This Chile de Arbol Pipián type sauce is another way to enjoy the spicy and smoky de arbol chile. The de arbol chile is totally different from the traditional New Mexico red chiles and quite a bit hotter. You’ll find them in my Chile de Arbol Salsa, Red Chile Paste, and Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce. Chile de Arbol Pipián highlights the flavor of the chile but in a totally different way from these previous sauces. This sauce is similar to a Mexican molé or pipián sauce which are puréed seed/nut/chile sauces used for a variety of dishes.
The pipián I’m sharing with you today is a purée of a few toasted ingredients that includes chile de arbol, pecans, pumpkin seeds and coriander seeds. It’s a very quick and easy sauce to throw together (less than 30 minutes), and has a bold and unique flavor. It’s pretty awesome! Smother chicken and vegetables with it, or add a dollop to a serving of sauteed vegetables like calabacitas and mushrooms. It also makes a great sauce for tacos. OR you could do like I do and just grab a spoon and eat it right out of the blender.
Chile de Arbol Pipián
A purée of toasted chile de arbol, pecans, pumpkin seeds and coriander seeds into a spicy, thick sauce that can be used for chicken, enchiladas, tacos, or just about anything your heart desires.
*See Kitchen Notes for more information and links.
- 1 ¼ cups water + ¼ cup
- 4 – 8 Chile de arbol peppers*, remove stems and seeds*
- ¼ tsp. coriander seed
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds*
- 1 cup pecans*
- 1/2 medium onion, ~1 cup, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- Salt to taste
- juice from 1 lime
- Heat a heavy skillet over a medium high heat.
- On another burner, bring 1 ¼ cups water and 1/8 tsp. salt to a boil then reduce to a low simmer.
- To the hot skillet, add the chile de arbol and lightly toast by tossing the chile over and over for about 2 minutes. Transfer the chile to the simmering water.
- Add the coriander to the hot skillet and brown lightly by tossing around the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes or until the seeds become aromatic and start to darken. Transfer to the pot with the chile and water.
- Repeat this process with the pumpkin seeds. The pumpkin seeds are ready when they start to turn, swell and pop. Transfer to simmering pot.
- Repeat the process for lightly toasted pecans. Transfer to simmering pot.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet, remove from the heat and stir until the onion quits sizzling. Transfer to the simmering pot. Add ¼ cup water to the skillet to deglaze. Pour that water into the simmering pot.
Remove the pot of water with ingredients from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer all ingredients (including water) to a blender. Add the lime juice and blend on high until smooth. If it gets too thick, add a little water, but be careful not to add to much. You want the consistency of a thick sauce but thinner than a paste.
- Let set in the refrigerator overnight for the best flavor. Use as desired.
It does keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Freeze what you don’t use.
Chile de Arbol – Because these are very intense chiles, I recommend using 4 for a medium heat, 8 for hot. Even with just a few chiles in this sauce, they still provide a tremendous amount of flavor (and heat) that rises above all of the other flavors. If you don’t have chile de arbol, then give your favorite chile pepper a try. Any flavorful, spicy small chile should work just fine in this recipe.
Pumpkin Seeds – Sunflower seeds can be used in place of pumpkin seeds as well as a mix of sunflower and pumpkin. You could also throw in a few sesame seeds.
Pecans – Well it wouldn’t be a pecan sauce without the pecans, but if you don’t have any, you can definitely substitute with almonds. And if you want a completely different flavor, then use peanuts with a sesame/pumpkin seed mix. This combination works great with pork and shrimp.
New Mexico Pecans
Did you know that New Mexico is one of the top three pecan producers in the United States (Georgia and Texas being the other two)? This year New Mexico has had its best crop in 10 years. Even though we’ve been in a pretty bad drought, this year’s rains came at the right time and we’re getting a bumper crop. So it is a good year to buy pecans. Like chile, I usually buy pecans in bulk and freeze them. They freeze quite well and it’s always nice being able to grab a handful of pecans when you need them.
This year I purchased the pecans you see here from my friends at Diaz Farms in southern New Mexico. I bought 10 pounds of unshelled pecans which is about 5 pounds shelled. These pecans are excellent! They are very easy to shell, meaty, and have a great flavor. The difference between these pecans and those you buy at grocery store is night and day. So if you want some great pecans, check New Mexico pecans out this year. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up a bag of chile de arbol peppers from Diaz Farms as well. You’re going to need them to make this chile de arbol sauce. 🙂
Diaz Farms has shut down its online store, so now I’m buying my pecans from the New Mexico Pecan Company for a great tasting New Mexico pecan. I can get them already shelled is is even better.
Hello MG!
Your Chile de Arbol Pecan Sauce recipe would be amazing I can imagine. I love chilies in everything even in my sweet recipes.
Thanks Anita! Love to hear from another chile lover as well as one that likes the “sweet and spicy” like I do. You should check out my New Mexico style chocolate pudding. You’d love it!
Oh yes.. here’s that gorgeous sauce. Now where’s that spoon! 🙂
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This recipe is so unique! I love that you combined nuts and chile de arbol, this would be a delicious snack for sure! It looks fabulous:-) Hugs, Terra
What a flavorful sauce I’ve never tried this before but it sounds so unique. Now to check out the recipe you top this with.
