Homemade tomato salsa recipe with freshly roasted tomatoes… This spicy Mexican appetizer dipping sauce goes extremely well with crispy nachos! It is fiesta time…
Have you ever made tomato salsa at home?
This is the first time that I try my hand at making salsa myself.
And this one turned out to be a spicy hot flavor bomb!
Homemade Salsa
And it is the perfect Mexican dipping sauce for your next summer appetizer party!
I roasted the tomatoes in a hot oven for a while before assembling the salsa. Because roasted tomatoes will give the salsa a more deeply flavored and more concentrated and rich aroma.
But hey, you can skip this step if you haven’t got the time.
This is also a perfect roasted tomato salsa recipe to can by the way!
Are you into canning?
Do try it out…
Spicy Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
If you are not going to oven to roast the fresh tomatoes, then I recommend you add a little drop of tomato paste right in the end.
Also make sure to choose very ripe good quality tomatoes for this tomato salsa recipe. Because if you use bland tomatoes, you will turn your Mexican salsa into something very unappetizing and quite boring.
Or use cherry snack tomatoes!
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are usually sweeter and they are always packed with flavor. Which makes them just perfect for this spicy tomato salsa.
I like the salsa best when I serve it ice cold, straight out of the fridge. The cold brings out the freshness coming from the crispy shallot, fresh cilantro and the lemon juice even more.
This is also a simple and delicious cinco de mayo recipe! Or an amazing New Years Eve appetizer. And always serve in the good company of a large bowl of crispy salted corn nachos!
Nachos
Oh, one thing you can do here also: you can replace the paprika powder in this recipe by my homemade taco seasoning for instance.
But that is entirely up to you!
Are you looking for a green tomato salsa recipe?
Then you should check out this green tomato salsa recipe from Kim!
Enjoy this little salsa party!
You will love it…
Best Spicy Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
- 1 ⅓ lb fresh tomatoes (600 g), very ripe
- 1 medium shallot
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 10 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 tsp paprika powder or pimenton
- olive oil
- salt
- Trim and clean the ripe tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes into smaller bite-size chunks and then transfer them onto a large baking tray. Drizzle them with a little sprinkle of olive oil and season with a good dash of pepper and salt.
- Roast the tomatoes in a preheated oven at 302°F (150°C) for 45 minutes until they look a little dried out.
- Remove the tomatoes from the hot oven and then let them cool down fully at room temperature. Peel and chop the shallot and garlic cloves roughly. Add them to a clean blender.
- Pulse into a fine mixture and add the roasted tomatoes once they are cooled.
- Pulse again. Then add the fresh cilantro, half of the spicy paprika (or pimenton) and lime or lemon juice. Season with a little pinch of salt and add a drizzle of olive oil as well.
- Pulse the ingredients again into a well-mixed but still chunky tomato paste. Check the seasoning and add extra spicy paprika, salt, cilantro and lime or lemon juice to taste if necessary. Then transfer the tomato salsa to a clean bowl and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Serve cold with nachos.
Where is tomato salsa originally from?
Tomato salsa is believed to have originated in Mesoamerica, which is a historical region that includes parts of present-day Mexico and Central America.
The use of tomatoes, peppers, and other ingredients to create flavorful sauces and condiments has been a part of the indigenous cuisines in this region for centuries.
It is not possible to pinpoint a single person or culture that “invented” tomato salsa, as the concept of using tomatoes and other ingredients to create flavorful sauces has been present in various cultures for centuries.
The Americas
Tomatoes are native to the Americas and were cultivated by the Aztecs and other indigenous civilizations long before the arrival of Europeans.
Salsas were an important element of their cuisine, and they used a variety of ingredients, including tomatoes, chili peppers, herbs, and spices, to create a range of flavorful sauces.
After the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the use of tomatoes and other indigenous ingredients spread to other parts of the world.
Over time, different cultures and regions adopted their own variations of salsa, incorporating local ingredients and culinary traditions.
Today, tomato salsa is enjoyed worldwide and comes in numerous variations, from mild and tangy to spicy and hot.
On what foods do you put tomato salsa?
You can put tomato salsa on foods like tacos, burritos, grilled meats, seafood, omelettes, sandwiches, burgers, salads, scrambled eggs, enchiladas, nachos, rice dishes and more.
It is a versatile condiment that adds flavor and freshness to various dishes.
What tomatoes do you use best to make salsa?
For making my tomato salsa recipe, tomatoes with less water content and a balanced flavor profile work well.
Varieties like Roma tomatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos are often used due to their texture, sweetness and acidity.
Looks delicious, yummy!!!