Salsa Criolla: Peruvian Red Onion Salsa {Recipe}

After I made pickles the other day it got me thinking about other delicious condiments to have on hand in the fridge and the top of the list was Salsa Criolla. This Peruvian salsa is a kind of pickled onion relish that is traditionally served alongside chicharones (deep fried pork) as a way to cut the fatty rich taste of the dish, with the mint as a help for digestion. Of course its awesome with chicharones, but we eat it with all sorts of grilled and roasted meats and it is insanely good as a sausage condiment. A spoonful of salsa criolla absolutely elevates the plain old brautwurst in a bun. It’s also great on top of plain white rice or refried beans.

The recipe lends itself to adaptations as well – I often change out the fresh herbs I use or combine several types (parsley is always great, and I’ve made a delicious version with basil before) and it can be more or less spicy depending on the type and amount of chile peppers used. This version is not spicy at all – just has a bit of heat.

1. Slice the onions thinly in half circles – you could use a mandolin to get really thin slices but I never bother – a knife works just fine.

2. Seed the jalapeno, remove the membranes (to control the heat level) and slice it into thin strips.

  3. Chiffonade the mint leaves (see the photo below for the how-to).

  4. Put all of the ingredients into a non-reactive bowl, toss them well to separate the onion slices and combine the flavors, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

   5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator – the salsa should keep for at least a week.

11 Comments on “Salsa Criolla: Peruvian Red Onion Salsa {Recipe}”

1. I can think of so many different foods to use this onion salsa on. My hubby would absolutely love it. I’ll be featuring it on Thursdays Treasures.

   • Wow thanks Christie!

2. I usually throw sliced onions into the pickled beet brine, but I’ll definitely give this a try. It would go so well with so many things! Stopping by from the T.G.I.F link party. Have a Happy Friday! 🙂

3. Oh my goodness, this sounds amazing! I fancy myself a bit of a salsa connoisseur and I can’t believe I’ve never tried it! It’s on my list now-thanks!

4. You should really use the Peruvian pepper the Peruvians use in this..the aji amarillo.. also simply called Peruvian peppers..better tasting than the jalapeño..really nice heat…but can’t be found everywhere so I grow my own.

   • Yes, I completely agree, you must use ají amarillo in order to call it “Peruvian” salsa. Otherwise is not and should not please.

     • Is there anywhere to get aji amarillo seeds in the U.S.?

       • Hi Rusty,

         I’ve never looked for seeds before, but I’ve purchased live aji amarillo plants (and other peruvian peppers) from chileplants.com and had good results. I also got an aji amarillo plant from a local nursery a few years ago, so if you’ve got a nice specialty nursery near you with a big veggie selection, you might get lucky. I have to say, I put jalapeno in the recipe because its easier for people to find – of course using aji amarillo or aji colorado would be more ‘authentic’.

         • Thank you for the information. I just got back from Peru last week. My spouse is Peruvian and I love aji amarillo sauce.

5. Looks good except that I really hate the taste of mint in anything. I’ll probably use Cilantro instead.

6. I’ll probably substitute cilantro for the disgusting herb known as mint. Vile weed.