Salsa Roja
Here's a simple recipe for a fiery, concentrated batch of Salsa Roja.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 24 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 Guajillo dried chiles
- 2 Ancho dried chiles (or 3 smaller Anchos)
- 3 tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 chipotle in adobo (optional)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- splash cider vinegar
- 2.5 cups water
- olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Start by roasting the tomatoes in a 400F oven.
- 2
Use a damp towel to wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chiles. To de-seed them it's easiest to cut off the stem and make a slit lengthwise, then use your hands to pull out the ribs and seeds.
- 3
Saute 1/2 onion and 3 whole garlic cloves in a dollop of oil over medium heat. When the onion starts to soften add the dried chiles. (It's worth cutting the chiles into smaller pieces before adding them to the pan.)
- 4
Let the chiles cook for a few minutes and then add the roasted tomatoes to the pan along with: 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, 2.5 cups water. (I also add 1 chipotle in adobo and 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce but this is optional.)
- 5
Simmer for 5 minutes or so and then add everything to a blender and combine well.
- 6
Strain the sauce over a mixing bowl and discard the leftover solids. You might have to use a spoon or spatula to push the sauce through the strainer.
- 7
Taste for salt level. I added another pinch of salt along with a splash of cider vinegar.
- 8
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge (in a squeeze bottle!).