Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Authentic Mexican Salsa Roja
This Authentic Mexican Salsa Roja recipe has a thin consistency and a deliciously crave-worthy spicy & garlicky flavor. It’s like having your favorite restaurant salsa at home!
What is Salsa Roja?
If you’ve ever found yourself wandering through the vibrant streets of Mexico or indulging in the flavors of other Latin American countries, chances are you’ve encountered this deliciously fiery taco sauce.
Salsa roja, which translates to “red sauce,” is a versatile, vibrant addition to Mexican salsas. It’s known for its red color, thanks to the star ingredient: tomatoes. But don’t let the name fool you—salsa roja isn’t just about the tomatoes. The real stars here are the chiles!
Just like all those amazing Mexican recipes out there, every abuela, tía, and mama has their own special way of making it. And you know what that means, right? Variations galore! From one region to another, and even within families, you’ll find different takes on this vibrant sauce.
But despite these many differences, the basics remain the same. Ripe tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chile peppers are the stars of the show. They get all charred or roasted to perfection, bringing out that incredible smoky sweet flavor I crave.
Now, here’s where the magic happens. Blend all the roasted ingredients with some fresh cilantro and a pinch of salt. Transfer your sauce into a saucepan and slightly cook, then Boom! Your salsa roja just reached a whole new level of deliciousness. It becomes smooth and spicy—perfect for jazzing up your tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, or grilled dishes. Oh, and guess what? It doubles as an amazing marinade too. Just wait till you let those fiery flavors work their magic on your favorite proteins!
Whether you’re throwing a fiesta or spicing up a regular old weeknight dinner, this sauce is your ticket to a flavor fiesta. But, fair warning: once you taste it, you’ll be totally hooked!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve been a reader of Muy Bueno for any period of time, you probably know I have a strong love of salsa. From this creamy Fake Guacamole, a.k.a. Taqueria Salsa Verde to zesty Roasted Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa and crunchy Salsa Macha Recipe to this fruity Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe, there are so many flavorful Mexican salsas to choose from!
This salsa roja mexicana is very similar to the salsa de molcajete recipe in my new cookbook, Muy Bueno Fiestas. I use the same delectable ingredients, plus add in some onion and cilantro for good measure. The ingredients are also all charred, similar to a salsa tatemada, or “charred salsa.”
But instead of using a molcajete for a chunky salsa, this dry-roasted roja salsa is blended until smooth and thin, making it more like a restaurant-style salsa de mesa, or “table salsa.” Then, once it’s blended to perfection, we cook it once more to add another dimension of flavor. It’s delightful!
As if that cantina-style flavor weren’t enough to love, this authentic Mexican salsa recipe is also:
- Made With Fewer Than 10 Ingredients – It’s crazy how just a few simple ingredients combine to make this finger-licking delicious red sauce for tacos.
- Light, Bright, & Perfectly Spicy – You’ll want to use this salsa taquera roja on everything. Heck, I love to eat it straight from the bowl with tortilla chips!
- Customizable – Feel free to dial the heat up or down by adding more or less serrano and jalapeño. You can also opt to make it chunky if you prefer!
- Super Versatile – Drizzle it on your favorite grilled meats, huevos rancheros, tacos, and more. It’s also lovely simply served with tortilla chips, a margarita, or chelada. Happy Hour at home just got a whole lot tastier! 😉
Ingredients & Substitutions
Despite overflowing with bright Mexican flavors, this roja sauce is made with just 8 simple ingredients. If you have a salsa garden, bonus! Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Jalapeño & Serrano – The 1-2 punch of both types of chiles is what gives this red sauce for tacos its distinctive kick. Two things to remember: (1) Serranos are slightly spicier than jalapeños. (2) Most of the capsaicin (the compound that makes chiles taste spicy) lives in the seeds and membranes. Feel free to use only de-seeded jalapeños if you prefer milder salsa rojas.
- Roma Tomatoes – Any meaty tomato variety will work here. You can also use canned whole plum tomatoes in a pinch!
- White Onion – I love how piquant white onion can be exposed to high heat and still keep its shape. Feel free to swap in sweet yellow onions.
- Garlic – You definitely want to use whole fresh garlic cloves here for the full flavor experience.
- Coarse Salt – Kosher salt is my go-to, but use whichever variety you prefer.
- Cilantro – Since this salsa roja will be blended, feel free to add the tender stems to the mix.
- Olive Oil – Just your normal cooking oil works perfectly here!
