Roasted Tomato and Onion Salsa

This traditional salsa has a rich taste with roasted tomatoes and onions that have been slightly caramelized. Roasting fresh tomatoes intensifies their flavor and results in a slightly tart, slightly sweet blend.

I love when the tomatoes come in and the fresh tomato recipes and dishes begin. I made several batches of homemade salsa today, fresh & this roasted version, to freeze and stock up for the year…or at least a couple of months.

I know there was a time in my life when I ate chips and salsa literally every day. I love to find new salsa brands and variations as well as different varieties of chips. I don’t think I’ve met a chip or salsa I didn’t like. Maybe not a favorite or a buy again, but I respect a good salty, crisp chip whether made with quinoa and brown rice, grain free, black beans, blue corn, yellow corn or white corn…I’m game to try it all. Wait, where was I?

Oh yea, salsa. Not going on a tangent, but the same goes with respecting the variations of salsas. From fruit salsas, bean & corn salsas, restaurant style, chunky, salsa verde..I mean it goes on and on. Then you pick your heat. For us, we’re Medium salsa people. Enough spice to get the back of your throat and warm you up, but not so hot that you can’t enjoy your meal. I mean you gotta enjoy those chips too!!

Okay, so really…to the recipe. It’s August and the tomatoes plants are bearing all these delicious fruits for us in grateful abundance. While slow roasting some cherry tomatoes in the oven, then tasting their candy-like goodness when they came out. I figured that these would be delicious in salsa. So came the birth of this recipe…well at least my version of this recipe.

What you need to make a Roasted Salsa

Fresh tomatoes
A serrated knife- like the one pictured above. Non-serrated knives may squish your tomatoes while dicing, leaving a juicy mess.
Jalapenos– Note: I removed the seeds and membranes of one of the peppers. I suggest tasting your peppers first (a tiny bite) to see how hot they are and add accordingly to your preference. Jalapenos are unpredictable. Even from the same plant, one can be mild and taste like a green pepper and the next will set your lips on fire!
Onion– I used a yellow onion because it’s what I had.
Seasonings– salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro paste (because I didn’t have fresh), juice of half a lime

Helpful tips

Jalapenos

When dicing the jalapenos, I like to cut them into quarters. Slice down the middle, turn a quarter then slice again (see picture below- sorry it’s a little blurry, still learning)
For removing the seeds and membranes, I slice the jalapeno in half and scrape out the inside, then slice into fourths and dice.
Important: Don’t forget to wash your hands after dicing jalapenos!! The capsaicins in peppers are oily and will stick to your skin. So before you forget and scratch your face or rub your eye- Go Wash!

Tomatoes

You can roast tomatoes in the oven or in the pan. Using the oven, roast tomatoes at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, check frequently and stir as needed.
Tomatoes are very watery and will release juices when cooked, chopped or blended. I recommend using a fine mesh strainer to strain out the liquid along the way.
For this recipe, I roasted the tomatoes in the pan and used a slotted spoon to remove them leaving some of the juice behind. I also strained them again after blending them, as this process causes them to break down again.

Good for you ingredients

Tomatoes– Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and lycopene. Lycopene is a phytochemical, which is a chemical produced by plants that protects them against bacteria and viruses. Phytochemicals help protect our cells and help prevent DNA damage. According to the Denver Health, cooking tomatoes brings out more lycopene making them an optimal nutritional choice. Cooking tomatoes also helps break down the cell walls of the plant and makes it easier for our bodies to better absorb that nutritious phytonutrient lycopene. Lycopene has shown to reduce the risk of cancer, improve heart health and enhance neurological responses. Salsa anyone?!?

How to store salsa

To store: Place in a glass container with sealable lid, (a pint or half pint sized mason jar works great). Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze: I have heard people freezing salsa in glass jars, but it makes me nervous. I froze bone broth in a glass quart jar one time and it busted. I think I didn’t leave enough room for expansion as it froze. I dunno! I suggest freezing salsa in a freezer bag letting out excess air. Then thaw it out at room temperature or in a bowl with water.

You may also try…

Homemade Salsa Fresca