Recipe: Homemade Roasted-Tomato Salsa
Discover > Texas Recipes > Recipe: Homemade Roasted-Tomato Salsa
Who in Texas has ever been to a restaurant or a bar and not ordered Salsa? For Texans, salsa's not just a dish, but time capsule in a bowl. It brings back with every sweet-tangy bite, memories of nannies squishing tomatoes (What wine goes well with tomatoes?) with a pestle, or of families sitting around a table, scooping out heaps of salsa onto crispy tortilla chips (how long do tortilla chips last?). The restaurant-ritual in my family is to first order salsa and chips, and then flip open the menu to choose what we'd like to order for dinner. Amidst a party of new and unfamiliar flavors, salsa is that one familiar friend, we all keep going back to.
And our fondness for salsa isn’t a recent phenomenon. It’s been around for over 800 years, since the Aztec times. Does that make salsa the oldest existing condiment in the world? Possibly. The Aztecs ground up roasted tomatoes with salt and pepper in a lava-stone mortar to produce the first-ever salsa recipe. With time, new flavors were added, but the basic salsa recipe remained the same. As they say, why fix it, if it ain't broken?
While modern recipes may have stayed consanguineous, salsa's popularity has definitely grown over time. Today, salsa is relished all around the world and especially in Texas, where the chips-salsa combo isn’t just a regular favorite but also the state’s official snack.
A store-bought jar of salsa might be a workable substitute if you’re looking for a quick fix. But if you want to truly explore the variety of flavors and also customize salsa to your liking, you must try out this recipe. The jarred (pun intended) salsa will never match up to this succulent concoction of roasted tomatoes, sweet yellow peppers, spicy tongue-tingling chilis, crunchy onions, and fresh coriander.
The Perfect Blend - Why This Recipe Works so Well
Roasting the tomatoes, onions and yellow peppers gives this salsa a dense smoky flavor that’s absent in store-bought salsa
This recipe uses Roma Tomatoes which are the best tomatoes for salsas. Roma tomatoes are plump, firm, and contain few seeds, which makes it easy to cut and blend them. They’re also fleshy and less juicy which helps in binding the salsa and giving it a thick consistency
It’s simple and easy to make and the ingredients are commonly found in most kitchens. So, why shell out money for a jar, when you can toss up restaurant-quality fresh salsa at home in minutes, and also spice it up the way you want
Making Salsa
To make roasted tomato salsa, chop the tomato and onion in half. Grill them along with yellow pepper, chili, and garlic in a skillet or a large frying pan, till they’re charred and dark.
Trust me, the easiest way to buy a skillet or frying pan is through online retailers!
Once well roasted, put the veggies in a molcajete (mortar) and muddle gently until tomatoes are squished and, the rest of the ingredients are macerated in the tomato pulp.
When it comes to molcajete, online shopping is the way to go!
Add finely chopped spring onions and cilantro. Sprinkle salt and pepper and mix well.
Salsa is ready to be served. Enjoy with crispy tortilla chips or smother on burritos and tacos for a zesty, zingy punch. Pack roasted tomato salsa in airtight containers, refrigerate and store for up to 15 days.
Picture Credits: Minerva Aldrete
Few Quick Tips
In this recipe, I make salsa the traditional way using a molcajete. Yes, our nannies were right, it does taste better when made this way. Vegetables when crushed, release their oils which enhances the salsa's flavor. But if a molcajete is not available, the same recipe can be made using a food processor (Note: when using a food processor, blend in quick spurts, to avoid grinding the salsa into a smooth puree)
Roma tomatoes are best for making salsas. But if they’re not in season, you can use Amish or little mama tomatoes or any other type of fleshy tomatoes. The taste of salsa depends most importantly on the quality of tomatoes. Click here to find out more about where you can get farm-fresh tomatoes in your area
Homemade Roasted-Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes, about 5-6 pieces
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 green onions, ends trimmed & chopped into thirds
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion, about 1/4 of a medium
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, about a handful
- 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Using a food processor, combine and pulse all ingredients in 1 second bursts until all ingredients are finely chopped.
- Salsa always tastes best if flavors get to marinate together in the refrigerator before serving. If time permits, refrigerate for a few hours.
- Serve the salsa with tortilla chips and enjoy! This may be stored in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
20.97Fat
0.18Sat. Fat
0.02Carbs
4.76Fiber
1.24Net carbs
3.49Sugar
2.79Protein
0.97Sodium
56.95Cholesterol
0
