Easy Roasted Salsa Recipe

There are so many things to love about this salsa. Quick pan-seared jalapeño, onion, garlic, and lime give it that deep, roasted flavor, while canned tomatoes keep things easy and reliable year-round. It's bright, rich, a tad smoky, and surprisingly simple.

Think upscale restaurant salsa, but made in your kitchen with just 7 ingredients!

Salsa in a small wood bowl with a tortilla chip dipping to show texture.

I think homemade salsa is a lot like salad dressing. What I mean is, when something is this easy to make and tastes SO much better than store-bought, why do we keep buying the mediocre bottled stuff?

Once I started making salsa at home, I was hooked! The flavor and freshness of homemade is so far above and beyond. Plus, it's always nice to have control over the flavors and quality of ingredients.

And this salsa recipe I'm sharing today? It's so good that even if it was difficult to make (which it isn't), it would be totally worth the effort.

Jump to:

Why This Salsa
What You'll Need
How to Make Salsa
FAQ
Tips For the Best Salsa
Recipe
To Serve With Salsa
💬 Comments

Why This Salsa

This salsa stands out for a few very good reasons:

Big roasted flavor, fast. Searing the jalapeño, onion, garlic, and lime adds depth without turning on the oven or firing up the grill.
Consistent year-round. Using canned crushed tomatoes mean no guessing whether fresh tomatoes are bland, watery, or out of season. Of course, the recipe works with fresh tomatoes, too.
Easy to control the heat. Remove the jalapeño seeds for milder salsa, or leave some in for extra kick.
Balanced and fresh. Simmering the tomatoes adds sweetness and richness, while fresh cilantro and lime keep it bright.
Great texture. Blend it smooth or leave it slightly chunky, depending on what you love. Either way it's thick and perfect for scooping with tortilla chips.

Fresh cilantro, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and lime plus canned tomatoes set out on a tray.

What You'll Need

Here are a few quick notes on the ingredients and potential subs. You can find the full recipe farther the page.

tomatoes: I always keep cans of crushed tomatoes on hand for making favorites like chili and red lentil curry, but I rarely have access to really good fresh tomatoes. That's why I went with canned in this recipe, but you can certainly use fresh tomatoes! Romas are great, though technically, you can use any variety. About 4 medium tomatoes, or 3 cups chopped, should be enough.
onion, jalapeno & garlic: I really like red onion here, though white is good, too. To enhance the natural sweetness in the salsa, go with a sweet variety. I usually use 3 or 4 jalapenos here, depending on their size and how spicy they are. Same goes for the garlic; measure with your heart!
lime: you'll need two limes. One gets lightly seared (can't wait for you to smell how amazing it is), and one is juiced raw.
cilantro: Adds so much freshness. If you aren't a fan, you probably already have a backup plan. 😉

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How to Make Salsa

Here's a quick look at the pan-searing and blending process. You can find the full written recipe plus tips and FAQs below.

Showing light browning on cut lime halves, jalapeno, and onion in a large skillet.

Over medium-low heat, cook the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and two lime halves until charred in spots, turning as needed. Don't walk away and keep a very close eye on the garlic and limes. Remove the limes when softened and golden (they will likely be the first thing done). Set limes aside to cool.

Fully pan-seared salsa ingredients ready to be blended.

Continue to cook the onion and jalapeno until softened. Transfer to the bowl of a large food processor.

Simmering crushed tomatoes until reduced.

Return the skillet to the stove, and simmer the tomatoes for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. This step develops some sweetness and makes a huge impact on the flavor.

All of the salsa ingredients inside the bowl of a food processor.

Transfer the tomatoes to the food processor with the onion, jalapeno, garlic. Add the cilantro, salt, fresh lime juice and juice from the cooked limes.

The blended salsa inside the food processor.

Blend until the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the flavors, adding more lime, salt, or cilantro.

Enjoy your salsa now, or pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle and improve.

FAQ

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Absolutely. Any variety will work. Just make sure the tomatoes are ripe and flavorful. When fresh isn't an option, canned tomatoes offer dependable flavor and texture.

Is this like restaurant salsa?

I'd say that depends on the restaurant! Think of this like a specialty salsa you might order in a nice, sit-down restaurant. It's smooth, flavorful, rich, and thicker than salsa roja (red table sauce).

How long does it keep?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before serving.

Tips For the Best Salsa

Careful not to burn the limes. Sear the cut side just until lightly golden. Otherwise the juices can become bitter. Let the limes cool before squeezing, and don't forget to add fresh lime juice, too.
For milder salsa: Remove all of the jalapeño seeds and membranes.
For spicier salsa: Leave most of the seeds in, or add a serrano or habanero pepper.
Don't skip simmering the tomatoes. It makes a noticeable difference in depth and sweetness.
Chill before serving if you have time. The flavors get even better after an hour in the fridge.

I hope you fall in love with this simple roasted salsa just like we did. If you give it a try, be sure to comment below to let us know! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recipe

A bowl of homemade roasted salsa on a blue background.

Easy Roasted Salsa Recipe

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

If you've ever wanted restaurant-style salsa with deeper, more robust flavor, this is the one to make. Quick pan-seared jalapeño, onion, garlic, and lime create rich, caramelized notes, while canned crushed tomatoes keep things easy and reliable year-round (fresh tomatoes work, too). Think upscale restaurant salsa, but made in your kitchen with just 7 ingredients!

Yield: makes 2¼ cups (18 fl oz)

5 from 1 vote

Servings: servings

Prep:10

Cook:15

Total Time:25

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Equipment

cast iron skillet - or non-stick pan
food processor - or blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil, optional - see Notes for oil-free
4 jalapeños
½ large onion - white, red, or sweet
2 limes
3 cloves garlic
1 (15 oz) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular) - about 1½ cups; see Notes for fresh tomatoes
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro - including thin stems
1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt - adjust to taste

Instructions

Trim the stems from the jalapenos and slice lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder salsa, or keep some seeds for a spicy kick. I usually keep the seeds in one pepper, and remove the rest. Also, rough chop the onion, halve the limes, and peel the garlic. Slice each clove of garlic in half.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the oil and tilt the pan to coat the bottom. Add the jalapeños, onion, garlic, and lime halves, cut-side down. Cook, turning the jalapeños and onion occasionally, until softened and charred in spots.
Keep a close eye here - the limes and garlic cook faster than the rest (anything past lightly golden can turn bitter). Remove the garlic as soon as it's lightly golden, and transfer the limes to a plate once softened and just golden. Continue cooking the jalapeños and onion until tender.
Transfer the onion, jalapeños, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor.
Return the skillet to heat, and add the crushed tomatoes (careful of splatter). Stirring occasionally, simmer for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced and sweeter.
Transfer tomatoes to the food processor along with the cilantro, salt, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and juice from the cooked limes. Blend until the desired consistency is reached.
Taste and adjust salt, heat, and lime. Enjoy your salsa now, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Fresh tomatoes: you'll need about 4 medium tomatoes. You can either halve them and roast/sear separately from the other ingredients (not enough room in the pan for everything at once), or dice and simmer.

Oil-free option: Omitting the oil does affect the flavor of the salsa, but it's still delicious without! Dry-sear the onion, jalapeno, and lime. Smash the garlic cloves and cook briefly, careful not to burn. Add a splash of water if needed.

Store salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.