How To Make Salsa Roja
You’ll love how easy it is to make this Mexican salsa for tacos, nachos, burritos, and more. Once you try it, I have a feeling you won’t be buying store-bought anymore! Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Roast Veggies. Heat a comal on the stovetop or the oven broiler. Place chile peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a comal or on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for about 8 minutes, turning once, or until tomatoes are blistered and blackened in spots and softened. No need to peel tomatoes or chiles. Let cool.
Step 2: Blend. Add roasted ingredients into a blender with salt and cilantro. Pulse until smooth.
Step 3: Cook. Warm olive oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot, pour the blended salsa and flash fry for about 2 minutes. You might want to be ready with a splatter screen during this step! Serve in a bowl and add salt to taste. Enjoy!
Optional Variations
When you make your own salsa at home, you’re the flavor boss. Here are a few ways to make sure your batch of salsa roja goodness is perfect for your preferences:
- Spicy – Add an extra jalapeño or serrano to amp up the heat.
- Mild – If chiles set your mouth ablaze, feel free to remove the seeds and white membranes from the interiors before adding them to the salsa. You’re also welcome to use only jalapeños which are less spicy than serranos, or use fewer chiles overall.
- Chunky – Instead of using a blender or food processor, use a molcajete (heavy mortar and pestle) to pound the ingredients into a chunkier-style salsa.
Expert Tips
- Foil is your friend. Add a piece of foil to the comal or baking sheet when you’re roasting the ingredients. When you’re done, simply toss the foil and cleanup is done!
- Don’t waste a drop. Add a little water in the blender after pouring the salsa into the skillet. Blend it up again to get all the remnants of the blended sauce and pour it into the skillet while the salsa is cooking.
- To thicken the salsa, feel free to continue to simmer it uncovered. The longer it simmers, the more liquid will evaporate!
Storage Instructions
Once made, this roja salsa will keep in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for upwards of a week, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you decide to freeze it, make sure your storage container has at least an inch of empty “head space” for the salsa to expand as it freezes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s all in the name! Salsa roja means “red sauce,” whereas salsa verde means “green sauce.” While the two have a similarly thin consistency and can range from mild to spicy, the biggest difference is that salsa roja is made with red tomatoes whereas salsa verde is made with green tomatillos.
That all depends on how spicy you want it! The way the recipe is written, I’d classify it as a medium salsa. It definitely has some kick, but it won’t blow your lid off, either. However, you can easily dial the heat up or down by adding more or less jalapeño and serrano.
While I can’t speak for all the many recipes out there, this particular homemade salsa roja is completely plant-based and vegan-friendly.
More Red Salsa Recipes
- Pico de Gallo Style Strawberry Salsa
- Roasted Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa
- Easy Pico de Gallo (Salsa Bandera)
- Salsa Macha Recipe
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.
Salsa Roja
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 serrano
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1/4 white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Handful cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a comal on the stovetop or the oven broiler. Place chile peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a comal or on a foil-linen baking sheet and broil for about 8 minutes, turning once, or until tomatoes are blistered and blackened in spots and softened. No need to peel tomatoes or chiles. Let cool.
- Add roasted ingredients into a blender with salt and cilantro. Pulse until smooth.
- In a skillet, warm olive oil. When the oil is hot, pour blended salsa and flash fry for about 2 minutes. You might want to be ready with a splatter screen during this step. Serve in bowl and add salt to taste.
Notes
- Spicy – Add an extra jalapeño or serrano to amp up the heat.
- Mild – If chiles set your mouth ablaze, feel free to remove the seeds and white membranes from the interiors before adding them to the salsa. You’re also welcome to use only jalapeños which are less spicy than serranos, or use fewer chiles overall.
- Chunky – Instead of using a blender or food processor, use a molcajete (heavy mortar and pestle) to pound the ingredients into a chunkier-style salsa.
Photography: Jenna Sparks
5 Comments on “Authentic Mexican Salsa Roja”
Very flavorful. Easy to make. Enjoying your cookbooks! I am returning to my roots!
Simple and incredibly delicious recipe. I added double the peppers because grocery store peppers here are not very spicy. We used this for fajitas, chips and salsa, and chilaquiles!
I love this recipe because it’s
fresh ingredients and super easy to make. The heat can be easily adjusted. Thank you!
Finally had enough fresh tomatoes ripen up in the garden to make this and it is delicious ! I followed the recipe exactly and it’s just right as far as pepper hot for me. I like the stove hotness also eating it straight off the burner! Thank you for sharing.
Simple but delectable.