Salsas & Condiments

Salsa Roja Base

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Prep

15 min

Cook

1 hour 30 min

Total

1 hr 45 min

Serves

Makes about 750 ml (3 cups)

Every taqueria has a house salsa roja — this is ours. Long-cooked San Marzano tomatoes with chipotle in adobo and fresh oregano until it goes thick and deeply red. The hour and a half simmer does what a blender never can: it builds a savory depth that tastes like it was on the stove all morning.

Ingredients

390 g (13¾ oz) San Marzano tomatoes, broken into large pieces
140 g (5 oz) fresh tomatoes, quartered
80 g (2¾ oz) onion, large dice
11 g garlic, quartered
30 g (1 oz) chipotle in adobo, medium dice
2½ tbsp fresh oregano leaves, picked
1 bay leaf
½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1
Heat a splash of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden brown.
2
Add both the San Marzano and fresh tomatoes. Stir to combine.
3
Add the chipotle in adobo, oregano, and bay leaf.
4
Bring to a boil, then lower to the gentlest possible simmer.
5
Cook uncovered for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and deeply colored.
6
Remove the bay leaf. Season with kosher salt.

Cook's Note

Blend smooth for enchilada sauce; leave chunky for table salsa. Freezes well.

How to Use This

Use as a sauce for huevos rancheros, a base for enchiladas, a taco condiment, or a braising liquid for proteins. Thin with a splash of water or stock if it thickens too much in the fridge.

Why This Foundation Works

San Marzano tomatoes are less watery and more concentrated than standard romas, which means the long simmer builds flavor instead of just reducing water. The chipotle in adobo adds smokiness and a little vinegar tang. Cooking at the gentlest simmer for 1.5 hours lets the tomatoes caramelize at the edges of the pan — that browning is flavor.

Make It Yours

Salsa roja for chips (fresh herbs at end): use 1.2 kg roma tomatoes + 1 large can diced tomatoes. Simmer 1 hour until very soft, then blend with 1 roasted serrano and 1 roasted jalapeño. Stir in 275 ml chopped cilantro and 180 ml chopped white onion after blending — do not blend the herbs.
Charred molcajete version: toss 908 g halved roma tomatoes, 255 g quartered onion, 85 g jalapeños, and 30 g garlic in oil. Broil on a sheet tray, turning every 20 minutes, until deeply blackened, about 1 hour. Cool, then rough-chop in a food processor — chunky, not smooth. Add cilantro and lime juice at the end.
Guajillo version (dried chile base): skip the fresh tomatoes. Simmer 90 g guajillo chiles + 1 chile de arbol + ½ onion + 2 garlic cloves in 650 ml water for 1 hour. Blend smooth. Fruity, mild, deeply red.
Habanero version: swap chipotle for 100 ml habanero chiles + 1 L roma tomatoes + canola oil. Cook until tomatoes break down, then blend smooth with the remaining oil poured in while blending for a glossy finish. Use 1 tbsp per plate — it is very hot.
Jalapeño-serrano table salsa: simmer 650 g roma tomatoes + ½ jalapeño + ½ serrano + 1 garlic clove + 1 tbsp chicken base in just enough water to half-cover. Low simmer for 1 hour. Blend smooth.