Description
Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa brings summer’s freshest flavors right to your table with a smoky twist that’ll have friends asking for seconds. Charred cherry tomatoes blend with zesty herbs and a hint of heat, creating a salsa that turns simple chips into an irresistible snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce:
- 1.5 pounds (680g) cherry tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Aromatics:
- 1 large red onion
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Optional: pinch of cumin
- Optional: pinch of smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Spread 1.5 pounds (680g) cherry tomatoes, 1 red onion in large chunks, 1 halved and seeded jalapeño, and 4 unpeeled garlic cloves across the tray.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and toss everything to ensure even coating.
- Roast the vegetables for exactly 20-25 minutes until tomatoes blister and char slightly, and garlic becomes soft.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Let the roasted vegetables cool for 3-4 minutes.
- Peel the roasted garlic cloves. They should slip right out of their skins.
- Transfer all roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor.
- Add 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and ¼ cup cilantro to the mixture.
- Pulse the ingredients if you prefer a chunky salsa, or blend longer for a smoother consistency.
- Taste the salsa and adjust salt or lime juice as needed.
- For deeper flavor, let the salsa rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Roasting brings out deep caramelized sweetness in the tomatoes, intensifying their natural flavor profile.
- Use gloves when handling jalapeños to prevent skin irritation from capsaicin oils.
- Fresh cilantro adds brightness, but for herb-averse guests, skip it without losing the salsa’s core taste.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, with flavors developing and improving overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 68 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 712 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg