This quick and easy Salsa Roja recipe is the best Mexican condiment made with fresh ingredients and wonderful aromatics. It’s so flavorful and gorgeous, and the perfect addition to enchiladas, tacos, burritos, fajitas, and more!
Fresh Salsa Roja Recipe
If you want to easily add a big burst of flavor and color to all your favorite Mexican dishes, this Salsa Roja is a must make condiment. Including fresh plump Roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings, it’s perfect for tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and of course dipping tortilla chips into.
A spoonful of this red salsa paired with Chile Relleno, Huevos Rancheros, or as a dip for tortilla chips is a must!
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Salsa Recipe
- Amazing flavor and color. This is a smooth, flavorful, and beautiful red salsa bursting with flavor from fresh ingredients and aromatics.
- Quick and easy. Made in just 20 minutes including prep time.
- Inexpensive and convenient. Using a few simple fresh ingredients and pantry staples, this salsa is affordable to make year round.
- Pairs great with so many Mexican dishes. Enjoy this salsa with tortilla chips for dipping, or on tacos, burritos, fajitas, Chile relleno, and more!
- Stores well. This homemade salsa keeps well in the fridge for a week and can be frozen, if necessary.
What Is Salsa Roja
Salsa Roja, translated to “red sauce”, is a quick and simple spicy condiment that’s a staple in Mexican cuisine. It can be made from raw or cooked ingredients, or a combination. Our Salsa Roja recipe uses fresh Roma tomatoes as the base, which are blended with onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and aromatics and briefly cooked to concentrate the flavors. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and more cilantro to brighten it up, then enjoyed with your favorite Mexican dishes.
Ingredients Needed
This salsa recipe is made with fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, and aromatics. Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and measurements.
- Fresh Roma Tomatoes – These naturally sweet ripe tomatoes are the base of the salsa. For a deeper color red and flavor, core the Roma tomatoes before chopping.
- White onion – We love white onion in our Pico de Gallo, so that’s what we use in this salsa, but you can substitute with yellow onion, if you prefer.
- Jalapeno pepper – Remove the seeds and ribs for a more mild salsa, or leave some of them in if you like it spicy.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic makes a huge difference for flavor and aromatics. Avoid jarred minced garlic and garlic powder.
- Cilantro – Admittedly, I’m not a huge lover of cilantro, but it’s so good in this salsa and a really important ingredient. If you absolutely can’t get on board with it, then sub with parsley.
- Olive oil – For richness and necessary moisture while sautéing the tomatoes and vegetables.
- Lime Juice – Fresh, fresh, fresh!
- Seasonings – Cumin, dried oregano, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to Make Salsa Roja
Making this salsa recipe is so easy in just a few simple steps. Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and measurements.
- Blend tomatoes and vegetables. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, and half of the cilantro to a blender and pulse until well combined and no large chunks remain.
- Briefly cook the mixture. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering, then add in the blended tomato mixture, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes until salsa thickens and darkens in color.
- Finish with lime juice and remaining cilantro. Remove from the heat and add in the lime juice and remaining cilantro. If salsa is too thick, you can add in a tablespoon or two of water to thin it down.
- Cool or enjoy right away. You can enjoy this right away with chile relleno or eggs or cool completely in the fridge to use as a dip with chips.
Tips and Variations
- Using different tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are ideal for this salsa, but you can use hot house tomatoes if necessary. These typically have more seeds and gel than the Romas, though. You can either scoop out some of the seeds before blending, or you may need to cook the salsa longer in order to achieve the right salsa consistency.
- Achieving the deep red color. The tomato puree may look pink but will transform into a darker red hue during the cooking process. For an even deeper red color, core the Roma tomatoes before chopping, but make sure you have enough tomatoes to equal 2 pounds after removing the core.
- Control the spiciness. Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño peppers for a more mild salsa, or leave some of them in if you like it spicy. For extra spiciness, you can use Serrano or scotch bonnet peppers to up the heat. You could also add cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
Great Uses For Salsa Roja
Salsa Roja is not just for tortilla chips! We love it enjoyed with some of these favorite Mexican dishes:
- Chile Relleno
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- Huevos Rancheros
- Shrimp Fajitas
- Chicken Taquitos
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Tacos
- Burritos
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Leftover salsa should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will keep for up to 6 days. Taste and add a little more salt before using again.
- Freezer. Freezing does affect the texture of salsa, so it’s not our preference. But you can freeze it and use within 1 month for best quality. Thaw in the fridge overnight and give it a stir before using.
More Salsa Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Salsa Roja
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh Roma tomatoes , rough chopped
- 1/2 medium white onion , roughly chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno , stem removed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro , roughly chopped, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper , to taste
- juice of half a lime
Instructions
- To a blender, add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, and half of the cilantro. Blend until mixture is well combined and no large chunks remain.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering, then add in the blended tomato mixture, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes until salsa thickens and darkens in color.
- Remove from the heat and add in the lime juice and remaining cilantro. If it's too thick, you can add in a tablespoon or two of water to thin it down.
- Allow to cool a bit and enjoy right away or cool completely in the fridge. Use as desired (a list of suggestions is included in the article.)
