Fresh Roasted Tomato and Jalapeno Salsa Recipe

Every time of year is a great time for salsa!  Chock full of vegetables and flavor, this is a low calorie, nutrient dense treat that’s also great for snacking while you are working on your New Year’s health goals.  Fresh Roasted Tomato and Jalapeno Salsa is a true classic that’s easy to prep and enjoy.  Hope you enjoy each bite!

Fresh Roasted Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa

8 Roma tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeno peppers
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp cider vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste

Prepare tomatoes: Wash the tomatoes and put them on a broiler pan. Place the broiler pan under a preheated broiler so the tomatoes are about 4 inches from heating element. Broil until blackened, then turn and broil until other side is blackened. Remove from broiler; put tomatoes in bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside to sweat and cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and carefully pull blackened skin from tomatoes, discarding the skin. Do this over a bowl so you collect the juice that drips from the tomatoes. Put peeled tomatoes in bowl with the juice.

Prepare jalapeno and garlic: Put a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the jalapeno peppers and the unpeeled garlic. Shake the skillet and turn the jalapenos and garlic several times with tongs until both get blackened spots. The jalapenos will blacken faster than the garlic, so watch both carefully. Remove when each blackens to a plate to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, pull the stems off the jalapeno peppers and peel the garlic.

Process: In a food processor, put the jalapeno, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and process until it makes a paste. Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula several times to reincorporate the ingredients together. Add the whole roasted tomatoes (not the reserved juice left from the peeling) to the food processor and pulse several times until you get a size and texture you want for your salsa. Don’t over process, you want the tomatoes to still have some pieces, not mush.

Finish salsa: Transfer the mixture from the food processor to a serving bowl. Add any tomato juices reserved from peeling the tomatoes. Add the onion, cilantro, and cider vinegar; stir to combine, taste, and add salt and black pepper to taste. You can add a couple tablespoons of water if desired to make the salsa thinner.

Cover the bowl with plastic food wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve as desired as a side, on tacos, or any dish you like.

This recipe yields about 2 cups salsa.

Refrigerate any leftover salsa.