Salsa Roja or Salsa de Mesa or Salsa Mexicana
Simple, fresh, and easy to make. A winning Mexican restaurant style salsa prepared with plum tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and serrano peppers. Fresh tomatoes, not canned, star in this recipe.
In Mexico, it is known as salsa roja (red sauce)or salsa de mesa (table sauce). And just like in the U.S., it is served in every restaurant before your meal with tortilla chips.
Try With These Dishes
This salsa goes really well with quesadillas, carne asada, chorizo tacos, chicken fajitas, chicken taquitos, and nachos.
This is an easy Mexican salsa recipe that you will make again and again. Follow the simple steps to get great results every time.
Start with Fresh Ingredients. They Count
Homemade salsa starts with fresh ingredients. The fresher they are the better the results. Don’t use canned tomatoes. It gives the salsa a metallic taste.
You’ll notice that there aren’t any limes in the recipe. Whhhaaattt? Lime juice throws off the balance of flavors by overpowering the flavor of the tomatoes. But, if you prefer your salsa with lime try adding the juice from only one lime at a time until you get it perfect.
Ingredients
- 1 pound plum (Roma) tomatoes
- 1 half medium white onion
- 2 serrano chiles or small jalapeños
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 8 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Chop the Ingredients Before Blending
You need to chop the ingredients before adding them to the blender. Precise chopping isn’t important. You just need smaller pieces so that it is easier to blend without adding water.
Don’t Add Water
Put all of the ingredients in your blender. Adding the tomatoes first makes it much easier to blend.
Do not add water unless it won’t blend and then only add 2 tablespoons of water at a time. Most of the time you won’t have to add any. Too much water makes the salsa runny.
You want a full-bodied slightly chunky tomato salsa.
Pulse to Get It Started
The easiest way to get it started it to pulse the blender 5 or 6 times until the blades start to catch. Then blend for about 30 to 45 seconds until it is fully blended but still has a coarse texture. The salsa sticks to tortilla chips better when it has a little texture.
Fry in Hot Oil
Once the salsa is blended, you are going to fry it in 2 tablespoons of hot cooking oil. To fry it you just pour it into the hot oil. This step is important to develop the flavor of the salsa and helps bind it. Don’t skip it.
Simmer Until Perfect
Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until it has taken on a deep red color and has more body. Looks good, doesn’t it? The tomatoes need to be very ripe for the sauce to take on the deep red color in the photos.
There you have it, a delicious cooked salsa recipe!
Cool and Serve
Allow your restaurant salsa to cool and then serve with tortilla chips, tacos, or anything else you enjoy with salsa.
It is so easy to make you should always have some in your refrigerator. Let us know what you think!
Make it Your Go To Homemade Salsa Recipe. Provecho!
Restaurant Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound plum Roma tomatoes
- 1 half medium white onion
- 2 serrano chiles or small jalapeños
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 8 sprigs cilantro fresh
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Remove the seeds and veins from the chiles (Leave them in if you want a hotter salsa)
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion, chiles, and cilantro
- Add the chopped vegetables to your blender (Do not add extra water unless needed and then add a couple of tablespoons at a time)
- Add ½ teaspoon salt
- Blend the salsa until it has a coarse texture
- Preheat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan
- Pour the blended salsa in the hot oil
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low
- Simmer for 15 minutes
- Adjust the salt
Notes
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice from 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
Nutrition
Tools
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- 4-quart pot
- Kitchen spoon
- Serving bowl
Timaree says
This sounds good. I usually make a salsa with both canned and fresh tomatoes plus the lime (my kids love the lime more than I do). I think I will try this one as mine is great but not quite “restaurant” tasting.
El Vato Gordo says
To prevent it from being runny like so many salsas, pierce the tomatoes individually with a fork and squeeze out the juice and seeds into the sink.
Other than that, adding in a diced poblano never hurts.
Also, you can separately simmer black beans with a diced white onion until the onion is completely dissolved, along with salt and pepper. Mix that half and half with the cooked salsa, as well as a couple fresh avocados and you’ll have a salsa/dip that’s incredible with blue corn chips or pretty much anything else you can think of.
Agreed on Serranos, they just have a better flavor than jalapenos.
Orange bonnets are really good with this, too.
