Restaurant Style Red Fried Salsa
It is common to be offered a small bowl of salsa with some chips when you are seated at a Mexican restaurant. Here in the United States, some of the restaurants use canned tomatoes to make it, but using fresh tomatoes will always render the best salsa. My mom would almost always have this salsa ready, as it can be used for many things, like the famous Huevos Rancheros, scrambled eggs with salsa, entomatadas, or to add to the many typical Mexican meals we call “antojitos”.
When we talk about salsas, the combinations are endless: they could be as simple as the raw serrano salsa, or a little more complex with more flavor like a Piquin Salsa. A few tomatoes (or tomatillos), onion, garlic, and peppers are the soul of a salsa, but not all of them are hot, spicy salsas. Sometimes, we use a salsa to add some heat to a meal, while other times it constitutes an actual part of the dish, like with the Dried Shrimp Patties in Guajillo sauce.
Salsas are in our everyday life, and almost always you will find a homemade salsa at every Mexican dining table. Which brings me to this last note: we also call them “Salsas de Mesa”, or “table sauces”, since they are placed on the table when the meal is served.
What is your favorite Salsa?
How to make Red Fried Salsa
DIRECTIONS:
- Roughly chop tomatoes, serranos, garlic clove, and onion. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Place in your blender with ¼ cup of water, and process until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan over medium-high heat, and pour in the salsa and stir.
- Once the salsa starts boiling, reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 13-15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until all the ingredients are well cooked.
- Once done, season with salt and serve.
RESTAURANT STYLE RED FRIED SALSA
Ingredients
- 2 medium size tomatoes
- 2 serrano peppers*
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ of a medium size white onion
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt to season
Instructions
- Roughly chop tomatoes, serranos, garlic clove, and onion.
- Place in your blender with ¼ cup of water, and process until smooth (or slightly coarse, if you prefer).
- Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan over medium-high heat, and pour in the salsa and stir.
- Once the salsa starts boiling, reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 13-15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until all the ingredients are well cooked. If it needs it, add more water; this will depend on how juicy the tomatoes are.
- Once done, season with salt and serve. This sauce will keep well for about 3 days in your refrigerator.
Serve with warm tortilla chips or use on tacos, fried eggs, tostadas, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
Buen Provecho!
Frank
I love the flavor and heat level but I could not get rid of the raw tomato flavor and "crunch". I even simmered it for 45 minutes. It may be due to the quality of tomatoes in supermarkets. Even the "vine ripe" tomatoes (which I used) are not as good as they used to be. I am going to try again with canned tomatoes.
mmartinez
Hello Frank,
Some restaurants used canned tomatoes and mix them with fresh ingredients. Try it that way and let us know. Thank you for visiting.
Glen
Dear m Martinez after talking with Hispanic ladies in the manager in the grocery store I'm using 6 tomatoes two jalapenos to Garlic's one green chili in about seven or eight cilantro stocks and stuff tastes pretty good anyway the heat level is where I want yet the next day the heat level is gone and I'm not sure what is it supposed to be like this anyway thank you and take care and God bless
mmartinez
Hello Glen,
That is what happens with a lot of salsas, the heat mellows the next day. You can reheat the salsa and you will feel some of the heat coming back.
Eileen
This sounds delicious and I’m so excited to try this. I recently started making homemade salsa for my boyfriend and me each week to have on hand and have been searching for an authentic, traditional Mexican table salsa to stick with. I’m gonna make it this week!!
susan torres
As I read more & more comments I got my question answered. To fry or not to fry. Wonderfull info on food plus! I've memorized site's name and will come back. Ilike how they always come out differant but always GOOD. I LOV LIME OR LEMON in my salsas too! lov ur kitchen
Jeanné
I made this salsa today per the instructions, and it’s orange. I did have to sun jalapeños for Serrano because literally none of my grocery stores had any. Would the change in peppers change the color?
Mely Martínez
Hello Jeanne,
Jalapeños are bigger in size than serranos. How many jalapeños did you use?
Also, I like to wait to use my tomatoes until they are very ripe. When I bring them from the store, I let them sit on my kitchen counter for about 3-4 days until they are completely red.
MARIA
BEST SALSA AND EASY, THANK YOU MELY YOU ARE A GREAT CHEF:) THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL OF YOUR RECIPES:)
Shelbi K
First time to make salsa and it’s sooo good!! I roasted the vegetables and used poblanos instead. So easy!
Mely Martínez
Hello Shelbi,
Thank you for sharing about your first time making salsa, I'm pretty sure roasting the ingredients made the salsa taste even better.
Lisa
Hi, I just wanted to check on the ingredients you say if no Serrano available to sub one jalapeno? But your recipe calls for 2 Serranos. And a serrano pepper is like double the hotness of a jalapeno so wouldn't you need more jalapeno than the surano? Thanks cant wait to try.
Mely Martínez
Hello Lisa,
It will depend on the season how hot they are. If you like spicy, add more jalapeños.