Salsa Roja
Salsa Roja - kvalifood.com
Salsa roja is the everyday red table salsa found across Mexico. It is tomato-based, charred or roasted, and can use either fresh chiles (jalapeno, serrano) or dried chiles (arbol) for heat.
Serve it with tortilla chips, tacos, enchiladas, eggs, grilled meats, or rice and beans. It is the all-purpose salsa that goes on nearly everything.
Makes ca. 500 ml (2 cups)
Ingredients
- 680 g ripe Roma tomatoes (ca. 8 medium)
- 1/4 medium white onion (ca. 50 g), halved
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled (ca. 10 g)
- 1-2 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed, or 4-6 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp oil, optional, for flash-frying
- fresh cilantro leaves (ca. 5 g), optional
- 1/2 lime, juiced (ca. 15 ml), optional
Directions
Broil tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapenos 6-8 minutes until charred. Flip and broil 4-6 minutes more.
If using dried arbol chiles: toast in a dry skillet 1-2 minutes until darkened and fragrant.
Peel garlic. Blend tomatoes (with juices), garlic, chiles, onion, and salt to desired consistency. Add cilantro and lime if using.
Optional: heat oil in a skillet, pour in blended salsa, cook 2-3 minutes until darkened slightly.
Adjust salt. Keeps 5 days refrigerated.
Notes
- Roma tomatoes are preferred for meatiness.
- The arbol chile variation gives sharper, smokier heat. Both are traditional.
- Cumin is not traditional in Mexican salsa roja.
See Also
Roasted Salsa Verde
Salsa de Cacahuate with Tomato
Cooked Salsa Verde
Recado Rojo