Darin says
That is a great way to make salsa. I’ve been making it with canned tomatoes and not heating/simmering like your recipe. I tried it and I’m now hooked! Great recipe! No more cans for me :-)
Douglas Cullen says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Nothing compares to salsa made from scratch. Cheers!
Shannon Altman says
Especially if it’s the El Adobe recipe!!!!
Laurence tempest says
The best there is. I have been eating it at the restaurant for third years . Great stuff
Shannon Altman says
How about four generations God I miss El Adobe!!!
Liz says
Just wondering if you can use jalapenos instead of serrano peppers. Also, can you not use canned plum tomatoes if they have the white lining? I think this counteracts the metallic taste. And…no garlic?
Douglas Cullen says
The recipe is really flexible. Jalapeños will work really well. Canned plum tomatoes should work too. Omitting the garlic shouldn’t be a problem either. Cheers!
William Davey says
I made some today. Flavor was good but color never made it past an orangish brown. Boiled on low at least 45 – 60 minutes.
Carl says
We lived in West Texas for 18 years and now live in NE Pennsylvania. Didn’t have to worry about Salsa in Texas as there was a Mexican restaurant on almost every corner. Not so in PA. I have been making my Salsa (Mexican Chili) from a good Mexican friend of ours now for 12 years with some adjustments, 1 large can of Furmano’s whole tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, salt fresh cilantro (when we can get it), minced garlic, diced yellow onions, lemon and lime juice, and some other spices. Will have to say it is VERY good.Have had many people Rave about it who are transplants like myself from Texas and California.
One thing though, I have never heard of simmering it. I switch up making mine to where I add all ingredients into a food processor and process until well mixed and chopped and then serve, or I only place the tomatoes and spices in the food processor and process until well chopped and then add the finely chopped onions, jalapenos and cilantro and then mix manually until all is well mixed. This makes for a chunkier salsa, and again I serve immediately.
What advantage does simmering the Salsa make? Is this how it is done in most Mexican Restaurants? Believe me I am not criticizing I am just trying to learn. If this is a necessary step that I have been omitting and it will make my Salsa taste better I am all for it. I have just never heard of doing it before.
Thanks so much for sharing this! :-)
Charlie says
@Carl. My wife is Mexican and I’ve traveled there many times; particularly the state of Michoacán where she’s from. In Mexico, the sauce that you make is called a “Salsa Cruda” (Raw Sauce). It is perfectly fine to make it without frying/simmering since it’s just one of the MANY ways to make a sauce in the Mexican kitchen. I must say that adding cumin to a sauce is more typical of Tex Mex than the authentic Mexican style sauce. Also, lime is only added to something such as pico de gallo. Salsa verde is another sauce that made by cooking tomatillos, jalapeños and a couple garlic cloves in slightly boiling water for about 10 min. Once the tomatillos are cooked, you add them with a little bit of the cooking water, the chilies, garlic, a piece of white onion, cilantro and salt to a food processor. This is carefully processed due to the hot liquid. Tomatillos can be pretty acidic so a pinch of sugar can be added to counter that. I’ve been in a ranch in Michoacán where they cooked a goat over a wood fire. I saw them make the “birria” (typical Mexican sauce for roasted meats) over the same wood fire. It picked up the smoke taste and I’ll tell you, it was the best BBQ goat that I EVER had!
kelly vetch says
I was dying to recreate pur favorite restaurant’s salsa and this has done it!! Spot on.
We use jalepenos for our kiddos batch and serranos for the adults.
I hace made a lot of “ok” salsas in the past. and what makes this perfect is the fresh tomatoes and that the onions have some of the rawness cooked off.
No upset tummys from raw onions after dinding this. Love it!
Mark Pickrell says
Can you can this particular recipe for salsa or is there another close version that could be canned? Also, how long does this keep in the refrigerator? Thank you in advnce for any and all comments on this topic.
Shanda says
I was wondering if this can be canned too. Not canned, as in using canned tomatoes, but actually canning the salsa to have some for later.
Jerry Marcantel says
I’ve been trying to make salsa for about the last 3 years, and up until this recipe, my endeavors were all dismal failures. Found this one today, and I will probably settle on it as my goto recipe. Thanks. …..Jerry (in Tucson)
Tabitha Mathers says
Thank you for sharing! I made this salsa yesterday and it still has a very raw tomato taste. Wondering how to fix this for next time – maybe more cooking time?
