Salsa roja asada
Vegetarian
Mexican table salsa of tomatoes, garlic and onion charred on a dry comal with toasted chiles de árbol, then ground in a molcajete or blender with salt.
Salsa roja asada is a Mexican condiment from Mexico, ready in about 20 minutes and made with tomato and dried whole chillies. It serves 10 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 10
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 14
Method
Step 1
Heat a comal, griddle or heavy dry skillet over medium-high heat. Char the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), unpeeled garlic (opens in a new tab) and onion (opens in a new tab), turning, until blistered and blackened in patches and the tomatoes are soft — about 10–12 minutes (garlic is done sooner).
- 12 min
- medium-high heat
- Griddle / tawa (opens in a new tab)
- Cast-iron skillet (opens in a new tab)
- Tongs (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Muhammad Khawar Nazir on Pexels Step 2
Toast the chiles de árbol on the comal for 20–30 seconds per side, just until they darken slightly and smell toasty.
- 1 min
- medium heat
Food safety: Burnt chiles make the salsa bitter and give off irritating smoke; ventilate the kitchen.
Remove them the moment they change colour.
Step 3
Peel the garlic (opens in a new tab). Grind the chiles, garlic and salt in a molcajete, then add the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and onion (opens in a new tab) and crush to a rustic salsa — or pulse everything briefly in a blender (opens in a new tab).
Step 4
Thin with a little water if needed, then stir in cilantro (opens in a new tab) and lime juice (opens in a new tab) if you like.
- 1 min
About this dish
- Origin
- Mexico · Well documentedSalsa roja is a broad family; this roasted tomato and árbol version is one common household style.Also popular in United StatesMore food from Mexico
- Dish
- Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Sauces
- Cooking method
- Grilled, Toasted, Blended
- Taste
- spicy (chilli heat), smoky, tangy, garlicky
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carbWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · DASH-style - Good for
- Budget-friendly · Everyday · Make-ahead
- Cook more with
- Tomato · Dried whole chillies · Garlic · Onion
- Techniques
- Grilling · Toasting · Charcoal grilling · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) · Wet grinding
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
14 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 48 g · recipe makes 10
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 15%
- Carbohydrate 73%
- Fat 11%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 14 kcal | 28 kcal |
| Protein | 0.6 g | 1.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.9 g | 6 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 2 g | 4.3 g |
| Sugars | 1.4 g | 3 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 0.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 236 mg | 492 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 145 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 29 µg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 9 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves, lime juice.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Char the tomatoes until really blackened in places — the scorched skins carry the smoky flavour.
Common mistakes
- Toasting the dried chiles until black, which makes the salsa acrid and bitter.
Serve with
- Tacos, quesadillas and tostadas
- Huevos rancheros or chilaquiles
- With totopos (tortilla chips)
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 5 days.
Variations
- Salsa roja cocida (Mexico): Simmer the blended salsa for 10 minutes in a little hot oil (frying the salsa) for a deeper, rounder flavour.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Goes with
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.
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