salsa
everyday
In Mexican Spanish a sauce is a salsa, and the word is the same you know from taco stands. Mexicans mostly use it for chili based sauces, so salsa roja and salsa verde are the classics. It is also called aderezo and caldillo.
Meaning: a liquid for flavoring food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| salsa | everyday |
| aderezo | dressing and creamy sauce |
| caldillo | thin sauce |
A creamy sauce or a salad dressing is an aderezo, and a thin sauce for stews is sometimes called caldillo. At a taqueria you ask ¿qué salsas tienen?
Which one should you use?
In English "sauce" can be mild. In Mexico salsa often means spicy, so ask ¿pica? if you are not sure.
Did you know?
- Salsa roja is usually made with red tomato or dried chilies, and salsa verde with green tomatillos.
Examples in context
- ¿Me da más salsa verde, por favor?Can I have more green sauce, please?
- El aderezo de la ensalada es de cilantro.The salad dressing is made with cilantro.
Example conversation
Hugo orders tacos at a stand in Mexico City.
- HugoTres tacos de pastor, por favor.Three al pastor tacos, please.
- Taquero¿Con salsa roja o verde?With red or green sauce?
- HugoLa verde, pero que no pique mucho.The green one, but not too spicy.