Douglas Cullen says
Tabitha,
If the salsa tastes undercooked, keep simmering until it gets the taste you want. Maybe another 10 to 15 minutes. Cheers!
Noelle says
Wow! That was really good. It had an almost roasted flavor with just the right amount of spice. I used 8 seeds, chopped up a little bit, and the heat was right on.
Douglas Cullen says
Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!
Cheryl Christian says
Made this today and added one adobe chili and half a lime to the recipe. It is delicious and I was using up the adobe chilies, so it worked. Chilling in fridge as I keep wanting to sneak a taste. :)
Douglas Cullen says
I like the ideo of adding chiles in adobe. I’ll have to give it a try. Cheers!
Susan says
THANK YOU for sharing this recipe. I have tried so many other recipes that have been a major fail. This salsa is spectacularly flavored! I used jalapeños because I am wimpy. My husband is ready for another batch, and so am I. Again, thank you for sharing this perfectly flavored salsa. YUM!
Douglas Cullen says
Susan, glad you liked it! Cheers!
Dan says
Looking forward to this. Does it freeze well?
Douglas Cullen says
It freezes really well. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers!
Andrew Z says
Hi Douglas,
This recipe looks very tasty. Have you ever modified it for canning (making it shelf stable, not using canned tomatoes as an ingredient)?
I’ve got about 30lbs of tomatoes that are a few days away from meeting their salsa jars.
Thanks!
Andrew
Douglas Cullen says
Andrew,
I would imagine it could be canned but keep in mind I have no experience with canning so I am really just making a guess. You will have to check with a more reliable source that knows about canning tomatoes. It does freeze very well though. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Cheers!
Kathryn says
How long will it keep just in the fridge?
Jack says
I just made this using jalapeños instead of serrano. I used a larger onion and one more tomato. Now I boiled then simmered but it didn’t get as red as the photo above. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? How do I get that deep red tone?
Douglas Cullen says
The color varies depending on the tomatoes. So just naturally turn darker when cooked. Did you use plum tomatoes or regular tomatoes? Plum tomatoes will get darker than regular tomatoes. Did use do the step where you cook the salsa in hot oil? This step helps a lot to darken it. Cheers!
Stuart Laub says
Yo preparé una salsa. Fue muy picante y muy bueno. Fue salado y dulce pero se ve delicioso. Tenia bueno sabor. El jalapeño y los pimientos son muy picantes. Yo encanta la comida picante y la salsa. Mi salsa es mas jugoso que mi amigo Will salsa. Salsa es bueno para fiestas. Salsa es mas cremoso que otro salsa.
Kelly says
Made this recipe about an hour ago for a Christmas salsa contest! Turned out amazing and hope everyone likes it!
Douglas Cullen says
Let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Samantha Esparza says
I followed the recipe and also added cumin, a garlic clove, and simmered after boiled for 45 minutes, but the color is still orange, not red. How do I get the red color?
Douglas Cullen says
Samantha, it really depends on the tomatoes. We started with really red ripe tomatoes. If the tomatoes are a little more pale the salsa tends to be on the orange side. It will be just as tasty though. Cheers!
Rachel says
So excited to try this! (Have to use jalapeño because i couldn’t find Serrano in two different stores). Do you know how much it makes? I have several size jars and want to use the right size.
Thanks!
Douglas Cullen says
Rachel, you can substitute jalapeños for the serrano chiles and get great results. Try the recipe with 2 jalapeños and if the salsa is too spicy reduce it to one. Removing the seeds and veins from the chiles reduces the heat too. Cheers!
Abby says
This is the BEST salsa! The Verde is great too. I didn’t habe Serranos so used jalapenos. Salsa wasn’t “right” so sent son to store, added Serranos. Perfection! Note i use both peppers in recipe. When people come in and see tomatillos on counter they get very happy! This recipe had enhanced our lives bc it’s great. Freezes well and i can use non gmo organic ingredients. Thank you.
Nona Y says
I made this salsa today; included the cumin, lime and garlic as suggested. However, I had to use diced green chiles instead of the serrano peppers because the peppers are too hot for my family (I like it but…they won out). Mild and delish! Next time I may use roasted romas instead of regular roma tomatoes. Great recipe. Gracias!
