Cinco Salsas for Cinco de Mayo, Healthy Chips and Some Margaritas!

Regardless of how one feels about the idea of Cinco de Mayo being falsely known as Mexican Independence Day, it’s is true that we here in the USA celebrate it as somewhat of a Mexican heritage and pride day. 

The true origins of this day are in the State of Puebla and the holiday is called “El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla," commemorating the Mexican army’s victory over French forces, rooted in the French occupation of Mexico. Despite the confusion of it all, we typically celebrate throughout the USA Mexican pride in style.

So this year why not make the most of the fact that the “holiday” falls on a Saturday and throw a little salsa party for you and your friends, maybe even do a little dancing. 

Indulge in some simple and tasty salsas, healthy chips and a few margaritas! These five salsa recipes are easy and quick to prepare and will give you a good sampling of a variety of Mexican ingredients from various regions of Mexico, plus a few other Latin flavors and techniques.

It’s a simple menu, perfect for a small Cinco de Mayo gathering, perhaps even for cinco of your friends!

The Salsas

Smokey & Fiery Chipotle Sauce

This is a rich and deep flavorful sauce that takes only one pan, a blender and 20 minutes total to make (12 of those minutes are on the stove!). It’s the perfect balance of smoky and spicy and the coffee in it gives it a little “buzz." Perfect for chip dipping and also pairs well with shredded pork or chicken tacos.

Roasted Tomatillo & Poblano Salsa

This is another simple-to-prepare on a pan dish that utilizes one of Pueblas prize ingredients, “poblano peppers." This salsa is slightly spicy and carries a slightly smoky flavor as well from the roasting process. This salsa is also excellent on grilled meats and fish.

Salsa Acapulceno

In Acapulco everything is a little bit more “bedazzled” the bikinis, the nightlife and certainly the pico de gallo. I gave this unique salsa the evil eye the first time I saw it, but when I actually tasted it I was delightfully surprised. The addition of capers and olives are an exceptional twist on the Mexican classic pico de gallo. 

Pineapple, Red Onion, Serrano Salsa

Tropical salsas are one of my favorite and I am infatuated with how Mexican coastal cuisine creates these tasty salsas that are not sweet but savory and totally healthy and vibrant. This particular salsa is indeed my favorite and I often grill the pineapple first, but you certainly don’t have to. It makes a perfect addition to cabbage salad as well as on grilled vegetables and potatoes.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce

It is true that sauce is rooted in Peruvian cuisine, but many variations of cilantro sauce are found throughout Mexico and I still gravitate toward the Peruvian style and find it to be the freshest and easiest of all the cilantro styles out there. So it isn’t Mexican, but it is excellent with chips and also drizzled on Tacos.

The Chips

Baked Corn & Wheat Cilantro Cumin Chips

Chips are easy to make and can be way healthier when you make them yourself, not to mention they taste better. I just love whole wheat corn chips. Don’t be afraid to change the seasoning to your liking, omit the cumin or change out lemon zest for lime, be creative.

The Margaritas

A Cinco de Mayo party is never complete without an excellent margarita. Here are two excellent recipes, full of flavor and simple to prepare, that also add a little dazzle to your party and are sure to impress your guests.

 Strawberry Margaritas with Lime Salted Rims & Jalapeño Mango Margaritas