A Classic Mexican Salsa Recipe
I want to share with you my favorite salsa recipe, salsa mexicana, an authentic Mexican table salsa. It has great tomato flavor with the pop of cilantro and just the right amount of heat from the serrano chiles.
This salsa goes well with chips, carne asada tacos, taquitos, eggs, and just about any other dish that you like to add salsa to. You will find a variation of this salsa on tables throughout Mexico. It’s a classic and with good reason.
Homemade Salsa is Best
I encourage you to make your own salsas. It’s simple, takes little time, and well worth the effort. Store-bought salsas just don’t compare. I think you’ll agree.
How to Make Mexican Salsa
Seven common ingredients are all you need for this quick and easy salsa recipe.
- Tomato
- Onion
- Serrano chiles
- Garlic
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
Three Tips to Make a Great Salsa
- Tomatoes are the most important ingredient. The fresher they are the better your salsa will taste. Look for the ripest ones you can find.
- Getting a good char on the vegetables is another key to developing the flavor. The lime juice brightens and enhances the flavor.
- The recipe calls for two serrano peppers but only add one if you want to reduce the heat.
Pan-roast the tomatoes, onion, serrano peppers, and garlic.
The deeper the char is on the vegetables the deeper the salsa’s flavor will be.
Add all of the ingredients to the blender including the cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Blend until all of the ingredients are just incorporated. Do not over blend. You want the salsa to have some texture.
Before serving, taste your salsa and add salt if needed.
Looks delicious, doesn’t it? What are you going to put it on?
Provecho!
Try Creating Your Own Salsa Variations
- This recipe is a great starting point to develop your own Mexican salsa recipe. Adjust any or all of the ingredients to suit your tastes.
- Although this recipe calls for charring the chiles, you can also make it without charring them.
- Add more chiles for a spicier sauce or reduce the number for a milder version.
- Substituting jalapeño chiles for the serrano chiles will make a milder salsa too. Try it with habanero chiles if you want a really hot salsa.
Salsa Mexicana FAQ
Salsa mexicana is made with ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, white onion, serrano chiles, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Nothing more. You’ll find a salsa like this on nearly every table in Mexico.
Both start with the same ingredients: tomato, onion, chile, and cilantro. Pico de gallo is chopped and served raw and chunky. Salsa mexicana is charred and blended, which gives it a more typical salsa texture and a deeper, roasted flavor.
Yes. Jalapeños are milder, while serranos are hotter with a sharper bite. Use one small jalapeño for each serrano. Remove the seeds and veins if you want an even milder salsa.
Many Mexican restaurants serve a fully cooked, blended salsa, like a restaurant-style salsa roja, instead of a fresh one. Simmering blends the chiles and tomatoes together and deepens the flavor.
This salsa keeps for about 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the tomatoes release water when it is stored, just give it a quick stir before serving. It doesn’t freeze well.
Salsa Mexicana Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Roma tomatoes halved
- 1 medium onion quartered
- 2 serrano chiles whole
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 6 sprigs of cilantro
- 2 tbsps lime juice approximately the juice of 1 large lime
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet or comal on high
- Place all of the vegetables except the cilantro in the pan or on the comal
- Allow the vegetables to char turning once
- Once the ingredients are well charred put them on a plate and allow them to cool
- Add all of the ingredients to the blender including the cilantro, lime juice, and salt
- Blend until all of the ingredients are just incorporated. Do not over blend
Notes
- To get the best char on the vegetables use a stainless steel skillet or pan. Pans with non-stick coatings don’t get a really good char on the vegetables.
- Serrano chiles vary a lot in heat. A quick test to give you a sense of how hot any fresh chile is to slice one in half and smell it. The sharper it smells the hotter it is.
- Your salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container. If it separates in the fridge just give it a quick stir before serving.
- This salsa doesn’t freeze well.
- This salsa is vegetarian and vegan.
Angelica says
Any chance you will post your enchilada sauce recipe you had on your previous website? Been searching high and low for it. Thank you!
Diana BEll says
What is a “comal” and where can you buy one.
PS. I love love your website. Thank you.
Douglas Cullen says
Diana, a comal is a Mexican griddle used for many tasks; cooking tortillas and gorditas, reheating tamales, roasting peppers, and charring vegetables for salsa. Hernán sells a nice cast iron one. Cheers!
Corey M. says
You cash also find them I sites like Amazon. Search fajita skillet.
Poohla says
Douglas, I was just wondering about using the iron skillet or comal and the tomatoes. I tried a different recipe the other day and used my iron skillet to toast the ancho chilies, tomatoes and serrano peppers it called for. After blending all the ingredients, I used the same skillet to heat and cook the finished sauce. I only thought about it after the fact and wondered if the acidic sauce changed in flavor by using the iron skillet. I am sure our grandmothers used their iron for everything and never worried about the acid in them, so I am sure this question is moot, but I still want to know. I am not a very good cook, even though I try, and last weeks sauce did not turn out very tasty. I am going to give this one a try and hope it comes out better. Thank you for posting this.
glen says
Hello Douglas, if i double the tomatoes to make it more liquidity would i also double the spices to ? i put a green chilli in mine . Thank U.
glen says
Hello ! Mr.D, U said juice of one lime, is that the small or big lime T U. Also i got me a wooden tortilla smasher, A.K.A. tortilla press so i can try to make corn tortillas ,this time i hope they doint stick to the pam covered plastic ! Hope U & Ur wife all the best GOD has !
glen warren spencer says
Hello Mr D need help again, i use 2 serranos ,yet next day no heat , any suggestions would help T U
Douglas Cullen says
If you want to add more heat to the salsa the next day. Very finely chop another serrano pepper and and mix it in with the salsa. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and it it will have the heat you are looking for and will taste great too. Cheers!
Nicole says
Why can’t Dr. use 2 Habenero peppers
Glen Spencer says
Good morning mr. D I took your advice I used to jalapenos then I take the seeds and stem of another jalapeno and I put that in there and I let it sit overnight and next day it’s perfect and I also add a half a teaspoon of liquid Mesquite flavoring cuz I like Mesquite flavor this is Mike salsa recipe from now on thank you very much !☺☺
Cathy says
Just made your salsa and I added 3 Serrano Chile’s less salt. That is really good salsa. I usually make my Mother in laws salsa she taught me when she was alive and that was an ALL day process with 16 pounds of 3 different kinds of Chile’s and peeled all that smash with a can and add salt garlic and I would bag into about 20 bags and put into freezer for the year. But your was much easier love the flavor
Vickie Hernandez says
I tried out this recipe tonight and cant believe how easy and quick it was. Not to mention very tasty. I will definately be making again. Thank You!
Glen Spencer says
Good evening Douglas my name is Glen, about this recipe you say juice of one lime I’m wondering what type of limes have how many teaspoons is it Thank You😋👑🇺🇲
Jamie says
Missing a depth of flavor. It’s too bright, more like a smashed up Pico.
Marsha says
All I have is allclad covered pans. I am going to replace them when I move. They were not cheap and have used my pans for so long I just wonder what the impact is if thats all I have. I do have a cast iron just not sure where it is. I don’t like cast iron.