Ryan says
No, no, no. This is some white people shit. The stuff I get at Mexican Restaurants is wayyy better. I don’t know what it is. I made this recipe 3 times and it never tastes how I like it. It isn’t bad salsa but not the way It’s made at a resturant. At least near me.
mistergreen says
You are incredibly rude. What type of hateful person types out curse words like to describe food that on a peaceful recipe site? If I was an admin I would delete it and of course ban you. FYI – This salsa is very good. I am pretty sure this poster does not know how to cook or else it would taste good to him as well.
Allen says
I am Iroquois, Dutch, Jewish and Irish mix and I make some mean salsa. It is not a requirement last I checked to be Hispanic to make great salsa. Is it required to be Italian to make pizza? I like be many cultures and you sir need a lesson in etiquette. Thank you for putting this recipe here. No recipe has to stay a certain way to be delicious.
Brittany says
I made this tonight and it was JUST what I was looking for. It tasted JUST like restaurant salsa. I subbed 1/4 bell pepper for the serranos since we don’t do spice. Also, I removed all juice and seeds and that gave me the nice, thick texture I was aiming for.
Thank you!
Douglas Cullen says
Glad you liked it. The bell pepper is a great substitution if you don’t want too much spice. Cheers!
Deborah Silverman says
Had some tomatoes from the Albuquerque grower’s market at their peak (and perhaps a tad beyond). Made the recipe as written except for an extra 3rd serrano (seeds, ribs, and all), 3 large and very fresh garlic cloves, and one chipotle en adobo. It’s cooling in the pan on the stove as I write, but I can already tell this is my new “signature” salsa. Hot diggity!
Douglas Cullen says
That’s awesome! Glad you like the recipe!
Ron Weakley says
Can I take this recipe and can it in quart jars? If so, how long will it last?
JB says
I know this is an older thread but hope I get an answer. First, is it necessary to remove the skin of the tomatoes before blending? Second, is there anything that would keep you from canning this salsa after preparing it? Thanks!
Douglas Cullen says
Ron, You don’t need to remove the skin before blending. I would guess that you could can this salsa but I can’t say for sure because I have never done any canning. You would need to double check to ensure that the ingredients can be safely canned. Cheers!
AZ says
My salsa turned out orange even after simmering and just looked like penne vodka sauce :(
Douglas Cullen says
That’s too bad. The color depends on the tomatoes and the final color can definitely vary quite a bit. I hope the salsa was tasty even if you didn’t get the color you wanted. Let us know if you have any questions. Cheers!
Sharon says
I used rotel canned tomatoes (mild, which has a bit of spice for my palate), and I loved how this turned dark red just like the restaurants! Thank you for sharing!
Glen Spencer says
How many cans of Rotel tomatoes did you use to make your salsa I use 7 tomatoes one onion to garlic to Serrano’s in 12 cilantro but it still comes out looking like baby food or I’m trying to make it more watery
Sharon D says
Delicious! My variation, using what I had in the garden: jalapenos instead of serranos, cumin, roma tomatoes, but no cilantro (I’m one of those who can’t stand it).
Can this salsa be preserved by canning (boiling water bath), or will that process impact the flavor? It’s in jars–should I freeze it instead?
Thanks!
Vanessa Sparrow says
This is soooooo good! Just made it using plum toms and jalapeños straight from my garden, and am having trouble leaving it for the potluck it supposed to be for :)
Rom Slone says
I’ve tried the recipe both ways simmering and no simmer. I like the no simmer only because it tastes a bit more fresh. I add the garlic and just a bit of lime juice. Was wondering whether or not it requires refrigeration. I’ve heard that storing tomatoes in the fridge is not good for them. My wife wants me to make a batch for her to enter in the salsa cook off at her school. Making over and over while the fresh tomatoes are in season
Jerry Marcantel says
The best recipe so far. Probably will not search out any others as this is a winner………. Jerry (in Tucson)
Aaron says
Just an extra thought, chipotle peppers are canned in adobo. Adobe is a mud based building material. Or a software company. 😃
Sheena says
I LOVE this salsa recipe and my husband does too. I make it all the time now. Thank you so much for sharing :)
Larry scott. buffalo ny says
Can’t stand most jar salsas. Been looking for a restaurant type salsa and this worked out great..
Leslie Larson says
I emailed this jerk-off Douglas-C 3 times over 2 weeks to say that the sauce NEVER turned a dark red. I made it twice. The jerk-off NEVER responded. Don’t place your recipe on social media if you are going to be a JERK-OFF. Your sauce sucks.
