Fire-Roasted Salsa

This fire-roasted salsa recipe is just like your restaurant-style dip. Serve it as an appetizer with chips or pair it with nachos, fajitas or any other meal that needs an extra kick.

Ingredients

If you want to make your own salsa at home, it’s as simple as throwing a couple staple ingredients (that you probably already have) into a food processor or blender.

You will need:

• Fire-roasted tomatoes: You can also use fresh tomatoes and roast them yourself over an open flame- or even roast them in the oven!
• Red onion: I used about half a red onion for every can of tomatoes I used.
• Garlic: Almost all salsas need this primary aromatic! Add garlic to give it a sweeter flavor.
• Peppers: I used two jalapeños for this fire-roasted salsa. Adding in peppers at your own discretion is a great way to control the flavor. If you want, add in more or less of the pepper. Looking for more spice? Add in your favorite type of chile.
• Cilantro: A herb that is often found in many kitchens around the world, this green leafy plant adds a subtle yet citrusy flavor to any dish. Make sure to add your cilantro at the end so the flavor does not become overcooked.
• Lime: Add the juice of one lime will not only brighten the flavor of the salsa, but also help all the ingredients meld together.
• Spices: Cumin, salt and pepper are all standard spices in salsa! This recipe gives recommended measurements, but you can add as much or as little as you would like.

How to Make Fire-Roasted Salsa

Making this recipe is as simple as processing all the ingredients together.

I generally chop off the stems of my cilantro and save them for an herb oil, as they don’t chop up evenly. I also roughly chop the other ingredients, such as the jalapenos and onion so they are more easily blended in the food processor.

If you don’t have a food processor and are looking for a good one – I recently purchased the Oster Pro Blender with food processor attachment from Amazon.

How Long Does Homemade Salsa Last?

This fire-roasted salsa will last in the fridge for up to 10 days.

The salsa is best the day or night after it’s made, since it will give the flavors in the salsa some time marinate.

Can you Freeze Homemade Salsa?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze your homemade salsa. Freeze it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

It’s best to allow the salsa to defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.

Canning Homemade Salsa

You can also can your homemade salsa! Learn more about canning in my Plum Jam recipe.

How to Fire-Roast Vegetables at Home

Do you want to use fresh tomatoes but unsure how to get that charred flavor?

Take your veggies – tomatoes, jalapeños, onion and even garlic set them to the side of your gas-powered stove. Set the stove to medium heat and then with a pair of metal tongs, grab the vegetables and set them on the prongs above the flame. Allow the veggies to develop a char on the outside.

Fire-roasting at home will be a little tricky with smaller vegetables such as cloves of garlic. This method is best for developing a light blister or char on your tomatoes, peppers and onions. The best part about this method is that it’s super easy- and it’s fun! This will work best if you don’t do anything to the veggies- so don’t cut them up or add any oil.

If you do not have a gas-powered stove at home, you can buy a small camping-style burner and use that instead. Another option is to roast the vegetables in your oven. Set your oven to broil and allow the veggies to cook at this high temperature quickly for a few minutes. This will help develop this char that creates that fire-roasted flavor.