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September 6, 2022

Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe

Name: Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 15-20 medium tomatoes (or 6 to 7 lbs, halved); 5-10 jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers* (halved and seeded); 1 red or green bell pepper (cut into quarters and seeded, optional ); 2 medium yellow onions (peeled and quartered); 1 head of garlic (about 10 cloves, peeled); 1 medium bunch of cilantro; 1 Tbsp fine sea salt

This Roasted Tomato Salsa is easy to make and it’s loaded with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapenos, bell pepper and cilantro. Roasting tomatoes in the oven brings out their best flavor and the little bit of charring on the roasted veggies adds a fire-roasted layer of flavor. P.S. Roasted salsa is also freezer-friendly!

Roasted salsa served with tortilla chipos

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Roasted Salsa Recipe

When tomatoes are plentiful, we’re all about tomato recipes, from classic Tomato Caprese to Panzanella and Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad. It’s also great to be able to preserve those sweet summer tomatoes. That’s why we are obsessed with this Roasted Tomato Salsa. It’s been on our regular rotation for years.

We make batch after batch of roasted salsa and stash it away in the freezer so we can enjoy it year-round. It keeps really well and when you thaw, it’s just as good as a batch of freshly prepared salsa.

Roasted Tomato Salsa Ingredients

Tomatoes – you can use Roma tomatoes or whatever you have on hand.
Jalapeno peppers – you can add these to taste or use serrano peppers if you want a spicier salsa.
Bell pepper – use red or green. The bell pepper is optional and we add it if we have one on hand.
Onions – yellow onions work great, but white onion is a great substitute as well.
Garlic – use the cloves from one full head of garlic which is about 10 peeled cloves.
Cilantro – use 1 medium bunch of cilantro, rinsed and chopped.
Salt – add the salt to taste. We add about 1 Tbsp of fine sea salt.

Ingredients for homemade oven-roasted salsa with tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic and peppers

Pro Tip: Do not use a garlic press as pressed garlic burns under high heat.

How to Make Roasted Salsa

Arrange cut tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic cloves on rimmed baking sheets.
Bake at 375˚F for 25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.
Broil – move the baking sheet to the highest position in the oven and broil for 5 minutes until veggies are slightly charred (check periodically to make sure they don’t burn).
Cool and Process – let the veggies cool for about 20 minutes then transfer in batches to the food processor along with the cilantro and salt. Using a 13-cup food processor, we are able to process in 2 batches, adding half of the ingredients, cilantro, and salt with each batch. Blend to your desired consistency (we like to make sure the onions are finely chopped). Combine both batches in a bowl and season to taste with salt if needed.
Store – Once cooled to room temperature, you can refrigerate or freeze (see make-ahead tips below)

Step by step how to roast salsa and blend in a food processor

Common Questions

Is Roasted Salsa Spicy?

You get to control the spice level here. It depends on how many jalapenos you add and how spicy they are. We love a spicy roasted salsa that has a nice kick to it.

Can I substitute the bell pepper?

The bell pepper is optional. You can omit it if you don’t have one on hand or prefer not to use it.

Do you peel tomatoes for salsa?

We don’t peel tomatoes and since you are blending the salsa, it isn’t really necessary. You can if you want to and it will come off easier once the tomatoes are roasted.

What are the best tomatoes for salsa?

We use whatever we have on hand, but Roma tomatoes are a good bet. Sometimes we use a variety. Keep in mind the type of tomato can affect the sweetness and color of your salsa.

Roasted red salsa in a black serving dish surrounded by tortilla chips

To Serve

There are so many great ways to serve roasted salsa. Here are some of our favorites:

Appetizer – serve as a starter or snack with tortilla chips for dipping.
Topping – on burritos, Chicken Fajitas, tacos, Nachos, or Tostadas.
Breakfast – roasted salsa pairs so well with Scrambled Eggs or any egg-based breakfast such as Breakfast Burritos, on a Breakfast Sandwich or with Breakfast Quesadillas.

Salsa served as an appetizer with tortilla chips

Make-Ahead

We have tons of garden tomatoes every year and they’re growing faster than we can eat them, this freezer-friendly salsa is our favorite way to preserve tomatoes.

Refrigerator – Once the salsa is at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezer – Transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or freezer container (do not overfill, leave a little room for expansion), and squeeze out any excess air which can cause freezer burn. Lay flat and freeze for up to 3 months or longer in a deep freezer.
To Thaw – You can thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To speed thaw: set freezer bag in a bowl of cool water for about 2 hours. If you replace the water a couple of times, it will thaw faster.

More Salsa Recipes

If you love homemade salsa, you will find many new favorites here. Salsa is big in our home. Sometimes my husband and I just make a big batch of Cowboy Caviar or this Roasted Tomato Salsa and munch on that instead of dinner.

Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe

4.98 from 34 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Roasted tomato salsa served in a dish with tortilla chips

Roasted Tomato Salsa is loaded with tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro. This roasted salsa recipe is easy and freezer friendly.

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: Varies by Season

Keyword: roasted salsa, Roasted Tomato Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Course: Appetizer

Calories: 24

Servings: 20 servings (makes about 10 cups)

Ingredients

15-20 medium tomatoes, or 6 to 7 lbs, halved
5-10 jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers*, halved and seeded
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into quarters and seeded, optional
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 head of garlic, about 10 cloves, peeled
1 medium bunch of cilantro
1 Tbsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange your tomatoes cut-side-up on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the jalapenos, bell pepper, onions, and garlic on a second rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes at 375˚F or until tomatoes and onions are soft.
Move the rack to the highest position in the oven, set the oven to broil and broil each baking sheet for an additional 3-5 minutes. The tops of the serrano peppers should start to look charred (check on the veggies a couple of times to make sure they don't burn). Remove the baking sheets from the oven being careful not to spill any of the tomato juices that have accumulated.
Let vegetables cool down a bit then use a food processor to blend everything together along with one bunch of cilantro, 1 Tbsp of salt, and any tomato juice left in the baking dish (feel free to discard tomato juice for a thicker salsa). We were able to blend in 2 batches in a 13-cup food processor. Combine both batches and season to taste with more salt if needed. Let cool to room temp, then cover and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

*Serrano peppers will produce a spicer salsa and jalapenos are milder.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 24 Calories from Fat 2

% Daily Value*

Fat 0.2g0%

Saturated Fat 0.04g0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.03g

Sodium 354mg15%

Potassium 260mg7%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 995IU20%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclosure

This recipe was updated with new photos Sept 2022. Here are the previous photos (we used lighter-colored homegrown tomatoes which gave the salsa a lighter color).

Roasted tomato salsa garnished with cilantro

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.