Oh, Summer, the many things that it brings to our lives: fresh vegetables and fruits, trips to the pool or beach, and vacation time for some. It’s the time of the year when many will use their barbecue grills almost every weekend if possible.
For these days when you’re grilling your meat or chicken, warm up some tortillas alongside the meat to enjoy your grilling feast by making some tacos, and top it off with one of the most famous salsas in Central Mexico, one that’s sought after in many “Taquerias” for those who like to have a good, spicy, tasteful salsa. A good taco has to have a really good salsa to go along.
Red Salsa Taquera
This salsa traditionally has Chiles de Arbol, tomatoes, garlic, salt and water, but some cooks like to add tomatillos (the medium size tomatoes with a husk), like I do in this recipe. This is a very spicy salsa, but you can adjust the spiciness to fit your own taste by reducing the amount of Arbol peppers. This salsa goes well with “Tacos al Pastor”, too. Most Taquerias in Mexico City that sell Tacos al Pastor offer this salsa to top your tacos with. Some people know this salsa as Salsa de Chile de Arbol and others as Salsa Taquera.
How to make Red Salsa Taquera
Directions:
- Heat a skillet or heavy griddle and arrange the tomatoes, onion, tomatillos, and garlic to roast on the skillet. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Roast the ingredients. The garlic cooks in a few minutes. The roasting process will take about 8 minutes.
- When your tomatoes and onion look softened, it’s time to remove them and set aside or place in your blender or food processor along with the garlic. Now add the Arbol peppers to the hot griddle and slightly roast them.
- Once all the ingredients, tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion and arbol peppers are in the blender, process them until you have a fine texture.
Season with salt and serve in a bowl. Enjoy!
Buen Provecho
Mely,
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Receta en Español Salsa Taquera.
Taquería Style Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 Large sized tomato
- 4 medium sized tomatillos or 6 small ones *
- 2 garlic cloves unpeeled
- ⅓ of a medium white onion **
- 15 Dry Arbol Peppers ***
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet or heavy griddle over medium heat, once it’s hot. Arrange the tomatoes, onion, tomatillos and garlic to roast on the skillet.
- Roast the ingredients until they start showing some blistering and look slightly softened, turning them to make sure they roast evenly. The garlic cooks in a few minutes and you will need to remove it, peel the skin, and set aside. The roasting process will take about 8 minutes. If your tomatoes don’t look to softened, wrap them in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes, this will help them to finish cooking.
- When your tomatoes and onion look softened, it’s time to remove them and set aside or place in your blender or food processor along with the garlic. Now add the Arbol peppers to the hot griddle and slightly roast them, this will be a very fast step since the peppers skins burn easily, which gives them an unpleasant bitter taste, so be sure to turn them and roast the peppers without burning them.
- Once all the ingredients, tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion and arbol peppers are in the blender, process them until you have a fine texture. If your salsa is too thick add a little water. Season with salt and serve in a bowl.
andrew
Hi, Where I am from it is not possible to get fresh tomatillos. Would canned tomatillo work as a substitute?
Mely Martínez
Hello Andrew,
Yes, you can use those to make Taqueria style salsa, just add to the blender.
klaus
dawg, this is the worst salsa ever. mi mama told me to never mix the two tomatoes, it came out unpleasantly sweet.
Mely Martínez
Hello Klaus,
This is so strange and weird, using both types of tomatoes is a very common practice for this type of salsa, especially in taquerias. There is absolutely no reason to have a sweet taste.
Dave
Do you ever add fresh lime at the end?
Mely Martínez
Yes, sometimes. But some people add lime all the time to their tacos.
Vince
What should a base amount of salt be, I’m afraid of using too much or too little. I was also unable to locate Chile de Arbil, will the Japones Chilis work?
Mely Martínez
Hello Vince,
If you don't find Arbol peppers then those you mention could be a good substitute. Keep in mind that even though their level of heat is similar it would differ from one to another. For the sal, add 1/3 tsp first, if that is enough for you, then you do not need to add more. Happy cooking!
Linda
Making some taquitos dorados for dinner and needed the perfect salsa. I have bought various store made ones and I have had no luck. I found this recipe and decided to give it a try, OMG! It was perfect. Delicious and perfect amount of heat. The tomatillos definitely are a must!
Mely Martínez
Hello Linda,
Thank you for trying the Taqueria Style Salsa. Enjoy!