^{A boost of flavor to an easy restaurant style salsa is a quick dip and topping to any and all Southwestern recipes.}

There is always something about restaurant style salsa that looks and tastes different than what we buy in the stores. It definitely could be the that I am always starving by the time it’s served right in front of me. I also like something that has chunks of tomatoes and is thicker vs. what seems like a watered down sauce.

The other part of restaurant salsa I enjoy is that it’s always served in an atmosphere where sizzling fajitas are flying by you faster than you can even order. There’s just an overall Mexican restaurant vibe that is oddly showcased in this recipe for Charred Tomato Salsa!

Here are some tips and tricks for a crave-able (if not completely addicting) salsa:

If you’re making salsa at home, you always have the right to make it the way you would like. Make it chunky, spicy, green or sweet…the choice is yours.
If it’s not spicy enough, it’s not really for me. I want heat with my salsa…along with everything else I eat. You, however, can adjust this to your liking. If adding jalapeños and want to lessen the spice, remove the seeds and veins from the pepper. If you want to go crazy, add habaneros or cayenne peppers to this. Remember to set these aside before adding to the blender, add, then taste. Add hot sauce too if you want to some more flavor.
Cilantro is not usually a favorite ingredient. If I’m being honest, I trained myself to enjoy it. You can certainly omit it from this recipe. I think it brings it all together, but that’s your preference. You do you.
Opt in for a different array of tomatoes and peppers. I used some Roma and some grape tomatoes. I also used mini bell peppers of all different colors.
If your salsa is tasting a little bland you can go-ahead and troubleshoot the problems ahead of time. Chances are you need more salt or acid. Add a little more salt and pepper at the end to taste until it’s what you’re looking for. You can also zest and squeeze more lime into the salsa for a more powerful flavor. Your last bet is you need to let it chill for a little while. the more the flavors sit together, the better the taste.

The charred part of the salsa is really to build more flavor depth. I love the taste of grilled/seared foods especially at restaurants. You absolutely can forgo the charring part of this recipe but I promise it is wonderful!

Pair with my homemade tortilla chips for the best results. Here are some other great recipes to keep in mind as well:

Tableside Guacamole & Bake Tortilla Chips

Loaded Chorizo Sweet Potato Fries

The Ultimate Turkey Taco Salad

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Grilled Steak Fajitas

In any case, I love a good salsa. Something that isn’t boring and from a jar. Salsa is the most basic dip and topping and deserves more flair if you want to make it special. This charred salsa has a more developed flavor as compared to others. Being homemade allows you to create the perfect flavor YOU want! I went with a smoky and richer profile.

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Charred Tomato Salsa

Print Recipe

A boost of flavor to an easy restaurant style salsa is a quick dip and topping to any and all Southwestern recipes.

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:10

Total Time:25

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 pounds Roma tomatoes halved
1 medium onion roughly chopped
1 medium bell pepper seeded, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno seeded, chopped
1 large lime zested, juiced
⅓ cup cilantro fresh
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add olive oil to cast iron skillet (or on the grill or grill pan) and set to high heat on stove top (fans and vents on). Once the skillet becomes hot, place tomatoes cut side down.
*If you're adding straight to an outdoor grill, you can omit the oil. It is suggested to lay foil down first.*
Add onions and peppers and cook with the tomatoes on high for 3-4 minutes until everything starts to blister and gets charred.
Remove skillet from the heat. Let cool for 15 minutes.
In a food processor, add lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, charred tomatoes, garlic, onions and peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients and Techniques

Tomatoes: I am sure the unpopular opinion is that the type of tomato doesn’t matter. Truthfully, you can make this recipe with any tomato but the key is making sure that either you pick a tomato that’s not usually full of juice (such as a Roma tomato). It’s also suggested regardless of the tomato, gently squeeze some of the juice from the tomato before cooking. To get a great char and a thicker salsa, this definitely helps.

If you don’t like peppers or jalapenos, then feel free to leave them out. The best part of something as simple as salsa is you really can control what you want in it and the consistency. Just make sure to balance salt, acid, heat and sweetness. Taste and test after the first blend.

Cooking: I tried this a few different ways. I loved grilling everything, but it was more of a process to lay foil, watch them cook, keep the mess down, etc. Plus, I know everyone doesn’t have the same grilling styles or appliances on hand.

I settled with the cast iron method for the best char. It does create a bit of smoke, so have fans on and windows open at all times. That’s also because I wanted a really charred flavor – you can control this how you want. I also believe other pans will work well, just avoid crowding the ingredients or better yet, do batches.

You can also opt to place the cast iron on the grill at the highest heat. It absolutely has to be burning hot!

One final way to cook the vegetables would be to broil. This does take a lot of baby sitting and I also found it did not give the strongest “char” to the vegetables. It still works!

How long does it last and where?

I kept this in the fridge for about a week. If you keep it in an airtight container, it’ll be fine for maybe a little longer. If not, it’ll still last for 5-6 days with a good flavor.

Can you freeze it?

I never tried – but I know that tomatoes in the freezer (if not dehydrated) lose their texture. I would not recommend.

Substitutions?

Tomatillos would be great in this recipe – just remember they are more bitter than a tomato so you may need to add a little honey or sweetener and/or increase the salt.

You can add a lot of different vegetables to this like zucchini or even eggplant. Any and all peppers would work too. Just remember how hot you want it! Even if you want more of a sweet salsa, try adding some charred pineapple, mango or even a peach.

Tips and tricks

Make sure that the tomatoes are firm enough so that you don’t have to spend time squeezing excess juice. Also, look for bright, red, fresh tomatoes for a sweeter flavor.

What to serve with it if you have leftovers?

Check out our Ultimate Taco dip recipe – this was the salsa I used – not a must but REALLY good!

Use in the place of any and all salsa recipes!