Gustavo Romero's Salsa de Chinicuiles

March 7, 2025

Gustavo Romero of Oro by Nixta hails from Hidalgo, where he grew up harvesting chinicuiles — tiny worms that live inside the maguey plant. A delicacy of the region, chinicuiles have a rich, umami-packed flavor that's reminiscent of the plants they feed from. Grinding them into a salsa typical of the region lends a depth and a unique, earthy flavor. When combined with charred tomatoes, serrano chiles, garlic, and onions, the result is a smoky, savory salsa that’s full of character. It’s the kind of salsa you’ll want to enjoy fresh, when all those vibrant flavors are at their peak, and it pairs perfectly with tender, slow-cooked barbacoa.

Molcajete

Salsa de Chinicuiles

Gustavo Romero

Ingredients

Cloves from 1 whole head of garlic, peeled
3 serrano chiles
3 Roma tomatoes
1 white onion, sliced into rounds
30 chinicuiles, fresh or dried
Juice of ½ lime
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 epazote leaves, finely chopped

Directions

If using dried chinicuiles, pour hot water over them to rehydrate.
Preheat a comal over high heat. Add the garlic cloves, serrano chiles, tomatoes, onion, and chinicuiles. Char, turning with tongs, until the skins are black, about 10 minutes, removing each ingredient when it’s ready.
Transfer the garlic and serrano chiles to a molcajete and grind into a paste. Add lime juice, salt, and ⅓ of the chinicuiles, mashing until combined.
Add the onions and tomatoes little by little, mashing them in as you go, to achieve a rustic texture.
Stir in the vegetable oil to loosen the salsa and prevent clumping.
Add epazote and the remaining chinicuiles, stirring until well combined.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.