If there’s one recipe that makes me feel nostalgic, it’s this one. There aren’t many recipes from my mother that I remember how to make, and this was something she was known for in our family. It’s nothing fancy, but it is special to us. My Mom’s Roasted Red Salsa is what I make when I want to put something spicy on the table to compliment eggs for breakfast, quesadillas for lunch, or tacos for dinner. It’s certainly hot & tasty and now you can make it too!

This is a hot red salsa prepared with roasted tomatoes, dried chilies and other fresh ingredients. Perfect for a wide variety of dishes… breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This has been a staple on our family table for as long as I can remember and long before that. Many families have their own variations and this is ours.

My mother had a way of cooking by hand & heart that I am still trying to master. She was taught by her foster mother. A lady from Mexico, who shared with my mom everything she knew. That knowledge became the essence of all the foods that my family would grow up eating. Though never met her, but I am thankful for what she left us. Despite their differences, I know my mom admired all the traditions she was made part of and appreciated the family that embraced her as their own.

I have watched her make this for years but the only reason why I had it written down was because one day I asked her all the questions I could think of and made note of how much she was using of each ingredient.

I must tell you something that she told me… this is NOT a one size fits all recipe. It’s not really a recipe, but more of a guideline. You can try to go by exact measurements, but it will never consistently be the same. You must make adjustments.

Some batches of chilies are fresher or even spicier than others just because of the growing conditions. Sometimes the produce is a little different for the same reasons. The most important thing is to have a little extra of the ingredients available so you can taste it after it’s blended and adjust it as needed. I think that is valuable advance when making any salsa.

It will last in the fridge for up to two weeks, and it freezes well too. I will put a small jar in the fridge for the week then freeze the rest and take out as needed. We love to have this salsa with our scrambled eggs, Cuban-style pork, and even on top of my shredded salsa chicken tacos. You can easily double this recipe if you want salsa for the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Joy Makers & Co. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

What You’ll Need:

Dried Chilies- I’ve seen so many recipes using a variety of other dried chilies. This one uses the Japones. I find it at my local grocery store here in Arizona, but I have family that lives in other states and they cannot find it. In that case, you can order it online. I always prefer to purchase it in person so I can pick a bag that looks nice and red. If they are pale and too brittle then they are not as fresh.

You can also adjust the heat by using less chilies. If you are not looking for too much spice, start with half of what my recipe calls for. It will still be tasty. You can always add more if you want to.

Roma Tomatoes- Use fresh, ripe, red tomatoes. Fresh ingredients really matter for flavor and color. I start with 3 Roma tomatoes and add more as needed, if needed.

Cilantro- Rinse one bunch of cilantro and cut the ends off. You can reserve a little bit for a garnish if you are serving it to guests.

Green Onions– Rinse the onions well and peel back any bits that are discolored. No matter how fresh they are sometimes the outer layer gets bumped around a little at the grocery store. Trim only as much as you need to off the bottoms and tops.

Fresh Garlic- I use about 3-4 fresh garlic cloves.

Cumin- Just a little bit adds to the sweet and smoky flavors. Don’t skip this ingredient.

Salt- to taste.

Cast Iron Pan or Skillet– I use a cast iron skillet to toast my dried chilies on the stove. In my experience, the stove has been the best way to do this. Work quickly not to burn them. You want them a little browned and a little black but not too much or the salsa will be bitter. My number one tip here is to use that vent over your stove and open a window if you need to. Again, I love to double this recipe so I only need to do this once a month. There hasn’t been a bottled salsa worthy of living in our fridge, it’s worth making this one!

Same with the tomatoes and onions. You just want to char the outer skin a little bit. Being careful not to burn them to the point of drying out.

Grill or Sheet Pan- You can roast the tomatoes and green onions on the grill or under the broiler in your oven. If you use the broiler, line your sheet pan with foil. It takes me 5-7 minutes under my broiler, and up to 20 minutes on the grill. The onions will usually be done before the tomatoes.

Blender– Any blender will do. I have an old Ninja blender that I keep in my pantry just for this salsa, but my mom never used anything fancy. I also don’t over blend. I prefer it to not be too chunky, but not completely liquified. I like to see flecks of the roasted chilies.