Need a fresh salsa for your meal or party? This Salsa de Molcajete (Salsa in Stone Mortar) is easy, tasty and a little different. It’s made with roasted tomatoes and chili peppers. It can be done in a stone mortar, food processor or blender.
Although the name of this salsa is salsa de molcajete (stone mortar), it’s not a must to use a stone mortar. I don’t have a mortar and pestle, so I used a food processor instead. A mortar will produce a more flavorful salsa, but use what you have.
What makes this salsa different from regular salsa? It’s the roasting part. Roast the tomatoes, chili peppers and garlics on a skillet over the stove. It gives the vegetables beautiful char and extra flavors. Let everything cool down a little. Peel the garlics. Then peel the tomatoes and remove the cores.
Process garlic and desired amount of peppers into a food processor. Scrape down the sides of the food processor if needed. Add tomatoes and blend until a coarse puree. Pour into a bowl and stir in chopped onion and cilantro. Season with a good amount of salt and a little bit of lime juice. That’s it!
The salsa is fresh and a little bit garlicky. I like that it’s not really spicy because I didn’t use peppers that are too spicy. But use spicier peppers if you like your salsa spicy. I’m used to getting store-bought salsa (in the fridge). But after trying this one, the freshness is just a different level and store-bought just can’t compare.
This salsa is so good with any meal, either as an appetizer with tortilla chips or as a condiment with tacos and burritos. The reason I made this salsa is for my burrito. I’ll be posting that recipe next week. 😊
Salsa de Molcajete
Ingredients
- 1 ripe beefsteak tomato
- 3 ripe plum tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
- 1 Anaheim chili pepper (stem, core and seeds removed)
- 1 jalapeño chili pepper (stem, core and seeds removed)
- 5 sprigs cilantro (finely chopped)
- ¼ medium white onion (cut into ¼-inch pieces)
- 1 lime
- Salt
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat without adding any oil, add tomatoes, garlic and peppers. Cook until soften and charred all over, about 10 – 13 minutes, turning every once a while. Push down the peppers occasionally to get a better char. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Set aside for 15 – 20 minutes until cool enough to handle.
- Peel the garlics. Cut the peppers into smaller chucks. Remove the skins on the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the core. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add garlic, Anaheim pepper, and half jalapeño. Pulse a couple times and scrape down the sides. Add tomatoes and juice. Process until the salsa is a coarse puree.
- Pour the salsa into a medium bowl, add onion and cilantro. Season with salt and squeeze little bit of lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the salsa is a bit too thick, add little bit of drinking water.
Notes
- I put on plastic food prep gloves when preparing chili peppers. Oils in peppers can make your hands burning or tingling. Remember not to touch your eyes or face after cutting a pepper.
- If you prefer a spicier salsa, skip the Anaheim pepper and use only jalapeños or Serrano. I used only half of jalapeño, and my salsa was not spicy at all.
- If you have a stone mortar, you don’t need a food processor or blender. Just smash everything in the mortar until it’s a coarse puree.
- The salsa can be kept for a few days in the fridge in an airtight container.
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