Emma says
lol
Glen Spencer says
Hello Douglas my name is Glenn and I’m wondering about all the different red salsas is it okay to charge the vegetables on all of them and then fry them or just charm and don’t need to fry em does it make a difference looking forward to your response thank you and God bless by
Glen Spencer says
Hello Douglas this is Glenn I’m sorry for the misuse of the words that was the operator of the phone malfunction I was wondering about Charing the vegetables on all the red salsa recipes if it’s a good thing and frying them or not a good thing thank you
Danielle says
Do I really need a lender or is there a way around it please!!!thank you!
Jonnny Rocket says
A good idea, sounds great, but underwhelming. It’s a bit like finely chopped, cooked pico. I think cooking it killed the fresh cilantro and onion. Net time, I will use stewed tomatoes and then put in everything else fresh before I pulse in the food processor. Still chasing that dream!
Geoff says
I agree. I had a similar problem. Everything tasted great until I “fried” it in the oil. It completely removed the punchy cilantro and pepper flavors. It made the salsa taste like bland tomatoes with a little heat. I ate it, but I had to re-add fresh cilantro and peppers. Flavor should take priority over “binding”. Also, I like it more runny, less chunky… like you get at a Mexican restaurant.
Sounds like we had the same dream.
Douglas Cullen says
Thanks for giving the salsa a try and sharing your feedback. Cheers!
Glen Spencer says
If a person doubles or triples this to make five or six cups would that work?
Laurie McCabe says
Terrific recipe … the frying tip really adds to the overall flavor!
I roasted and blistered the tomatoes, jalapeño (I had those on hand), and garlic, and I used a half bunch of cilantro. It was easy and flavorful.
Thanks!
Mark says
Fry it Huh.
That must be the secret , mine came out dark red and sweet ,had to add some Cholula .
My tomatoes were really ripe, I also think I blended a little to long.
I hate raw tomatoes and this is perfect
Thanks
Colin says
Mine was orange….
James says
Normally when you blend tomatoes in a blender, it turns them orange due to all of the air being added. Use a food processor to solve the problem. Same thing when you make marinara.
Ray says
No offense but this isn’t the real deal you left out two key ingredients… Kinda hard to believe you’ve been studying Mexican cuisine for twenty years and this is what you post. I blame Google.. I search for authentic Mexican salsa to compare to what I’ve learned in Mexico and from Mexcian friends and it takes me to websites like this. This recipe is more like the kind tourist traps use here in San Diego.
Chris says
And what left out ingredients are you referring to?
Geoff says
Ray,
I suspect you don’t know what you are talking about because you haven’t told us what you are talking about.
Lisa says
So what’s the 2ingredients Ray?
Nicole says
Maybe he’s referring to tomatillos as one of the ingredients. I figure out the other since you mentioned garlic and lime further down the recipe. My guess is Ray didn’t read that far and he’s referring to garlic clove.
Jennifer says
Thank you! This is great! I just made it. I always see those big tubs of Pico de Gallo in Mexican grocery stores. I’m going to buy that with some extra tomatoes and cilantro to make my own salsa in the future. It makes sense that easily available ingredients are used in restaurant salsa.
Kevin says
The days of buying grocery store pre-made salsa brands are over. This salsa tastes like the restaurant salsa we enjoy the most. and its fun to make! Also fun to tinker with the heat intensity. The variations with lime, cumin, etc have all been good as well. Didn’t realize how easy it was to make. THanks !
Jen says
Excellent!! I live in La Paz, Bolivia and try not to consume raw veggies even if they are cleaned because the risk of getting sick is too great. So the cooked salsa is perfect. The only difference is I added garlic and a bit of salt. Thank you for the perfect recipe
Janet says
Love the recipe I make it all the time better than can tomatoes
Douglas Cullen says
Glad you liked it!
Nancy says
I call bull****, first of all lime does NOT take away from the overall salsa taste it ENHANCES IT! Second, I am sitting here this very minute eating my homemade salsa I’ve made for years, and I DO USE canned tomatoes and canned Rotel and it not one bit tastes tinny or like a can. I do however take a few fresh romas and oven blister them till the skin is black then chop them and put those in too.. I has a friend years ago that worked in a high end Mexican restaurant, he even told me they used canned tomatoes he gave me the recipe I use now. I’d put mine up against your “fried” (blegth!) anyday.
