Recipes

Salsa roja

Smoky and vibrant, salsa roja is a staple sauce in Mexican kitchens. The secret to a great salsa roja is ensuring your vegetables are caramelised enough. Those charred edges and blistered skins add incredible depth and create a moreish salsa that’s perfect for dipping tortilla chips, spooning over tacos or serving alongside grilled meats.

Serves

6–8

Ingredients

800g plum tomatoes, quartered
1 large white onion (around 200g), peeled and cut into wedges
2 red chillies, deseeded
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
Place the tomatoes, onion, chillies and garlic onto a large roasting tray. Sprinkle with the salt and toss lightly to combine.
Roast for 20–25 minutes, or until the vegetables are deeply caramelised with some blackened edges and blistered skins. This is where much of the flavour comes from.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add the extra virgin olive oil and lime juice.
Pulse several times until you achieve a chunky salsa consistency. Avoid blending continuously as you don’t want a completely smooth purée. A great salsa should still have texture and visible pieces of tomato, onion and chilli.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing in the fridge.

Chef’s tip

The key to a great salsa roja is roasting the vegetables until they’re heavily caramelised. Those dark, charred bits might not look perfect, but they’ll add a rich smokiness and depth of flavour that’s impossible to achieve any other way.