Sikil Pak is one of the oldest documented Maya salsas — made by grinding together pumpkin seed (sikil) and tomato (pak). Using a high-powered blender, I bring together these same ingredients, along with pureed pumpkin to make a modern-day creamy version of sikil pak. This spicy dip with subtle sweetness and creamy body is a natural accompaniment for tortillas, crudités, and grilled meats.
Mexican · Appetizers
Roasted Pumpkin and Pumpkin Seed Salsa (Sikil Pak)
Sikil Pak is one of the oldest documented Maya salsas — made by grinding together pumpkin seed (sikil) and tomato (pak). Using a high-powered blender, I bring together these same ingredients, along with pureed pumpkin to make a modern-day creamy version of sikil pak. This spicy dip with subtle sweetness and creamy body is a natural accompaniment for tortillas, crudités, and grilled meats.
Tastes
Colors
Techniques
DietaryGluten-Free · Vegan · Soy-Free · Nut-Free · Sesame-Free
Yield1 quart
Serves16 (2 oz)
TimeActive 50m · Inactive 50m · Total 1h 40m
Ingredients
250 g Kabocha Squash or Sugar Pie Pumpkin
25 g Neutral Oil
75 g Neutral Oil
285 g Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)2 cups, divided
5 g Limeszested, from ~5 limes
10 Green Onions
1 bunch Cilantrominced, 2/3 cup, 25 g
Sour Orange Juice, to taste (~½ cup)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil or pumpkin seed oil (optional garnish)
Instructions
••
PUMPKIN PREP (5 MIN): Cut the squash into quarters. Scoop out the seeds and set aside for another use. From the flesh, measure out 250g to roast for this recipe; the remaining squash can be roasted off and refrigerated for another use.
ROAST PUMPKIN (1 HOUR): Preheat the oven to 450 °F. Place pumpkin on a parchment lined sheet tray and roast until the flesh is very soft about 45 mins. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly then transfer to a blender with neutral oil. Puree until smooth.
Chef Tip: If the blender does not move and gets stuck you can add a small amount of water to get it moving. One way to avoid that problem is to roast & puree the entire pumpkin, using a 1/2 cup for this recipe, and reserving the rest for another use.
MEANWHILE, PREP THE HABANERO SALSA: While the pumpkin is in the oven, line a sheet tray with parchment paper and roast the tomatillos, tomatoes, habanero, onion and garlic also at 450 °F until charred all over, about 30 mins. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Blend until smooth and then place in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced by 50%.
MAKE PUMPKIN SEED BUTTER (15 MIN): Preheat a 12” saute pan over medium high heat with neutral oil. Add the pumpkin seeds and roast in the pan until golden brown. They will begin to puff slightly. Do not let them get black by stirring constantly and shaking the pan. Immediately move them to the food processor and process until a pumpkin seed butter forms. This will take a little bit of time. The texture should be like chunky peanut butter.
CHILL INGREDIENTS (15 MIN): Place the reduced salsa, the pumpkin/squash puree, and the pumpkin seed butter in the fridge to cool completely. While these components are chilling, you can zest limes, squeeze citrus, and chop the herbs.
ASSEMBLE SIKIL PAK (5 MIN): In a mixing bowl, mix reduced salsa, pumpkin seed butter, and roasted pumpkin puree. Whisk to combine.
Chef Tip: I crafted this recipe so that you should have just about 500g reduced salsa, 300g pumpkin seed butter, and 150 g pumpkin puree. That’s the ratio I like.
SEASON TO TASTE & SERVE: Finish the sikil pak by stirring in the lime zest, cilantro, and green onion. Season with salt and sour orange juice (or substitute). Drizzle with olive oil or pumpkin seed oil, if desired.
• Serve with toasted bread, crudités, totopos, tostadas or freshly cooked tortillas.
Finished cooking?
Serving & Keeping
Serve: Room Temp, Chilled
Make ahead: The components of this salsa can all be done ahead as time permits and assembled later as none of it is sequential step critical. The habañero salsa its own is also great — with chips, whisked into scrambled eggs, or anywhere else you’d use a salsa.
Keeps: Store in the refrigerator covered and with the top of the dip lined with plastic wrap so it doesn’t oxidize. This dish typically holds for a week before it starts fermenting but even after that point it’s still delicious.
Surplus Ingredients: Excess roasted pumpkin can be used to make soups, fritters, or a pureed sauce. I especially love seared. And the seeds from the pumpkin can be cleaned from the pulp and baked off as a snack. I don’t use them for this recipe because I’m not able to get the same smooth consistency for the salsa as I can get with the store-bought pepitas.
Serve with: Tortillas, crudités, and grilled meats
Beverage: Aqua frescas, N/A style cocktails, or wine
Serving & Keeping
Serve: Room Temp, Chilled
Make ahead: The components of this salsa can all be done ahead as time permits and assembled later as none of it is sequential step critical. The habañero salsa its own is also great — with chips, whisked into scrambled eggs, or anywhere else you’d use a salsa.
Keeps: Store in the refrigerator covered and with the top of the dip lined with plastic wrap so it doesn’t oxidize. This dish typically holds for a week before it starts fermenting but even after that point it’s still delicious.
Surplus Ingredients: Excess roasted pumpkin can be used to make soups, fritters, or a pureed sauce. I especially love seared. And the seeds from the pumpkin can be cleaned from the pulp and baked off as a snack. I don’t use them for this recipe because I’m not able to get the same smooth consistency for the salsa as I can get with the store-bought pepitas.
Serve with: Tortillas, crudités, and grilled meats
Beverage: Aqua frescas, N/A style cocktails, or wine
Recipe Story
Sikil Pak is a traditional Maya salsa made from roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted tomatoes, roasted chile habanero, roasted onion, garlic and sour orange creating a rich, earthy flavor. Its origins trace back to the Yucatán Peninsula, where pumpkin seeds (pepitas) have been a dietary staple since pre-Hispanic times, valued for their nutrition and abundance. Today, Sikil Pak remains a beloved accompaniment to tortillas, vegetables, or grilled meats, symbolizing the deep agricultural and culinary heritage of the Maya people. In Yucatec Maya, “sikil” means pumpkin seed and “pak” means tomato — so Sikil Pak literally translates to “pumpkin seed and tomato”.