Sherls says
For a more intense and smoky flavor try roasting all of the ingredients (except for the cilantro) with 2 cloves of garlic and a few grinds of black pepper and salt at 350 degrees until the vegetables are soft and browned(you can sub jalapenos for the serrano chiles if you’d like; different flavor but still very tasty!) Then add everything to a blender/food processor with a little cumin and fresh cilantro and blend to your desired consistency. So tasty!
Matilda says
I followed the instructions exactly. What I got was a cream of tomato soup. The texture was just like the video but it looked orange red. I even thought maybe I need to fry it longer. Frying killed the flavor all together. So I added per NOTES: garlic, lime and cumin. Still gross. This is by far the worst recipe I’ve ever tried and I’ve been cooking for over 26 years. My husband thought it tasted fishy. Had to toss in the trash. Positive comments must be other friendly bloggers, who post lies.
pam says
I wonder if you can can this.
Greg Marshall says
Best salsa I have ever had!!!
Weda says
This is the salsa de mesa I grew up eating in Sonoran style restaurants in Arizona. Served in a syrup dispenser: press the lever on top of the handle/the lid pops up/pour salsa directly onto the chips, YUM! Of course everything is a matter of taste, but I certainly prefer this to bland, watery pico or chunky mango, sweet mess salsas. Thank you for the recipe.
Deborah says
Best Salsa Ever! It tastes just like restaurant salsa and even better because I can adjust the spiciness. I used jalapeno peppers. Frying really makes the difference. Thank You!!!
Angela says
I’ve made this salsa a couple of times in the last week with tomatoes that no one wanted. It is SO simple to make & delicious. Something that happened the first time I made it: I didn’t have any onions, so I used minced onions. I wasn’t sure how well they would work, but I think they helped thicken the sauce. I also added a little black pepper.
Ralph B Frahm II says
The simplicity is great, the flavor is bland. I live in Mexico and this would make a good base for a salsa, but I would be embarrassed to serve it to my neighbors. It needs some fire roasting on the tomatoes and the chiles. I will experiment a little and revise my comment later if possible.
Sandy Talley says
What is the main ingredient that the American Mexican restaurants use to make their salsa, I know it’s more that just peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions???
Dave says
I know cilantro for sure, I can see the leaves in the salsa. I also think they use lime juice too. Definitely salt, other than that, I can’t tell what else I’m missing. One cook once told me garlic salt, but he worked at a more Americanized Mexican restaurant.
Claudia J Davis says
How long will this keep in refrigerator and can you freeze it??
Lambert Helena says
In my experience, adding just a bit of sugar to tomato dishes cuts the acidity. Unless you re using canned tomatoes that already have sugar added, or San Marzano tomatoes which are naturally sweeter, I always add a bit of sugar to my tomato recipes, like spaghetti sauce. But if you re a person that prefers without, you definitely wouldn t have to add it. :) If you can find them Dei Fratelli Seasoned diced tomatoes make a great salsa. This recipe is very similar to what we make and it is marvelous!
Delight Connelly says
I Love the dishes that you serve this Wonderful Mexican Food on!
Where can I buy them?
For me, they add to the dining experience and is a “must have “ on my table at home.
Thanks in advance.
Lisa says
I grew up in San Diego, and lived in Jalisco for about a year. I was looking for the basic, straightforward salsa recipe I remembered for years. This is EXACTLY as I remember…incredible. I use a little more cilantro, omit the garlic, and add only a pinch of cumin, but this will be my go-to recipe. I was so happy, I ate it at literally every meal after I made it the first time, and somehow managed to lose 3 lbs. that week as well…lol…it made vegetables tolerable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Roz says
I made this today and added in lime and pinch of sugar as someone suggested,plenty of cumin and it was delish.
Cate says
I put my tomatoes, peppers, and onion the smoker and smoked for 2 hours; then followed recipe.
Ronald D Morrison says
That sounds like a great idea. I will try it.
Rosemarie ALHOLM-DICK says
Since you do not recommend the lime, when should you add it? Before or after you simmer it for 15 minutes?
Douglas Cullen says
I would add it after simmering.
