Give the Gift of This Pecan Morita Salsa Negra

Name: Smoky Salsa Negra with Morita Chiles & Pecans
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients: 1 cup avocado oil; 1 oz morita chiles (about 9 dry chiles) stems and seeds removed; 1 cup (4 ounces) raw pecans; 30 peeled garlic cloves, from about 3 bulbs; 1 tbsp (about 10 grams) grated piloncillo, panela or dark brown sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons fine Kosher salt, plus more to taste

Avocado taco topped with Pecan Morita Salsa Negra

March 24, 2026

While working as an assistant to Ina Garten, Kristina Felix became obsessed with the art of nixtamalization and bought herself a Molinito from Masienda as a birthday gift, immersing herself in the art of tortilla making. Ever since, we've been so lucky to bring Kristina even further into the masaverse, first with a stint on our brand team, then as a recipe tester for our upcoming cookbook, Vitamina T.

Kristina is a class act: after completing her testing work for Vitamina T, she sent homemade thank you gifts to the authors. We haven't been able to stop thinking about the salsa negra she lovingly crafted and jarred ever since. Few gifts are more memorable than homemade ones, and we can hardly think of anything we'd rather receive than a homemade condiment.

Something between a nut butter and a blended salsa macha, this salsa (inspired by Gabriela Camara's recipe for Salsa Negra) is a sweet, smoky, earthy blend of morita chiles, pecans, and piloncillo. Use it like pesto, spread it on a warm tortilla for a quick snack or toss it with freshly cooked pasta and a little pasta water to make a silky delicious sauce.

These days, Kristina develops recipes for NYT Cooking, writes a beautiful newsletter, and is working on a cookbook of her own. We can't wait to share more of her delicious creations.

Smoky Salsa Negra with Morita Chiles & Pecans

Kristina Felix

Servings

2 cups

Prep Time

30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup avocado oil
1 oz morita chiles (about 9 dry chiles) stems and seeds removed
1 cup (4 ounces) raw pecans
30 peeled garlic cloves, from about 3 bulbs
1 tbsp (about 10 grams) grated piloncillo, panela or dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons fine Kosher salt, plus more to taste

Directions

In a 3-4 quart saucepan, add the oil and heat over medium for 6 minutes (or until it reaches (350 degrees, if you're using a thermometer). Fry the chiles in the hot oil until they puff up and begin to change color, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chilies and place them in a blender.
Carefully drop the pecans into the oil for 15 seconds, just until they change color. Remove them with the slotted spoon and add them to the blender with the chiles.
Immediately drop the garlic cloves into the hot oil and drop the heat as low as your burner can go. Allow the garlic to simmer in the hot oil until the cloves are golden and easy to mash with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the oil and garlic cool in the saucepan.
Once the oil is cool enough to transport, pour it into the blender along with the garlic, sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Pulse until the salsa is blended but still has texture—something between smooth and chunky, similar to a natural nut butter. It should be slightly coarse, with some oil separation, not fully emulsified. Taste for salt.
Transfer to a storage container and allow the salsa to cool completely before sealing it. The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Bring it to room temperature for serving.

5 comments

MASIENDA | April 8, 2026

Hi Kim! You can absolutely use guajillo and ancho dried chiles for this recipe.

KIM FINDLAY | April 8, 2026

I have a lot of ancho and guajillo dried chiles.Could I use them instead?

MASIENDA | March 24, 2026

Hi Carol! Yes, great question, and what you’re seeing in the photos is actually the correct texture. When we say “nut butter,” we’re referring more to a natural nut butter, not the super smooth, fully emulsified kind. So the salsa should be a little coarse/grainy with some oil separation, not perfectly creamy. If yours looks slightly textured and a bit loose with oil rising to the top, you’re right where it should be.

CAROL JEAN | March 24, 2026

The instructions (smooth nut butter texture) don’t appear to match the photos (grainy or granular texture with separated oil). Please advise?

HALLIE | February 23, 2026

I can’t wait to make this!