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
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.