Salsa roja
A cooked or roasted red table sauce — tomato, chilli, garlic — not a jar of taco topping.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Salsa roja is the red sauce on the table. You toast or boil tomato, chilli and garlic, then blend and season. It should taste of char or of a clean simmer, depending on the house. This is not ketchup and it is not a smoothie.
What you'll need
7 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Toast tomato, chilli, garlic and onion on a dry pan until blistered, 8–10 minutes. Or simmer them 10 minutes.
10 min
Step 2
Blend with salt and a splash of water. It should pour, not paste. Coriander if you want it raw at the end.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 14 kcal
- Protein
- 0.7 g
- Carbs
- 2.9 g
- Fat
- 0.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0.7 g
- Sugar
- 1.6 g
- Sodium
- 212 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 11 November.
Substitutions
Dried chilli → A fresh jalapeño or serrano
Greener, sharper.
Tips
- A fried salsa (cooked again in oil) lasts longer and tastes deeper.
- Taste before you add more chilli. You can always heat it; you cannot un-heat it.
History & culture
Every Mexican table has a sauce. This is one of them. Heat is a choice, not a dare.
Chilli-and-tomato sauces are older than the republic. The blender is new; the flavour is not.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Salsa roja take?
25 min all in — 10 min prep, 15 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 8 jars. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
5 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Blender.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at ¾ tsp.
What can I use instead?
Dried chilli → A fresh jalapeño or serrano. Greener, sharper.
Any tips from this recipe?
A fried salsa (cooked again in oil) lasts longer and tastes deeper. Taste before you add more chilli. You can always heat it; you cannot un-heat it.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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