Sauces
Mexican
MexicanTomato Salsa
A fresh, zingy Mexican salsa for tacos, nachos and grilled meats. Basic blitzes a jar of passata with shortcuts; Better is a proper pico de gallo from ripe tomatoes; Ultimate chars the vegetables for a smoky salsa roja with fresh lime and coriander.
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten-free
Dairy-free
Nut-free
Ultimate version
Smoky charred salsa roja with fire-roasted tomatoes and a smoked chipotle.
Per serving£1.13
Total cost£4.50
Time27 min
Ingredients for 4
- 500 g ripe plum tomatoes
- 1 red onion , halved
- 3 cloves garlic , skin on
- 1 chipotle chilli in adobo , plus 1 tsp of the adobo sauce
- 1 fresh jalapeno
- 1 handful fresh coriander , chopped
- 1 lime , juiced
- 1 tsp caster sugar , to balance
- flaky sea salt , to taste
Method
- Heat a dry, heavy frying pan or griddle over high heat until smoking.
- Char the whole tomatoes, onion halves, garlic cloves and jalapeno, turning, until blackened and blistered in patches, about 8-12 minutes.
- Slip the skins off the garlic and roughly chop everything.
- Blitz the charred vegetables with the chipotle, adobo sauce and a little salt to a coarse, smoky salsa.
- Stir through the coriander, lime juice and sugar, then taste and adjust the salt and lime before serving warm or at room temperature.
Equipment
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Store-cupboard passata, a few flavour boosters and a quick stir.
Better
Classic pico de gallo from fresh, ripe tomatoes and coriander.
Ultimate
Smoky charred salsa roja with fire-roasted tomatoes and a smoked chipotle.