🌶️ Classic Mexican Salsa Roja (Smoky, Spicy & Essential)
SaucesMexican RichardObradovic Jun 17, 2025 35
Description
This is the go-to salsa you’ll find on every Mexican table. Roasted tomatoes, garlic, and chili blended into a deep red sauce — smoky, fiery, and perfect for tacos, grilled meats, or just dipping with chips.
Ingredients
🍅 400 g ripe tomatoes (3–4 medium)
🌶️ 2 dried arbol chilies or 1 dried guajillo chili (stemmed and seeded)
🧄 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
🧅 50 g white onion (¼ small), roughly chopped
🧂 1 tsp salt
🫒 15 ml olive oil (1 tbsp)
🍋 Optional: 5 ml lime juice (1 tsp)
Preparation
1️⃣ Roast the base: In a dry skillet over medium heat, roast tomatoes, chilies, garlic, and onion until charred (5–7 minutes).
2️⃣ Blend: Remove garlic skin. Blend all roasted ingredients with salt and optional lime juice until smooth.
3️⃣ Simmer: Heat olive oil in a pan. Pour in the blended salsa and simmer for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Total Time
🛠️ Prep: 5 min
🔥 Cook: 10 min
🕒 Total: 15 min
Nutritional Value
🔥 Calories: 25 kcal
💪 Protein: 0.5 g
🧈 Fat: 2 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: 2 g
🧂 Sodium: 120 mg
Advice
Let the salsa cool completely before storing — the flavors deepen overnight in the fridge
Status
🌶️ The smoky, spicy salsa every taco dreams of — roasted and real.
#GrannyZen #SalsaRoja #MexicanSauce #TacoEssential