The Mexican Salsa That Features An Unexpected Creamy Ingredient

Despite the limitations of many restaurants and taco carts, there are far more Mexican salsas than just green or red. While it isn't as well known outside of Mexico, salsa de cacahuate doesn't pack any less of a flavorful punch than its more common compadres. Not to be confused with salsa macha — a Mexican chile oil that features a hearty peanut flavor — salsa de cacahuate is a creamy salsa made from peanuts, garlic, onion, chile de árbol, a variety of optional seasonings, and sometimes tomato.

This salsa's creaminess truly does set it apart from most other salsas. Instead of going heavy on tomatoes or tomatillos for its base, salsa de cacahuate relies on a generous helping of toasted peanuts. This gives it a different kind of smoky flavor than other salsas and there is even a bit of a sweetness to it. Additional spices such as cinnamon and cloves can also be included, which go a long way toward setting this salsa apart from others. But, just like most traditional Mexican salsas, it can be pretty spicy. If you expect the creaminess to offset the chiles, you might be surprised by the level of heat that it can bring.

Like traditional Thai peanut sauce, salsa de cacahuate is a versatile condiment you can enjoy on any number of foods. It is especially good on chicken and can even replace mole sauce or act as the base for just about any kind of stewed meat. Try it with slow-cooked beef or pork chops.

Are you looking to give your next round of fajitas a boost? Well, salsa de cacahuate is where it's at. The salsa also goes incredibly well with shrimp, so be sure to utilize it for both the grilled and coconut-encrusted varieties. And, of course, this salsa can take tofu and just about any rice or soba noodle dish to the next level.

Surprisingly, salsa de cacahuate also makes an excellent dip for quesadillas, whether plain cheese, chicken, or shrimp. It can even work as a dressing on a garden salad when used as the basis for something more complicated or thinned down with a few spritzes of lime juice.

Salsas aren't the only dishes where you'll find peanuts in Mexican cuisine. The tasty legumes are also popular when coated and toasted with cacahuates japonés, fried with chiles, and candies such as mazapán. There is even a drink made from peanuts called toritos de cacahuate, sweetened with vanilla and condensed milk. Oaxacan-style peanuts with chile and garlic is yet another example of the delicious ways you can utilize peanuts in Mexican cooking.

Peanuts are popular in cooking around the world, and they're especially prevalent in dishes from many Asian and African countries. But there is also something uniquely special about how peanuts and spicy chiles are instilled within the Mexican cooking culture. Salsa de cacauhate is a perfect example of this. Once you try it, it's definitely hard to live without the creamy, spicy salsa.