Description
This vibrant and flavorful Salsa Roja recipe features roasted roma tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions blended with fresh garlic, lime juice, and cilantro to create a deliciously smoky and zesty dip perfect for pairing with tortilla chips or as a topping for your favorite Mexican dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 8 roma tomatoes
- 1/2 small onion
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Spices & Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Other
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to get ready for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare vegetables: Arrange the roma tomatoes, halved onion, and jalapeño peppers evenly on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin over everything. Toss well to coat the vegetables with the oil and spices.
- Roast and broil: Place the pan in the oven and roast the veggies for 20 minutes until their skins begin to blister. Afterwards, switch to the broil setting and broil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables develop a charred, smoky texture.
- Blend ingredients: Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, and any juices collected on the pan into a food processor. Add the garlic cloves and lime juice to the mixture.
- Puree salsa: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Then add the fresh cilantro and pulse a few times just to incorporate it without over-blending.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste your salsa roja and add extra salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed to balance the flavors perfectly.
- Serve: Pour your fresh salsa roja into a bowl and serve with crunchy tortilla chips or use as a spicy topping for tacos and other Mexican dishes.
Notes
- Use gloves when handling jalapeños to avoid skin irritation from the oils.
- For a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the jalapeños before roasting.
- You can substitute fresh lime juice with bottled lime juice in a pinch, but fresh is preferred for brightness.
- Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- This salsa can also be used as a marinade or sauce base for grilled meats.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: salsa roja, roasted salsa, Mexican salsa, spicy salsa, tomato salsa, jalapeño salsa
