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Salsa Negra is a beautiful deep rich color with a bold flavor. And, making it at home allows you to control how spicy it is. Perfect for fish tacos or chips, and don’t forget that big football game that’s coming up – you need this on your appetizer line up!
Have you ever been to those Mexican restaurants that have those beautiful salsa bars? There’s always that deep red salsa that looks amazing? Well, here’s how to make that beautiful condiment at home!
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
What is salsa negra made of?
Now, of course, every cook has their own favorite blend of chiles and spices to use for this Black Salsa, but it’s often made with soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, a blend of different kinds of darkly colored chiles peppers, and some spices to perk everything up.
How spicy is it?
I like to make mine medium spicy by leaving the membranes and the seeds out of the salsa. You can make it spicier with by adding the ribs and seeds. You can also up the heat with an additional jalapeno pepper.
And don’t be afraid to play around with different kinds of chile peppers here. I love serrano peppers for heat, and they would be fantastic. Add in some dried árbol chiles for a nice fruity spice.
How to make
This salsa is really easy to make, especially considering the lovely complex umami flavors that it has.
Basically, you’ll roast the vegetables under the broiler, pop them in the food processor for a quick puree, then mix it all together with some additional spices. That’s it.
Now, I like the broiler for roasting the veggies here. You’ll want a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices, and it makes quick work of roasting everything all at the same time.
But, if you prefer to roast the peppers on the grill outside, you can do that as well. Maybe it’s way too hot to cook anything inside during the summer months. Just lay the peppers on the grill grates and let them blacken, turning them a few times while they roast. The onion can be cut into large pieces and grilled as well.
The peppers can also be roasted on a gas stove. Place the peppers on the stove grates and turn often with long handled tongs. Be careful as you do this, they can catch fire. And, I find that it makes the house smell quite a bit.
And, yes, you could make the salsa using a Molcajete or textured mortar and pestle, but the food processor is so much faster for this large amount of salsa.
Do I remove the tomato and pepper skins after roasting?
Good news, and less work! No, you don’t have to remove the skins after roasting. They blend right into the salsa. They provide a lightly bitter flavor to the salsa. If you want it less bitter, feel free to peel the skins off. They actually slip off easily after roasting.
Make-Ahead and Storage
How long does salsa negra last? I actually like it best when it’s made at least a couple of hours ahead. I find that the flavors meld together really well.
Place it in glass mason jars or other air tight containers and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Serving suggestions
Besides just serving this as chips and salsa on your football game day spread, this can be used in so many ways. And be sure to check out my guide to how to host a taco bar party.
You could even make your own salsa bar like in the restaurants. Have some (green) verde tomatillo salsa, roasted tomato salsa (my favorite), Enchilada salsa, and Easy restaurant style salsa.
It’s great in fish tacos. The flavors go so well with seafood. Try it on ceviche. Add it to some sauteed shrimp or on a shrimp bowl.
Stir some into marinades like my Carne Asada Marinade for extra kick.
Add a spoonful to rice or beans for a stellar side dish.
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Recipe
Salsa Negra Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 dried pasilla chili pods or other large dark red chile peppers
- 2 pounds roma tomatoes
- 2 fresh poblano peppers
- 1 medium red onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Place the dried chili pods in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Place a small plate or bowl on top of them to keep them submerged. Let soak for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes are up, drain the soaking liquid off, reserving about 1/3 cup of the liquid.
- Preheat the broiler to high, 500° F, and set the rack at the highest setting.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the soaked pasilla chili pods, roma tomatoes, whole fresh poblano peppers, chopped red onion, and whole jalapeno pepper on it.
- Broil the veggies for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are blackened all over.
- Working in batches, blend the veggies in the food processor until finely minced, or your desired chunkiness. Start with the onion and garlic in the food processor. Once finely chopped, place in a large bowl, and add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, and soy sauce.
- Remove the stem end of the roasted tomatoes, and roughly chop in half. Puree, in the food processor, working in batches if necessary. Add the tomato puree to the bowl with the onions and spices.
- Remove and discard the stems from all the peppers. For a milder salsa, remove the membranes and seeds from the peppers. For a spicy salsa, leave the seeds and membranes of the peppers.
- Puree the peppers in the food processor, and add them to the bowl. Stir in the olive oil, and stir until everything is well combined. If the salsa is too thick, stir in some of the reserved chile soaking liquid.
- Cover and refrigerate until cold. Taste the salsa prior to serving, and adjust the seasonings to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
I love having different salsas on a taco bar, and this one’s rich and flavorful. I’ve been putting it on cottage cheese and serving with cucumber slices for a healthy treat. I hope you love it as much as I do. Debi, author, Life Currents