I can’t wait for tomatoes to be ready in the summer so we can make Roasted Vegetable Salsa. Sometimes I even break down in the winter and buy the ingredients so I can make this to satisfy my craving. There is just something about vegetables fresh from the farm that add an extra level of yum, though. If you’ve got fresh veggies, or access to them, try roasting them before making them into a salsa. You won’t regret it!
Fire Roasting
I hate turning on the oven and heating up the house in the summer. Plus, our new charcoal grill adds an extra depth of flavor and more char to the vegetables. This salsa is great in the oven, but if you can, do it on the grill. It needs to get hot, and you don’t need to heat up your house!
Either way, you want the vegetables to get a really good char on them. Coat them with olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper before roasting them. It will save you from adding too much salt when you bring it all together, and the cumin gives it an extra element. Turn the vegetables over as needed to get even color on them.
Spice
I like my salsa picante (spicy!) But not everyone in my family does. I usually roast two jalapeños, so I have some options. Not all jalapeño are created equal. Some can be really spicy, some not so much. We always start with one and then add more as needed. Depending on the size you may want to char a few extra. They are great on tacos if you like the spice!
Consistency
It will only take a couple of quick pulses in the food processor to bring the Roasted Vegetable Salsa together. We like it with a little chunk and some depth, but if you like it smoother, run the food processor a little longer. Just as it comes together, you’ll want to taste it and adjust your seasoning and spice level. Throw in the second jalapeño, and add some salt and pepper, if needed. I always have an extra lime on standby just in case roasting the veggies got them a little too sweet. Sometimes, you need to add a little extra hit of acid.
This recipe is part of our Tostada Week |
Roasted Vegetable Salsa
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 5 Roma Tomatoes
- 1 Red or Yellow Pepper
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1 Poblano Pepper (optional)
- 2 Jalapeno (optional)
- 6-8 cloves Garlic
- 1 Lime
- 1 handful Cilantro, leaves and stems
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut onion and lime in half (if using the oven method also cut the tomatoes in half) and place in a large bowl with the tomatoes, peppers, jalapeno and garlic
- Drizzle with olive oil and use hands to ensure all vegetables are lightly coated
- Sprinkle the cumin over the vegetables and a little salt and pepper
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line 2 large baking trays with parchment or foil
- Place the peppers and onions on one tray and the remaining vegetables on the other
- On the top rack of the oven place the tray with the peppers, with the other tray below, slightly offset if possible
- Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, they should be browned and blistered
- Remove the vegetables and place the peppers in a bowl covered in plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutesSee Salsa Preparation for next steps
Grill Method
- Preheat the grill to 450° or 500°F
- Place all vegetables and the lime, except for the peppers, in a basket on the grill and then place the peppers directly on the grate in the hottest spot
- Close the lid and let the Vegetables roast for 10 minutes and then open the grill and move them around to get an even char
- Roast for a total of 30 minutes checking on them at least twice
- Remove the vegetables and place the peppers in a bowl covered in plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes
Salsa Preparation
- Remove the peppers from the bowl and peel the skin, it should come off fairly easily, then cut them open and remove the stem and seeds
- Cut the ends off the onion and take the peel off the garlic
- Place the red pepper, poblano and one jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor, then add the tomatoes, onion and peeled garlic, top with cilantro and squeeze the roasted lime juice into the bowl
- Pulse the mixture until the vegetables are broken down but still chunky
- Taste the salsa and add another jalapeno, if you need more heat, and salt and pepper as needed and then give it another quick pulse
- Store the salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days
Leave a Reply