Salsa Roja
From Chef Rick Lopez, this blended salsa offers a cooling heat thanks to lightly charred tomatoes and smoky dried chiles de árbol.
·Dec 22, 2022
Photo by Collin Findlay
Chef Rick Lopez of La Condesa in Austin, TX shared this recipe for Salsa Roja as part of our Guide to Tamales. This blended salsa is made with lightly charred tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion, with some heat from small-but-spicy dried chiles de árbol. Our naturally non stick Carbon Steel Frying Pan or Griddle is ideal for quick, high heat cooking, and its large size easily fits all the ingredients for this zippy salsa.
The salsa will keep in the fridge for 3–5 days. Serve it with any of the 3 tamale options, or enjoy it with chips, grilled meats and seafood, tacos, and more.
Salsa Roja
From Chef Rick Lopez, this blended salsa offers a cooling heat thanks to lightly charred tomatoes and smoky dried chiles de árbol.
Rick Lopez
- 3 chiles de árbol
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 2 small tomatillos
- ½ medium yellow onion
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, loosely packed
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes), plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Heat a large Carbon Steel Frying Pan or Griddle over medium-high until hot.
Add chiles and toast 1–2 minutes. Add whole tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion cut-side down to hot Pan. Turn occasionally until blistered and charred on all sides, 4–6 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Using a Chef Knife, quarter tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion once cool enough to handle.
Add cilantro, chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Add lime juice while blade is spinning on low speed. Add salt. Taste and add more lime and/or salt, if desired. If salsa is too thick, add a little water to keep things moving. Once smooth, chill until serving or use immediately.
