Name: Classic Roasted Salsa
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes (1 ½ pounds); 1 medium white onion, halved; 3 jalapenos; 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes); Coarse salt and ground pepper; 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Yield:

3 cups

Making this roasted salsa recipe couldn't be easier, since there's no chopping involved. Simply broil the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeños to give them a nice char—this concentrates and mellows their flavors and gives the salsa a slightly smoky flavor. It's very different from a salsa made with fresh, uncooked vegetables.

To finish the roasted salsa, simply pulse the vegetables in a food processor to your desired consistency—chunky, smooth, or somewhere in between. That's it! Add a little lime juice, garnish with cilantro, and the salsa is ready to serve—with plenty of tortilla chips for scooping.

For a milder salsa, remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños; for a spicier salsa, add even more jalapeño.

Quick Ideas for Using Roasted Salsa

Serve with tortilla or pita chips
Spoon over grilled fish or chicken
Toss with steamed vegetables, such as green beans and cauliflower
Pour over scrambled eggs for a fast breakfast-burrito filling
Use to top a baked potato

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes (1 ½ pounds)
1 medium white onion, halved
3 jalapeños
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat broiler and prep vegetables:

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Place tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, and garlic in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Broil vegetables:

Broil until vegetables are blistered and slightly softened, rotating sheet and flipping vegetables frequently, 6 to 8 minutes (garlic may need to be removed earlier, if it is browning too quickly).
Puree ingredients:

Discard garlic skins. In a food processor, pulse garlic and vegetables until coarsely pureed.
Add lime juice:

Add lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and pulse to combine.
Garnish and serve:

Transfer salsa to a bowl and stir in cilantro.

Variation: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

For a roasted green salsa, follow the roasted salsa recipe but use 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos in place of the tomatoes and omit the lime juice.

Salsa Storage

Roasted salsa can be refrigerated for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to three months; defrost in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is salsa usually made of?

There are many types of salsa, some are fresh (not cooked) and others are made with cooked ingredients (like our roasted tomato salsa). The ingredients used for salsa vary greatly, but perhaps the best-known type of salsa is a simple uncooked tomato salsa, or salsa cruda, made with chopped fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, lime juice, and cilantro.

Why does my homemade salsa taste watery?

Tomatoes are probably the cause of a watery salsa. Some tomatoes have more moisture than others and if you used a large juicy tomato like a beefsteak for the salsa, it will have added more moisture than using smaller, dryer tomatoes.

Why is vinegar added to salsa?

Vinegar is an ingredient in some salsa recipes because it is an acid and it brings all the other ingredients into balance. Lime or lemon juice serves a similar purpose in many salsa recipes. Vinegar is also added to salsa that is to be home canned to raise the pH of the salsa and make it safe for canning.