Recipes » Homemade Salsa Roja Recipe: Easy Red Salsa with Dried Chiles

Homemade Salsa Roja Recipe: Easy Red Salsa with Dried Chiles

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.

There’s nothing quite like the smoky, rich flavor of homemade salsa roja! This traditional Mexican red salsa is way better than anything you’ll find in a jar at the store. Made with dried chiles and roasted tomatoes, it’s got that deep, complex taste that makes everything better.

Top down view of a basket filled with tortilla chips with a bowl of rojo salsa sitting in the center. - Hostess At Heart

What is Salsa Roja?

Salsa roja simply means “red salsa” in Spanish. It’s a classic Mexican sauce made with tomatoes and dried red chiles. The dried chiles give it a smoky flavor that’s different from fresh salsa verde (green salsa). You’ll find roja salsa served at Mexican restaurants, but making it at home is easier than you might think!

Why we Love Making Homemade Salsa Roja

This salsa roja recipe is perfect for busy families because it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish and uses simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. You’ll save money compared to buying fancy restaurant-style salsas, and you’ll know exactly what’s in it – no weird preservatives or artificial ingredients. Just a deep delicious flavor that you’ll crave.

Key Ingredient Notes

Ingredients: Roma Tomatoes, dried chillis, garlic, cumin, oil, and onion and salt - Hostess At Heart
Salsa Roja Ingredients

Roma tomatoes are the best choice for this salsa because they’re meatier and have less water than regular tomatoes. This means your salsa won’t be watery! Look for tomatoes that feel heavy and have good color.

Guajillo chiles are the star of this recipe – they’re mild with a sweet, fruity flavor and beautiful red color. You’ll find them in the Mexican food section of most grocery stores. They’re bigger than your thumb and dark red.

Arbol chiles bring the heat! These little skinny chiles pack a punch, so start with just one if you’re not sure about spice levels. You can always add more next time.

Cumin adds that warm, earthy flavor that makes this taste like restaurant salsa. Just a little bit makes a big difference.

The roasting and toasting steps are what make this salsa special – don’t skip them! Charring the tomatoes and toasting the chiles in a dry pan brings out amazing smoky flavors you just can’t get any other way.

Quick Overview: How to Make Salsa Roja

Making salsa roja is really just four simple steps.

Top down view of roasted roma tomatoes - Hostess At Heart

First, you’ll char your tomato halves in a hot, dry skillet until they get those beautiful black spots – this adds incredible flavor.

Next, toast the dried chiles in the same pan for just 30 seconds per side until they smell amazing, then soak them in hot water to soften up.

Third, throw everything in your blender with the garlic, onion, and seasonings until it’s smooth.

Finally, cook the blended salsa in a little oil for about 5 minutes to thicken it up and let all those flavors come together.

The whole thing takes about 25 minutes, and most of that is just waiting for things to roast or simmer!

A bowl of thick blended rojo salsa on a spoon hovering over a bowl - Hostess At Heart

Common Questions About Salsa Roja

How spicy is roja salsa? With 2 arbol chiles, it has a medium heat level. If you want it milder, use just 1 arbol chile or skip them completely. For more heat, add 1-2 more arbol chiles.

Want to save this recipe?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

I'd like to receive more tips and recipes from Hostess At Heart!

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes! This roja salsa actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have time to blend together. Store it in the fridge for up to a week.

What if I can’t find guajillo chiles? You can substitute with ancho chiles or New Mexico chiles. Each will give a slightly different flavor, but still delicious.

Can I freeze this salsa? Absolutely! Freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags. Perfect for adding to recipes later.

Why do I need to toast the chiles? Toasting brings out the natural oils and makes the chiles more flavorful. It only takes a minute and makes a huge difference!

A bowl of thick dried chile salsa rojo surrounded by tortilla chips for dipping - Hostess At Heart

Recipe Variations

Smoky version: Add 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce when blending Sweeter version: Add 1 teaspoon brown sugar Restaurant-style: Blend in ¼ cup chicken broth instead of water Chunky version: Pulse the blender instead of blending smooth.

