THE red table salsa that appears with practically every dish in Mexico. Roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic gives the salsa its characteristic deep, lightly smoky flavour. Indispensable with all tacos and burritos.
Salsa roja
Salsa roja
Salsa roja
Salsa roja
Method
01
Roast
Dry-roast the tomatoes, onion (in quarters), garlic (unpeeled) and chillies, without oil, on a hot frying pan or comal until they have black spots on all sides, approx. 10 minutes, turning now and then.
02
Peel
Leave to cool, peel the garlic and remove the stalks from the chillies.
03
Blend
Put everything in a blender with the coriander and blend to a coarse, thick salsa. If needed, add a splash of water for the desired thickness.
04
Season
Season with salt and a splash of lime juice.
05
Rest
Leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving so the smoky flavour spreads.
Tips & notes
You decide the heat yourself: leave the seeds and membranes of the chillies in for hot, or remove them for mild. Want to get closer to the Mexican flavour? Add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika; that replaces a little of the smokiness of dried Mexican chillies. Keeps for 3–5 days, covered, in the fridge.
Chef's tip
Every Mexican region and household has its own salsa roja; the constant is the dry roasting technique on the comal. Use jalapeño for mild, serrano for hotter.
Variations
- Salsa roja asada – Roasted extra long for a deeper, smokier character.
- With chipotle – Add a chipotle in adobo for extra smoke and heat.
- Salsa verde mexicana – With tomatillos instead of tomato, sharper in acidity.
Serve with
- Tacos
- Huevos rancheros
- Tortilla chips
- Grilled meat
- Quesadilla
| Calories | 86 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