Lovely! Creamy, nutty spicy. I did something like this with guajillo chilies and walnuts and it went down really well with black eyed beans x
Thanks Deena! Oh I love the idea of walnuts and chile sauce with black-eyed peas. I might have to steal that one from you. 🙂
Your sauce is giving wings to my imagination…how lovely this dip would be with some of my pan fried veggies!
Oh my goodness. I hope this is as doable as it looks. I don’t think I have ever ever ever had a sauce like this. And as you know the sauce is what makes all the difference. A cooking concept the French have perfected for many years. Wow to have a sauce like this in my book of cooking tricks might change my life! I am being silly, but that is what thinking about this sauce has done to me. Laughing——
Thanks so much Carol! Oh yes – this is definitely a doable sauce, so very easy and delicious. I do have to say that it is nothing like a French sauce, more like the sauces one finds in Mexico and the southwest – thick and rich. I hope you get a chance to give it a try. If you do, let me know how you like it.
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yummy, that sound so good can’t wait to try the sauce.
LOL, I like so many things right out of the mixing bowl, blender, etc. And I’d love to try this sauce 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever tried chile de arbol — is that possible, what’s wrong with me?? 🙂 this recipe sounds sublime. I’m a big fan of sauces of this nature including molé so I know I would fall for this one too. And I love the idea of combining the warmth of chile pepper with the flavour and texture of nuts/seeds in a sauce. I’m pretty certain I would use it on everything, including my morning eggs!
Unusual sauce/dip and it sounds so typically southern US to me (pecans and chile!). I would probably try using walnuts instead (pecans are quite expensive here and also difficult to buy unsalted).
I guess all what i needed to enjoying it is my finger and tortilla chips,
lovin pecan all the way, unfortunately we didn’t eat that a lot eversince the fact pecan is quite expensive, my sister also allergic with it too!!!!
I would love to try it with crispy pita bread or on a souvlaki skewer! I bet it would be tasty and unique!
Thanks Katerina! Oh – your suggestions sound perfect!!!! I love it with chicken and now I’m definitely going to try it with a souvlaki skewer!!!
MJ, I’m so glad you really like chile de arbol. It is one of my favourites! Your sauce I would totally eat right out of the blender. Love, love the recipe! Can’t wait to see it in your future posts too.:)
Thanks Nancy! Chile de Arbol become one of my favorite last summer when I tried them for the first time. The flavor is amazing and the heat – if you use too much – quite intense, but a good intense. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe.
This is a new sauce to me – it’s so different and interesting. I bet it is really delicious, too. It sounds like it would be really great on chicken.
Thanks Amy! It is great on chicken. A recipe for that is coming very soon. 🙂
My tongue tingles just looking at the photos ! Yum !
Thanks Maureen! The chile definitely makes your tongue tingle and if you use too many (like I did the first time I made this), it will make it sizzle. 🙂
I had never tried pecan this way (pureed form) and I had fun learning about this sauce! I’d love to use it for dip or spread.
Thanks Nami! Pureed pecans is definitely not something that one sees a lot, but it’s quite good, especially if you’re a pecan lover like me. 🙂 The added spice really makes this sauce special.
What a fancy little name for what I have known as ‘dry red chillies’ all my life…and what an incredible recipe!!! This is going for a bookmark. Now, Yumm. You are just too good.
Thanks Minnie! Oh there are SO many of those “dried red chillies”. 🙂 And I’m always amazing at how different they each taste. This sauce can really be made with any of them so I hope you give it a try and enjoy!
this is new to me..i loved it ..so full of flavors…I’m going to give it a try soon…
Thanks Gloria! If you can’t find the chile de arbol where you are, bird’s eye would work. Hope you enjoy it.
Yum! This sounds like an incredible sauce!
Thanks Asmita!
I’ve never heard of this sauce. The list of ingredients looks very yummy. I’m looking forward to your chicken recipe where you use this sauce xx
Thanks Charlie! Actually, I had never heard of this sauce either. 🙂 But it sure is good.
How wonderful to be able to pick up a large bag of fresh pecans like that. Does this mean the almond growers are also out of the risk of drought as well? I love the flavors in this one, it’s a completely new dip for me.. it must taste amazing!! I’ll have to see if we have those peppers here.xx
Thanks Barb! I have no idea about the almond growers. I honestly don’t know of any almond growers here in New Mexico or anywhere for that matter. Hope you get to give this a try.
This sounds totally delicious. It looks so creamy. Hand me a spoon too please.
Thanks Debra!! I’ve got an extra spoon for you. 🙂
I will definitely bookmark this sauce, it looks like a lovely seasoning 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru! Hope you get a chance to make it.
What a great sauce to keep on hand. I’ll bet there’s all kinds of ways to use it!
Thanks Susan! I’m still discovering more and more ways to use it.
I bet this would be great as pizza sauce too. So creamy and packed with flavours.
Have a lovely weekend, MJ!
Angie
Oh I LOVE the idea of the pizza sauce! Didn’t think about that one, but now I’ve got to give it a try. Thanks Angie!
We used to live in Texas so I know all about how great fresh pecans are! Didn’t know New Mexico was #3 in production, though. And I’ve heard about chile de arbol, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had it in a dish. Or if I did, I didn’t know it. I should go looking for it, so I can make this sauce! It looks really, really good — thanks.
Thanks John! As much as you enjoy chiles, I think you would thorough enjoy these chiles. Quite a bit different flavor – very earthy.
I can picture myself dipping pita chips in this sauce. Yum!
It’s pretty darn good that way. 🙂 Thanks Jennie!