What to Serve with Salsa Roja

This versatile salsa goes perfectly with so many dishes! Start with our homemade tortilla chips recipe for the ultimate snack – nothing beats fresh chips with fresh salsa and guacamole! For dinner, this salsa roja is amazing spooned over our slow cooker pork carnitas in soft tacos or burrito bowls. It also makes a fantastic topping for our fajita stuffed chicken – the smoky chile flavors complement the seasoned chicken perfectly.

You can even serve it as a dipping sauce with our baked turkey meatballs for a fun Mexican twist on a family favorite. Beyond these recipes, try it with scrambled eggs for breakfast, grilled steak or chicken, quesadillas, or even mixed into rice for Spanish rice. The smoky, rich flavor of this salsa makes everything taste better, so don’t be afraid to get creative with how you use it!

Close up view of a chip scooping a serving of blended salsa roja recipe - Hostess At Heart

Storage Tips

Best Way To Store

Keep your salsa roja fresh by storing it in a glass jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll stay good for up to a week. The flavors actually gets better and mellow out after a day or two.

This roja salsa freezes really well! Since it’s a cooked salsa, it holds up much better in the freezer than fresh salsas do.

How to freeze it: Pour the cooled salsa into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. If you use ice cube trays, once the salsa cubes are frozen solid, pop them out and store them in freezer bags. This way you can grab just the amount you need for a recipe. Roja salsa will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to thaw it: The easiest way is to move it from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. If you’re in a hurry, you can thaw it in the microwave using the defrost setting, stirring every 30 seconds. You can also add frozen salsa cubes directly to hot dishes like scrambled eggs, rice, or soup – they’ll thaw and heat up quickly.

After thawing: Give it a good stir since it might separate a little bit. The texture will be slightly different from fresh – maybe a tiny bit more watery – but the flavor will still be fantastic. If it seems too thin, just simmer it in a pan for a few minutes to thicken it back up.

This makes the recipe even more convenient for busy families – you can make a big batch and have homemade salsa ready whenever you need it!

Top down view of a bowl of smooth dried chile red salsa surrounded with tortilla chips - Hostess At Heart

Try This Recipe and Let Us Know!

We’d love to hear how your salsa roja turned out! Did you make it spicier with extra arbol chiles? Maybe you tried it on something unexpected like scrambled eggs or grilled fish? Drop a comment below and tell us about your experience – other home cooks love reading about real results from real kitchens.

If this recipe worked well for you and your family enjoyed it, please give it a 5-star rating! Your reviews help other busy parents and home cooks discover recipes that actually work. Plus, we read every single comment and love hearing your creative serving ideas and recipe tweaks. Did you make any changes that turned out great? Share them with the community – you might just inspire someone else’s new favorite way to enjoy homemade salsa!

★★★★★ Rate this recipe and tell us: What’s your favorite way to use salsa roja?

A bowl of deep read rojo salsa with a tortilla chip dipped into the side. - Hostess At Heart

Salsa Roja Recipe: Easy Red Salsa with Dried Chiles

Author: Julie Menghini
This classic Salsa Roja is made with roasted tomatoes, chili peppers, and garlic for a bold, smoky flavor. It’s perfect for dipping, drizzling over tacos, or mixing into your favorite dishes.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword: Red Salsa

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 ripe Roma tomatoes halved
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried arbol chiles for heat, adjust as needed, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • ¼ small white onion roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ cup water adjust for desired consistency
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes cut-side down and roast until charred, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, then set aside.
  • In the same skillet, toast the dried chiles for about 30 seconds per side until fragrant, then place them in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 5 minutes.
  • In a blender, combine the roasted tomatoes, rehydrated chiles, garlic, onion, salt, cumin, and ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat, then pour in the salsa. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Let cool slightly before serving.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!

An image for Pinterest of a bowl of salsa rojo surrounded by tortilla chips - Hostess At Heart

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating