Oven Roasted Salsa Recipe

By: Stephanie

7 Comments

Posted: 01/30/21 Updated: 06/27/24

My oven-roasted salsa recipe is easy to make and bursting with flavor! To make the dish, I roast and blister the ingredients for an added depth of flavor. This homemade oven-roasted salsa will have you forgetting store-bought salsa. Bonus – it’s almost too easy to make!

What is oven-roasted salsa?

Oven-roasted salsa is made with fresh, whole ingredients like tomatoes, chili peppers, garlic, and onion. This salsa is a modern rendition of traditional Mexican cuisine, which focuses primarily on raw ingredients. 

It has a far more complex flavor than store-bought salsa varieties, as all ingredients are roasted and blistered before being blended. 

The resulting flavors are smoky and slightly caramelized, perfectly complimenting the fresh, acidic ingredients in the dish. 

This robust flavor profile makes it a perfect addition to tortilla chips, eggs, tacos, and grilled vegetables … truly, it’s good on everything!

Why this oven-roasted salsa recipe works

• The fresh ingredients for making homemade salsa are minimal and delicious, including Roma tomatoes, yellow onion, and hot peppers.
• You can customize this recipe based on your spice tolerance by adjusting the amount and type of hot peppers you include. 
• This recipe has an amazing depth of flavor from roasting the ingredients, emphasized by smoked sea salt and chili powder. 
• Cilantro and lime juice give this dish a zesty brightness, adding a zip of acidity to anything it touches.
• This homemade salsa is delicious on just about any Mexican dish, from fajitas to tacos to quesadillas. 

Ingredients needed

Here’s everything you’ll need to make for this oven-roasted salsa recipe…

• Roma tomatoes
• Jalapeno pepper
• Fresno pepper
• Garlic
• White onion
• Smoked sea salt
• Dark chili powder
• Cilantro 
• Lime

How to make oven-roasted salsa

Homemade salsa adds an elevated touch to your traditional “chips and salsa” snack. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to prepare! Here’s how to make it:

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

1. To prep the salsa ingredients, first, halve 1 lb Roma tomatoes.
2. Quarter 1 small white onion. 
3. Leave the skin on 3 garlic cloves.
4. Leave the jalapeno and Fresno peppers whole.

What are the best tomatoes for homemade salsa?

I use Roma tomatoes when making salsa because they are firm and hold up the best when blending. They also don’t have as much liquid, so you won’t have a watery salsa.

San Marzano tomatoes and cherry tomatoes both make good alternatives.

Step 2: Season the tomatoes

1. Next, use a combination of 1 tsp smoked sea salt and 2 tbsp chili powder to season the tomatoes.
2. Mix to coat. 

Is smoked sea salt necessary?

If you don’t have smoked sea salt, you can use regular salt. However, the smokey flavor really gives the salsa another depth of flavor.

Step 3: Oven-roast and blend

1. Add your prepped ingredients to a sheet pan and broil on high for 20 minutes, flipping the peppers and garlic over halfway through. Make sure to line your baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup once you’re done.
2. Peel the garlic and remove the stems from the hot peppers. If you don’t want the oven-roasted salsa too spicy, you can scrape the seeds out of the peppers.
3. Add all the roasted ingredients to the food processor with ⅓ cup cilantro and the juice of half a lime.
4. Blend the oven-roasted salsa on high for 30-45 seconds or until all ingredients are chopped. You may have to use a rubber spatula or spoon to scrape the sides if any ingredients get stuck. 
5. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Can I add more vegetables to this salsa?

Blistered bell peppers would add additional smoke and sweetness to this roasted salsa. 

To do so, remove the stems from 1-2 bell peppers, digging out the core while keeping the remainder intact. 

Roast the bell peppers on a sheet pan until charred on the outside. Allow them to cool slightly before peeling and adding to your blender. Pulse into the salsa. 

What is a good substitute for cilantro?

Fun fact – to some people, cilantro tastes just like soap. 

If cilantro activates your fight-or-flight response, don’t worry – you can easily swap it out for flat-leaf parsley or basil. 

The flavor combination won’t be exactly the same, though it sure beats a “soap-flavored” salsa!

How to serve oven-roasted salsa

The salsa will be warm since all the ingredients are freshly roasted. You can eat it at that temperature or place it in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying it. Either way – it’s super tasty. 

Serve as a side with corn tortilla chips along with other tasty dips like homemade guacamole and queso fundido.

It would also be a delicious topping on any of your favorite Mexican dishes, including spicy chicken taquitos, chicken poblano fajitas, and spicy shrimp tacos with avocado crema.

How to store oven-roasted salsa

To store this recipe, allow it to cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. Store the salsa in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

I hope you enjoy this oven-roasted salsa!

Love Mexican-inspired dishes? Try these other recipes:

• Mexican Garden Chicken Salad
• Grilled Al Pastor Kabobs
• Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Soup
• Queso Fundido Recipe With Mexican Chorizo
• Mojo Beer Carnitas

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4.91 from 11 votes

Oven Roasted Salsa

This oven roasted salsa recipe is easy to make and bursting with flavor! This homemade salsa recipe roasts and blisters the ingredients for an added depth of flavor. It will have you forgetting store-bought salsa.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

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6 servings

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound roma tomatoes (halved)
• ▢ 1 jalapeño pepper
• ▢ 1 fresno pepper
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (skin left on)
• ▢ 1 small white onion (quartered)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dark chili powder
• ▢ 1/3 cup cilantro
• ▢ Juice of half a lime

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Equipment

• ▢
  Cuisinart Elemental 8-Cup Food Processor
• ▢
  Citrus Juicer
• ▢
  OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet

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Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together the dark chili powder and smoked salt.
• On a sheet pan lined with foil, place the tomatoes cut side up. Sprinkle the smoked chili powder salt over the the tops of the tomatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients on the sheet pan.
• Broil on high for 20 minutes, flipping the peppers and garlic over halfway through.
• Once the produce is roasted, peel the garlic and cut the stems off the hot peppers. If you want your salsa less spicy, scrape the seeds out of the peppers.
• Place all the ingredients in a food processor, add the cilantro and the lime juice. Blend on high for 30-45 seconds, until all the ingredients are chopped. You may have to scrape the sides if any chunky ingredients get stuck to the sides. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• The salsa will be warm since all the ingredients were freshly roasted. You can eat it at that temperature or place it in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying.
• To store: place in an airtight container in the refrigerator and should last 5-7 days.

Notes

Tomatoes:

• I use Roma tomatoes when making salsa because they are firm and hold up the best when blending. They also don’t have as much liquid, so you won’t have a watery salsa.

Salt:

• If you don’t have smoked sea salt, you can use regular kosher salt, the smokey flavor really gives the salsa another depth of flavor though.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 30kcal (2%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 1g (2%), Saturated Fat: 0.1g (1%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 436mg (19%), Potassium: 271mg (8%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 1531IU (31%), Vitamin C: 17mg (21%), Calcium: 23mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author: Stephanie