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The Perfect Roasted Tomato Salsa
Having lived in Texas my entire life, knowing how to make a really GOOD homemade roasted salsa is somewhat expected of you. You add to that the fact that I have been food blogging for 10 years and the pressure is REAL.
While I have made DOZENS of salsa recipes throughout the years, I spent a REALLLLLY long time testing and perfecting this recipe you see here.
Tweaking the acidity of the lime juice, adding various combinations of spices, switching out the types of tomatoes, adding cilantro leaves but no stems… until all of my friends and family agreed that it was indeed the BEST.
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple and pure the ingredients are. We’re talking only real food, no canned or artificial ingredients kind of foods. In fact, if you happen to be growing a summer garden you may already have a bunch of these available to you.
Why Everyone Loves This Easy Recipe
- Super flavorful fresh tomatoes are used. Since they make up the bulk of this dip, the quality of them absolutely matters!
- The onions, peppers, and garlic ALL get roasted in the oven. This gives the entire dip an extra depth of flavor and subtle sweetness without the need to add sugar.
- It has the perfect thick and chunky, but still smooth texture. The order in which you process the ingredients is a HUGE factor in the texture of salsa you end up with. (No one wants a runny dip with big chunks of vegetable in it!)
- Cumin and paprika are the secret ingredients. Just like when I make my famous Guacamole recipe, a few Mexican spices really help to counteract the brightness of the tomatoes and lime juice.
Roasted Tomato Salsa (Recipe Video)
Ingredients
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Tomatoes. Since the tomatoes make up a large majority of the salsa, the type you use totally matters! (Read more below about the best types of tomatoes for this recipe.)
- Onion. Either white or sweet can be used. Sweet onions will impart a subtle sweetness to the salsa that helps to balance out the spicy flavors, while a white onion is the more authentic type to use.
- Peppers. Jalapeño peppers will give the salsa a slightly milder flavor while serrano peppers will make it spicier. You can either use one pepper for a mild salsa or two peppers for a medium-heat salsa.
- Garlic. Roasted fresh garlic cloves are key to giving the salsa a robust and nutty taste. You can substitute with garlic powder but it won’t deliver the same punch of flavor as fresh.
- Cilantro. No true salsa recipe would be complete without a good bit of fresh cilantro. Make sure you remove the leaves from the stems to get the most flavor. Also, pack the cilantro down when measuring it out. (You should end up using close to ½ of a bunch. Check out How to Chop Cilantro and How to Store Cilantro!)
- Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice is essential. Not only does it add a zesty bit of citrus but it also helps to preserve the dip and keep it from turning colors.
- Spices. Just a touch of paprika and cumin helps to mellow out the acidity of the tomatoes and delivers an earthier tone to the dip. Add a little smokiness by using half smoked paprika and half regular, if you’d like.
Best Tomatoes for Salsa
Roma tomatoes and vine-ripened tomatoes both work exceptionally well when making homemade salsa. They have plenty of meat on them without being too watery, while also packing a good bit of flavor.
If you have the option, choose organic over conventional for more nutritional benefits. Also, homegrown tomatoes are the most flavorful whereas most store-bought tomatoes have little to no flavor.
You can also change it up and try using beefsteak, heirloom, or even Campari tomatoes. If using smaller cherry or grape tomatoes, you will need to adjust the roasting time so the tomatoes do not burn.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Salsa
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Prepare the Ingredients
First, you will need to get the tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, and garlic ready.
Slice the stem and root end off the onion, then cut it in half. Remove the outer, flaky layer. Finally, quarter the onion.
Separate 4 to 6 garlic cloves from the head. Leave the peel on.
Once you have your tomatoes selected, make sure you remove the stems, rinse them thoroughly, and then slice them in half lengthwise.
Cutting the tomatoes in two ensures they roast up at a similar rate as the onions and the jalapeños.
Jalapeño seeds contain A LOT of spice. In order to get the pepper flavor without all of the heat, it’s best if you remove the seeds before roasting.
Trim the stem end from the peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise. Finally, scoop out all of the seeds with a spoon. Be careful not to use your fingers or touch your face during the process.
2. Roast in the Oven
Roasting tomatoes brings out their naturally occurring sugars and results in a subtly sweet flavor in the salsa.
Place the tomato halves and jalapeño peppers skin-side up onto a large baking sheet along with the quartered onion and garlic cloves. It’s important that they face skin-side up so the skin has a chance to brown and caramelize.
Drizzle olive oil over all of the vegetables and rub it into their skin. Make sure you lift up the tomatoes and vegetables slightly so a little bit also gets on their under-side.
