Salsa roja (cooked red salsa)
A smooth, smoky cooked red salsa of tomatoes, dried chillies and garlic. One batch covers eggs, chilaquiles, tacos and more.
Make this once, then cook it into 72 different dishes.
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.42 a head
- Makesabout 700 ml, enough for 3 to 4 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast the guajillo and chile de arbol chillies for 20 to 30 seconds on each side, pressing them flat, until they smell fruity and look slightly darker. Do not let them blacken.
1 min - 2
Put the toasted chillies, tomatoes, onion, garlic and water in a saucepan. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the tomato skins split and the chillies are very soft.
15 min - 3
Tip everything, including the liquid, into a blender with the oregano and salt. Let it cool for a few minutes first, or blend in two batches, because hot liquid can push the lid off. Blend until completely smooth. For a silky finish, press it through a sieve.
- 4
Heat the oil in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Carefully pour in the salsa, as it will spit. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens to a deeper brick red, thickens slightly and smells rich rather than raw.
10 min - 5
Taste and add salt a little at a time. It should taste savoury and gently tangy with a warm finish. If it is too thick, stir in a splash of water: it should coat a spoon but still pour.
- 6
Cool quickly in a shallow container. Once the steam stops, cover and chill within 2 hours. Use as a table salsa, or follow the dish recipes that call for your ready made salsa roja.
About salsa roja (cooked red salsa)
Salsa roja is a cooked red salsa made from tomatoes, dried chillies and garlic, blended smooth and then fried briefly so the flavour deepens. It is the everyday table salsa of Mexican homes and taquerias, and also the starting point for many cooked dishes.
This version tastes savoury and gently smoky, with a fruity warmth from guajillo chillies and a sharper kick from chile de arbol. The final fry in a little oil is what separates it from a raw blended salsa: it turns a deeper brick red, loses the raw tomato edge and keeps for days.
Use it as a table salsa with tortilla chips, tacos and grilled meat, or cook with it. It is the base for huevos divorciados, chilaquiles rojos, simmered eggs, braised pork and chicken, and rice. Make one batch, then spoon out what each dish needs.
Tips
- Toast the dried chillies for only 20 to 30 seconds per side. If they blacken or smell acrid, throw them away and start again, because burnt chilli makes the whole salsa bitter.
- Remove the seeds from the guajillos. Seeds and pale veins add bitterness more than heat, and the salsa tastes cleaner without them.
- Do not skip the final fry. Cooking the blended salsa in hot oil for 8 to 10 minutes darkens it and gives the rounded, cooked flavour.
- For a milder salsa use only one chile de arbol, or leave it out. For a hotter one use four, or add a fresh serrano chilli to the pot.
- If the salsa tastes sharp or tinny, simmer it a few minutes longer and add a pinch more salt. A tiny pinch of sugar will also round off underripe tomatoes.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours, then keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze in 200 ml portions for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, and bring to a simmer until steaming hot all the way through before cooking with it.
Dishes you can make with salsa roja (cooked red salsa)
Huevos Ahogados (Eggs Poached in Salsa Roja)
NFHuevos al Albañil (Bricklayer's Eggs)
GFDFNFHuevos Motuleños (Yucatan Eggs on Tortillas)
NFEnchiladas Rojas de Queso (Red Cheese Enchiladas)
EFNFPastel Azteca (Aztec Tortilla Casserole)
EFNFTacos de Chorizo con Papa (Chorizo and Potato Tacos)
DFEFNFTacos Ahogados (Drowned Bean and Cheese Tacos)
GFEFNFTacos de Canasta (Basket Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos de Barbacoa (Slow Braised Beef Tacos)
GFDFEFTlayuda Oaxaqueña (Oaxacan Bean and Cheese Tlayuda)
GFEFNFTostadas de Atún con Aguacate (Tuna and Avocado Tostadas)
GFDFEFQuesadillas de Hongos (Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas)
GFEFNFQuestions
Can I freeze salsa roja?
Yes. Cool it quickly, freeze it in 200 ml portions for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. It may look slightly separated, so stir or simmer it for a few minutes and it comes back together.
How spicy is this salsa roja?
Medium. Guajillo chillies are mild and fruity, and the two chiles de arbol add a clear but friendly heat. Use one arbol for mild, or four plus a fresh serrano for hot.
What can I use if I cannot find dried chillies?
Use two fresh red chillies plus 2 tsp mild chilli powder or ancho chilli powder. You lose the fruity depth of guajillo, but it still makes a good salsa. Ancho or guajillo are sold in many supermarket world food aisles and online.
Is salsa roja vegan and gluten free?
Yes. As written it contains only tomatoes, chillies, onion, garlic, oil, oregano and salt, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Always check the label on any dried chillies or spices that come in a mixed pack.
Why is my salsa roja bitter?
Usually the chillies were toasted too long, or the seeds were left in. Underripe tomatoes can also taste sharp. Simmer a few minutes longer, add a pinch of salt and a tiny pinch of sugar to balance it.
What is the difference between salsa roja and pico de gallo?
Salsa roja is cooked, blended and smooth, with dried chillies. Pico de gallo is raw, chopped and chunky, made with fresh tomato, onion, chilli and coriander. They are used for different jobs.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.