How to Make Guajillo Chile Salsa: Easy Guajillo Salsa Recipe

Guajillo chile salsa is a Mexican sauce made from dried guajillo chiles. Guajillos are large, thin chiles have bright red skin and a mild kick with some natural sweetness and a touch of earthy flavor. The flavor profile of these chile peppers is rich, tannic, and slightly smoky. In Mexican grocery stores, you’ll see them labeled “chile guajillo” or “chile cascabel ancho.”

Guajillo salsa is a staple in Mexican cuisine, and you can use it to add bittersweet chile flavor and medium heat. Here are some ways to serve guajillo salsa:

• With chips: Guajillo makes for a delicious appetizer with homemade tortilla chips. Try serving with a variety of salsas, such as tomatillo-jalapeño salsa and pico de gallo (just tomato, white onion, and cilantro), so you can taste the difference between the condiments. Another great use for tortilla chips and guajillo salsa is with chilaquiles.
• On enchiladas: Ditch the canned enchilada sauce and try guajillo chile sauce instead. Make a guajillo sauce using the method below, but keep the texture on the thicker side.
• As a marinade: Use a thicker version of guajillo chile salsa to marinate meats for tacos, tamales, and burritos.
• In mole sauce: Mole is a complex, spicy sauce made from a mix of different dried chiles, including guajillo and other dried peppers such as pasilla chiles, mirasol chiles, and chiles de árbol.