Freeman says
Thank you, Douglas! A note for all ‘restaurant’ style salsa roja makers is that you can tweak the recipe to your liking. Want it spicier? Add more chiles (jalapeño, serrano, habanero, etc.). For less spicy salsa use milder chiles like Anaheim or poblanos. You can roast or charbroil some or all of your veggies if you want a smokier flavor or stew them if you do not. Also to balance excess acidity from fresh tomatoes you can add a sweet mini bell (‘snacking’) pepper in place of adding white granulated sugar. Baby bells are naturally sweet, even more so when roasted or charred and add chile pepper flavor to the sauce. Chunkier salsa? Blend less, add fresh hand diced and rinsed onion. Thinner? Add small amount of water, lime juice or stock and balance your flavors with a bit of salt.
In other words the sky’s the limit, experiment and enjoy! And don’t forget the chips and guacamole!
Erin says
I don’t blend the ingredients first. It tastes better when you roast the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers on a comal first so they get nice and charred on all sides. Then take out the seeds if you don’t like it really hot or keep them in if you do.
Then you can blend to the consistency you like for your salsa and add the salt and cilantro at this time. Really easy and tastes great! You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days but I freeze it in a couple different bags and I believe that lasts up to 3 months in freezer.
Emily says
Everyone who has tried this is obsessed and told me I should sell it. Thank you for this, I feel like a rock star.
Joshua says
Feeling is believing.
Susan. Hewston says
Really good but I think roasting the veggies may give it a good flavor also. How can I can this in jars for winter with my fresh veggies and have it on my shelf to grab and use?
Joshua says
This recipe has been on my radar and I finally made it, albeit with jalapenos. Fresh Romas are nice, but the stuff at the supermarket is basically flavorless. I honestly would go with whole peeled in a can. Ironically I used fresh Romas that I had picked and canned myself.
It came out amazing! I’m super excited to have tried my first stewed salsa recipe.
Douglas Cullen says
That’s awesome! We’re glad you like the recipe. Cheers!
Cindy says
I cannot use any oil due to health reasons, can I just simmer?
Douglas Cullen says
Yes, you can simmer it without oil and it will be delicious. Cheers!
Kristina says
This recipe is pretty mild for someone who eats a lot of spicy foods so if you like spicy I would recommend using a hotter pepper. That being said it is delicious and flavorful! I will definitely be making it again albeit with jalepenos or habeneros.
Terri Hood Noojin says
Can this salsa be canned?
Christine says
Yes this can be canned. I made this with 10 lbs of Roma tomatoes and increased the ingredients to fit the poundage of the tomatoes. It’s great
Erika says
Did you still fry in the oil prior to canning?
Laurie B says
I would ask your local university extension office. Or, go to simplycanning.com, that lady is super smart!
Kendra says
When adding the garlic do you add it after it’s been simmered or along with the other vegetables?
Cherisse says
Can this be frozen? I have lots of rims tomatoes.
Laurie B says
This recipe will work perfectly for they whole romas I canned this fall. But, no lime juice? That’s a surprise to me. However, I will follow your directions!
Tara says
This taste pretty good, it taste like the salsa that I used to have at the chain restaurant Azteca in Seattle.
Thanks!
Cameron says
I made this with jalapeños. It was spicy without being too fiery, and pretty easy to make. Tasty, better than shop bought, and a good consistency.
Gary says
Can the cooking oil be manteca or bacon fat?
ann hunting says
I tried it with bacon fat. Not a fan.
Linda says
This is my go-to recipe for tomato-based salsa. In the summer months I use my garden grown Roma tomatoes which take it to another level. I just bought 12 lbs of Roma tomatoes at a Mexican supermarket in December and the sauce is still coming out a nice deep red color after cooking it. I’m filling pint jars of this recipe and your site’s recipe for Salsa Verde (another winner!) to give as Christmas gifts. I thought the red and green salsas would be a fun gift idea for the holidays.
Teresa H says
Awesome. I love it!! Thank you
Steve says
I’ve Been looking for someone to tell me how to make this perfect salsa. Thank you so very much. I’m so happy you shared this with us Douglas. I love it !
You are the man…
Di says
How do you get the red color? Mine is sorta orangy-green with all this froth from the blender. Did I do something wrong? No matter how long I cook it, the color does not change.
Melinda M says
FANTASTIC, EASY recipe! Thank you so much! Very authentic tasting and I can see you can do many things to make it fancy or keep it simple and it would be a go to for salsa hands down. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!