Skip to main content

Smoky Salsa Roja

Image may contain Food and Ketchup
Alex Lau

The smoky flavor of the fire-roasted tomatoes fits in here, but regular tomatoes would be good, too. This goes great with our beer-braised brisket.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    12 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped, plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and golden brown around the edges, 8–10 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add chipotle chile, adobo sauce, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until they are slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring, until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender. Add vinegar and molasses and blend until smooth; taste, and season with salt and pepper.

    Step 4

    DO AHEAD: Salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 50 Fat (g) 2.5 Saturated Fat (g) 0 Cholesterol (mg) 0 Carbohydrates (g) 7 Dietary Fiber (g) 2 Total Sugars (g) 4 Protein (g) 1 Sodium (mg) 160
Read More
A steak dinner that’s more about the sauce than the meat.
Juicy peak-season tomatoes make the perfect plant-based swap for aguachile.
Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and red onion are coated with a melty sauce—warm with the flavors of pepper jack, and stabilized with a block of cream cheese.
Silky Japanese eggplant and fiery serrano chile unite in this no-fuss frittata that’s brunch-ready, dinner-worthy, and wildly good.
The heat of pickled chiles brings a welcome zing that integrates well with the salty elements of puttanesca and acts like a counterweight to rich pork chops.
Rich and funky black bean garlic sauce, a pantry favorite in Chinese cuisine, provides depth and flavor to this weeknight riff on ragù Bolognese.
This riff on çılbır marries garlicky yogurt, fried eggs, and spiced butter with summer tomatoes.
I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.