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
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)