Colombian-Style Salsa with Plantain Chips
Posted on July 10 2025
Serve at your next cookout!
Colombian-Style Salsa with Plantain Chips
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Category
Appetizer
Servings
3 cups
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30-35 minutes
Author:
Curio Kitchen
We took our inspiration for this salsa from the traditional Colombian sauce, hogao (say, ‘ho-gah-oh’). Pipilongo adds its subtle peppery, citrusy, and minty notes to this robust sauce. We love hogao as a dip, but it also makes a great topping for baked fish and can be used instead of sofrito in soups or stews.
Notes: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can crush the pipilongo using a flat heavy object, such as the bottom of a skillet or a flat meat tenderizer.
Ingredients
-
3 pipilongo pods
- 1 large onion, cut into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 2 orange bell peppers, seeded, cut into chunks
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 6 scallions, sliced
- Store-bought plantain chips, for serving
Directions
Add the pipilongo to a mortar and pestle. Pound a few times to loosen the seeds from the central stems; pick out and discard the stems. Coarsely crush the seeds and set aside.
- Add the onions and garlic to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process to a coarse paste.
- Put the oil into a medium skillet or shallow pan set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sharp aroma subsides.
Return the food-processor bowl to the machine and add the tomatoes and peppers; process to a coarse paste. Add this to the onion mixture in the pan, stir to combine, and add the pipilongo and salt. Continue cooking the salsa on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and scallions and cook until thickened, an additional 5-10 minutes.
Serve hot or at room temperature with plantain chips.
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