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Overhead view of a bowl of salsa roja with tortilla chips, sea salt, and a squeezed lime arranged around it on parchment paper.
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Salsa Roja

This salsa roja hits the sweet spot between spicy and fresh. It comes together in just 30 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients—roasted in the oven and blended into a bold, flavorful salsa you'll want on everything.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 8 roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 2 jalapeño peppers*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Spread the tomatoes, onion half, and jalapeño peppers out on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Toss to coat.
    Raw roma tomatoes, onion, and jalapeños arranged on a baking sheet, seasoned and ready for roasting.
  • Roast for 20 minutes until blistered. Then, broil for 2-3 minutes until charred.
    Roasted roma tomatoes, onion, and jalapeños on a baking sheet, with visible char for added flavor.
  • Transfer the tomatoes, onion half, peppers, and extra juices from the sheet pan to a food processor. Add in the garlic and lime juice.
    Roasted tomatoes, jalapeños, and onion placed in a food processor bowl with garlic cloves, ready to be blended.
  • Blend until smooth. Add in the cilantro and pulse a few times until incorporated.
    Food processor with blended roasted salsa and a bunch of fresh cilantro added before final blending.
  • Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if needed.
    Final blended salsa roja in a food processor, with visible flecks of cilantro and a smooth yet chunky texture.
  • Serve with tortilla chips.**
    Bowl of freshly made salsa roja with a spoon, surrounded by tortilla chips, lime, cilantro, and a small bowl of salt.

Notes

*Use serrano pepper or red chiles instead of jalapeños.
**I like to let the salsa rest for a while so the flavors have time to meld—it makes a big difference. Chilling it before serving not only helps with that but also makes it extra refreshing when served cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 927IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg