Raw Red Salsa
  • Chipotle Salsa Recipe
  • Chile de Arbol Salsa

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply & Rating Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Shannon

    August 26, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    4 stars
    Not sure why this has only 2 stars.... The ingredients look like they will be delicious together! I plan on making this for my father-in-law. He loves hot peppers. But first I will make it for my family. If it's too hot for us I know he will love it!!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 28, 2018 at 10:46 am

      Hello Shannon,
      It is a very spicy salsa, I hope your father in law enjoys it.

      Reply
  2. Carmen

    May 14, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    5 stars
    I am from Yucatán, but can’t handle habaneros, so I substitute them with jalapeños curtidos/pickled. So much better.
    Naranja agria or sour oranges are not available in the US, so just use limon verde or green lemon juice or white vinegar.
    My students and fellow teachers in Livingstin Parish loved it.
    Note: the word for dog is pec, pronounced peck.

    Reply
  3. Juanita

    November 02, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    5 stars
    When my daughter was 5 we were at a friend's house for a cookout and he had just picked a bunch of habeneros from his garden. He put them on a table and my daughter thought they were those little sweet peppers they sell in bags at the grocery stores. Pobrecita cried for a very long time. We tried everything to get the heat out. 🙁

    Reply
  4. Hannibal

    August 26, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    Se ve muy Rica esa Salsa.

    Reply
  5. Byte64

    August 26, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    5 stars
    I like it, albeit with a moderate content of habanero 🙂

    ciao amica!

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    June 15, 2015 at 11:37 pm

    5 stars
    Respect the Xni-Pec! Absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  7. Prieta

    June 14, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    Something similar happened to me with abaneros, I bearly use them now. Your salsa looks delicious and I'm sure is spicy! Take care.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
Read more...

Order your copy now!

Mexican Cookbook
The Mexican Home Kitchen Cookbook

Soup Recipes

  • Mexican Pasta Soup with Spinach
  • Bread Soup from Chiapas
  • Squash Vine and Shoots Soup
  • Mexican Potato Soup

Recipes for tamales

  • Vegan Tamales
  • Homemade Beef Tamales Recipe
  • Chocolate Tamales
  • Sweet Corn Tamales With Pork

As featured in:

Footer

About

ABOUT
PRIVACY POLICY
USER SERVICE AGREEMENT
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

Newsletter

SIGN UP FOR EMAILS AND UPDATES!

Follow / Contact

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
CONTACT

COPYRIGHT © 2023 · MEXICO IN MY KITCHEN