Roast the vegetables in a 450°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the tomato skins begin to brown. Pull the garlic cloves out after 15-20 minutes to prevent burning.
3. Pulse in Processor
Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic cloves, and any oil on the baking sheet to a large food processor along with the remaining ingredients.
Make sure you peel the garlic cloves before adding them into the processor!
Pulse ingredients 10-20 times and then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue pulsing until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. (About 40-50 times.)
It’s important that you pulse and don’t puree. This helps you better control the final consistency of the salsa and gives you time to adjust the seasonings to your taste preference.
FAQs
You do not have to cook tomatoes before making salsa, but it will give you a richer and slightly sweeter flavor. Fresh tomato salsa will result in a lighter and brighter flavor profile.
Yes. The skin gives the salsa a wonderful pop of color as well as a rich deep flavor if the tomatoes were roasted. So, no need to go through the extra effort of peeling them, simply leave the skin on!
Roma, vine-ripened, plum, and beefsteak tomatoes are best for making salsa since they pack a lot of flavor without holding too much water. Select in-season, organic, and homegrown tomatoes when available for even more taste and nutritional benefits.
What to Serve with Roasted Salsa
If you aren’t going to devour it with some baked tortilla chips, here are a few other recipes that use salsa:
- Instant Pot Shredded Salsa Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice Recipe
- Easy Mexican Breakfast Casserole
- Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
- Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Easy Migas Recipe
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
More Salsa Recipes
Once you see how easy it is to make salsa at home, try one of these recipes next:
- Mango Avocado Salsa
- Tomatillo Salsa
- Fresh Salsa
- Mango Salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Pineapple Pico de Gallo
- Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde
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Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lbs. tomatoes roma or vine-ripened
- 1 medium onion sweet or white
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers
- 4-6 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
- ½ cup cilantro leaves packed
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice freshly squeeze
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. cumin
- ¼ tsp. black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Prepare the Tomatoes, Peppers, and Onion: Remove the stems from the tomatoes, rinse and scrub thoroughly under cool water, and then cut them each in half lengthwise. Trim the stems from the peppers, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out all of the seeds using a small spoon with a relatively sharp edge. Trim the ends from the onion, peel the outer layer of skin, and then cut it into quarters.1 ¾ lbs. tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 1-2 jalapeño peppers, 4-6 garlic cloves
- Roasted Vegetables in Oven: Place the tomato halves and jalapeño peppers skin side-up onto a large baking sheet along with the quartered onion and garlic cloves. Drizzle oil over all of the vegetables and rub it into their skin. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the tomato skins begin to brown. Pull the garlic cloves out after 15-20 minutes to prevent burning.2 Tbsp. oil
- Pulse Ingredients in Processor: Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic cloves that have been peeled, and any oil on the baking sheet to a large food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse ingredients 10-20 times and then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue pulsing until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. (About 40-50 times.) Do NOT puree. You'll end up with a watery salsa!½ cup cilantro leaves, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. paprika, ¼ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. black pepper
- Serve roasted tomato salsa immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours for an even better flavor. Salsa will keep well for up to 4-6 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 2-3 months if frozen.
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Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My only complaint is it tastes sweet. I’m not sure why, though?! I used Roma tomatoes and then followed the directions a to a tee! Any suggestions?
Hi Michelle! The ingredients can vary in sweetness, especially tomatoes and onions. Next time, taste the ingredients before adding to ensure the right level of sweet.
Used all the ingredients but roasted on the stove top on cast iron pan. Yummm!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Liza! I’m glad you found a way to make it work for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Oh my gosh! This salsa is incredible! This is the first time I’ve ever made homemade salsa, and it reminds me of Uncle Julio‘s. Fantastic!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Chrissy! It is so good and so easy. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I absolutely love the texture of this salsa! The only thing I did differently is to pull off all the tomato skins after they came out of the oven, and I would probably coarsely chop the onion next time. It just wasn’t cooperating in the food processor, so I pulled the larger slices out out and chopped them in my mini food processor. Otherwise, it’s a keeper!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Linda! The texture is incredible. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Ok this is amazing! A couple of minor changes I made. One, I have the cilantro gene so no cilantro. Also I smoked the vegetables in my smoker and used smoked paprika. Other than that everything is exactly by the recipe.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, John! I’m glad you could make this work for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Is this also a canning recipe? Will one be able to use this recipe to can this salsa?
You could can this recipe, but be sure to follow appropriate recommendations for canning and preserving salsa.
this recipe for canning??
I haven’t personally canned it but you definitely could!