Salsa Daddy by Rick Martínez – Hardback Cookbook

Salsa Daddy is a hardback Mexican cookbook from James Beard Award-winning author Rick Martínez, with more than 70 salsas and 24 easy meals that show how salsa can be a dip, a condiment or the heart of a whole dinner. It was named a Washington Post Best Cookbook of the Year.

Seventy-plus salsas and the meals to match

Chips and salsa might be the happiest pairing in food, but Rick wants you to go much further. After more than 500 years of salsa history there's a lot to discover, and he treats salsa as something you can riff on freely, a dip one day, a sauce for grilled meat the next, and the base of a full Mexican meal after that.

What's inside

The salsas are grouped by how they're made: smashed, chopped, cooked and a run of specials, with an introduction that walks you through the fresh and dried chillies behind them. Then come 24 easy meals that put those salsas to work.

Highlights include La Tatemada Cremosa with charred tomato, chipotle and crema, Xnipec with tomato, habanero and sour orange, Pipián Verde with pepitas and tomatillo, Salsa Macha, Aioli Rojo and La Morita, plus meals like Chilaquiles, Enchiladas Gratinadas, Puffy Tacos, Pozole Verde con Pollo and Flautas Ahogadas.

Who it's for

Anyone with tacos on the menu, and every barbecue cook who wants something bright and punchy to spoon over grilled meat. It's friendly for beginners and a great way to get to know Mexican chillies.

About Rick Martínez

Rick Martínez is a Mexican American cookbook author, recipe developer and food personality. His debut book, Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico, won a James Beard Award, was named IACP Cookbook of the Year and became a New York Times bestseller.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Hide the good jar; show the guests the mustard, because once this book lands the salsa is the main event. Rick takes you from smashed and chopped salsas to slow-cooked ones, then builds whole meals around them, and the Meet the Chiles pages are a brilliant crash course in what every fresh and dried chilli brings. Buy it and every taco night gets a serious upgrade. Pair it with Barbacoa for Tex-Mex smoke and Tacos for the tortilla side of things, and keep Nomad Chilli Co Salsa Macha handy for nights you can't wait.

Questions answered

Who wrote Salsa Daddy?

Salsa Daddy was written by Rick Martínez, the James Beard Award-winning author of Mi Cocina.

What's inside Salsa Daddy?

More than 70 salsas, from smashed and chopped to cooked and specials like Salsa Macha, plus 24 easy meals such as Chilaquiles, Enchiladas Gratinadas and Pozole Verde con Pollo.

Is Salsa Daddy good for beginners?

Yes. Many salsas come together in minutes, and the book introduces the fresh and dried chillies you need before you start.

Is Salsa Daddy a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 288-page hardback published by Clarkson Potter in 2025.

Can I use Salsa Daddy recipes with barbecued meat?

Absolutely. Salsas like La Tatemada Cremosa and Salsa Macha are perfect spooned over grilled steak, chicken, prawns or tacos straight off the barbecue.