Basic Red Salsa Recipe

This basic red salsa (salsa roja) is a versatile salsa that works well with many dishes. I like to use it for huevos rancheros, enchiladas, and chilaquiles.

If you’d like, you can make it in larger batches and freeze it so that you will always have some on hand.

Ingredients

• 6 Roma tomatoes
• 2 serrano chiles
• 1 small white onion quartered
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

How to Make the Salsa

Step 1 Place all of the ingredients except the salt and olive oil in a pan and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Step 2 Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.

Step 3 Strain the salsa. This is an important step to get a nice smooth texture.

Step 4 Preheat a pan. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. return the salsa to the pan and fry the salsa in the hot oil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the salsa for 30 minutes. Salt to taste.

More Red Salsas You Might Like

Red Tomato Salsa

Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

How to Make Mexican Red Tomato Salsa

This is my favorite salsa to serve with chicken tostadas. The oregano flavor really stands out and pairs well with mild flavor of the chicken.

Salsa Ingredients:

• 8 Roma tomatoes or 5 large tomatoes
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 5 chiles de arbol
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Make the Salsa:

1. In a large frying pan, char the the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Be sure that the tomatoes blacken on the outside which will add extra flavor to the salsa.

2. After the vegetables are charred, put all of the ingredients except the olive oil in the blender and blend for about one minute – until everything is well blended but not pureed. You want the salsa to have some texture when it’s finished.

3. In the same pan that you charred the vegetables add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In batches, fry the salsa in the olive oil over medium heat. Frying the salsa is an important step and brings out loads of flavor. Traditionally, you fry the salsa in lard, but I prefer olive oil.

4. Turn the heat to low and simmer the salsa for five minutes which cooks the salsa through, thickens it, and brings all of the flavors together.

5. Remove the salsa from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Makes 3 1/2 cups of Salsa

More Mexican Salsa Recipes to Try:

Green Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

Tomatilla Salsa

How to Make Red Enchilada Sauce

This recipe is for a classic Mexican red enchilada sauce or enchilada salsa. Try the out the recipe. You will use it over and over because it’s so good.

The main ingredients which give the sauce most of its flavor are ancho chiles and chiles de arbol. The chiles de arbol are what give this enchilada sauce its heat. Reduce their number if you want to prepare a milder sauce.

Provecho!

Ingredients for the red enchilada sauce:

• 12 ancho chiles (large chiles in the photo above)
• 4 chiles de arbol (small chiles in the photo above)
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 small onion chopped into 4 chunks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon of cumin
• salt to taste

Prepare the red enchilada sauce:

1. Rinse the ancho chiles and the chiles de arbol under cold water and pat dry. Tear open the chiles and remove the seeds and veins. Toast the chiles, the onion, and garlic in a dry pan or comal over medium low heat until fragrant. This should take about five minutes. Keep turning the chiles so that they do not burn.

2. Bring six cups of water to a boil and add all of the chiles, onion, and garlic. Reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes.

3. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and add the oregano and cumin. Blend for two minutes until the mixture is very smooth. Place a towel over the top of the blender while blending to protect from any splatters. Be careful because the mixture is very hot.

4. Return the contents of the blender back to the pan by forcing the mixture through a strainer with the back of a spoon to remove the tough bits of chile skin that remain. Don’t skip this step it greatly improves the texture of the finished sauce.

5. Simmer the strained enchilada sauce for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt to taste.

This recipe makes about 4 cups of finished salsa. Store the salsa in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for one month. The recipe for red enchilada sauce also works really well for chilaquiles.

More Mexican Salsa Recipes

Green Enchilada Sauce

Recipe for Authentic Mexican Salsa

Mexican Tomatillo Salsa Recipe