This easy, quick, simple restaurant style salsa is perfect for pairing with your favorite tortilla chips!
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The Secret to Great Salsa
Okay, now here’s a little secret I learned from my mom: in order to extract all the wonderful ethnic flavors of the ingredients you need to roast/char the tomatoes, peppers, & garlic!
Roasting brings out all the natural sweetness from the ingredients and dry roasting, specifically, causes the tomatoes to caramelize making them perfectly gooey and delicious. Of course, the roasted garlic and the fresh cilantro add tons of flavor too!
Something else I discovered from making this salsa over and over again is that it always comes out a little different, even when I use the same ingredients. I think this is because it also depends on the ripeness of the produce, so make sure your tomatoes a ripe for best flavor!
Salsa Makes a Great Appetizer
Whether you are hosting a party or simply wanted to make a quick snack for your family, this easy restaurant style salsa roja really gets it done! Seriously, you can make it in just 10 minutes.
All you need is a pan for roasting and a blender! Growing up, my mom was always rushing to make dinner after she came home from work. Sometimes, she would even get the unexpected call from people inviting themselves over for dinner. My mom would whip out this salsa recipe in no time and it was an absolute favorite!
How to Make the Restaurant Style Salsa Roja
-Start by washing all of your produce thoroughly
-Put a pan over low-medium heat on stovetop
-Add tomatoes, peppers, and garlic and cover with lid
-Roast for 10-12 min, turning everything halfway
-Once all the sides of tomatoes, peppers, and garlic are charred and tomatoes have started releasing their juices, turn stove off
-Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend!
Easy Restaurant Style Salsa Roja
Equipment
- Blender
- Non Stick Pan
Ingredients
- 6 Roma Tomatoes
- 2 Jalapeno Pepper (or just one for milder spice)
- 1 Serrano Pepper
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves (or sub 1 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1 Small Bunch of Cilantro (about 1/4 chopped)
- 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Rinse tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro thoroughly
- Heat a medium sized pan or skillet over medium heat
- Add tomatoes, peppers, and garlic and cover pan with a lid (reduce heat)
- Roast for a total of 10-12 min, flipping everything halfway, or until tomatoes and peppers are nicely charred
- Remove from heat and add all of the ingredients into a blender, including cilantro and salt
- Blend until you get the desired consistency for your salsa!
- Serve and enjoy!
