Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 15, 2026 
My super easy roasted tomato salsa recipe combines roasted fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapeños with fresh cilantro and spices for the perfect Mexican restaurant-style dip. I love how roasting the vegetables with just a little bit of oil creates a super luxurious, thick salsa that is perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips.
Ok, salsa lovers, first and foremost, I love how adaptable this recipe is… I’ve developed it to give what I think is the perfect texture and level of heat, but I’ve included plenty of tips and instructions for adjusting the recipe if my idea of the perfect tomato salsa is a bit different from yours! Regardless of the direction you take, you’ll be left with a bold, smoky salsa with a deep, rich flavor you can only get from roasting the hell out of your tomatoes and garlic! Yes, it is really similar to my regular restaurant-style salsa recipe, but with seriously amped-up flavors.
PS – You may also want to try my favorite grilled peach salsa!
Laura Miller – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you so much for this easy recipe. I made my salsa for our church cafe today and everyone loved it.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Foolproof recipe – I don’t know about you, but even in the height of summer, I find the sweetness of even the ripest tomatoes varies A LOT. That makes perfecting the ingredient ratio for the perfect taste a little tricky! So, I’ve added an adjustment step at the end of this recipe with lime juice (for acidity) or sugar (for sweetness) to make sure this salsa always comes out perfectly balanced, every time you make it. Take that, tomatoes!
Adjustable spice levels – Yes, I know you know I’d make this salsa quite spicy if I could get away with it. But I know not everyone likes a lot of heat, so I’ve written this recipe with just one jalapeño, and tested it both with and without the seeds to make sure it is delicious however you want to make it. I also made up a batch without chilies, and I confirm this recipe works to make a mild salsa with zero added heat.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Tomatoes – On-the-vine, Roma tomatoes, or any other large and ripe tomatoes are essential here, cut in half. I just always pick whatever is fresh and sweet!
- Onion – I prefer red onions in this salsa for the balance of sharp and sweet! You can, however, use sweet yellow onions or white onions that have a sharper bite if that is more your salsa vibe.
- Garlic – Yes, I use a whole head for maximum flavor! But, if that seems a lot to you, I have still made a delicious salsa with only 6-10 cloves.
- Jalapeños – I’ve left it totally up to you if you want to use sliced and seeded, or leave the seeds in for a spicier salsa. If you really can’t stand any spicy heat, leave it out completely for a mild salsa.
- Olive oil – I recommend a good olive oil for roasting the tomatoes, or other high-heat and neutral-tasting oil, like avocado oil.
- Cilantro – Fresh and chopped. I’m telling you now this recipe won’t work with dried cilantro! If you can’t find any fresh, it will still taste great, omitting it completely. Also, I used parsley once, and while it tasted different, it was still delicious.
- Spices – I like to keep things simple with just cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Lime juice – This is optional, but I sometimes add 1 tablespoon for balance if my tomatoes have roasted up too sweet.
- Sugar – Again, this is optional, but for the other problem, if the potatoes were not quite ripe enough, they’re coming out a little tart!
How to Make
Find the full recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Get prepared – First, I preheat the oven to 400°F and set out a large rimmed baking sheet.
Chopping – Next, I slice the tomatoes in half and place them on the baking sheet. I then peel the onion and cut it into large wedges. Finally, I slice about ¾ inch off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Adding the onion, garlic, and jalapeños to the tray (de-seeding the jalapeños if you want less heat!), I drizzle everything with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
Roast – I roast the vegetables for 35–40 minutes, then let them cool on the baking sheet until they’re easy to handle. Once cooled, I remove the stems and seeds from the jalapeños.
Add to the blender – To make the salsa, I add the roasted tomatoes, onions, and seeded jalapeños to a large food processor. Then I squeeze the roasted garlic out of their skins and add it to the mix.
Blitz – I pour in the remaining oil and pan juices into the blender, then add the cilantro and ground cumin. Puréeing the salsa to my desired consistency, I then taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Season to taste – I now give the salsa a final taste. If it seems too sweet, I add 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. If it tastes too acidic, I add 1–3 teaspoons of sugar, one at a time, to balance it out.
Recipe Variations
- I’ve had good results swapping red tomatoes with green tomatillos for a roasted salsa verde.
- I usually puree the tomatoes and onion to make a very smooth salsa. Back off the food processor a bit if you want to make a more chunky version!
Serving Suggestions
In my mind, no classic Mexican restaurant-style snack is better than chips and salsa. I usually serve a chilled bowl of this salsa with a basketful of crunchy tortilla chips, corn chips (like Fritos), or crackers.
It (obviously) will also go really well alongside most of your favorite Mexican food dishes, I often serve it alongside my Chipotle Bowl Meal Prep, Baked Tacos, Bubbly Taco Salad Bowl Recipe, and my Spicy Cowboy Burger.
I’ve also used this salsa as an ingredient in my Chicken Taco Meat, and to make my Easy Spanish Rice Recipe.
Storage Suggestions
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, I find this salsa keeps for about 2 weeks.
I’ve also had good results freezing it: transfer the salsa to an airtight, freezer-safe container and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then just give it a good stir before serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
As-is, this recipe makes 6 cups, roughly 24 servings. Reduce the ingredients by half, or even quarter the amounts for fewer servings.
Yes, you can! You’ll get a chunkier salsa, but you can chop everything by hand using a big, heavy knife. Just make sure it is nice and sharp! The skins on the tomatoes usually soften in the oven and blend down well, but if you’re making the salsa by hand, you might want to peel the skins off the roasted tomatoes for a better texture.
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More Easy Dip Recipes
Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes cut in half
- 1 large red onion peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 1-3 jalapenos
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
- Optional for Balance: 1 tablespoon lime juice and/or 1-3 teaspoons of sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and lay them on the baking sheet. Peel the onion and cut it into large wedges. Chop the top ¾ inch off an entire head of garlic exposing the top of the garlic cloves. Place the onion wedges, whole head of garlic, and jalapeños on the baking sheet. Drizzle all the fresh produce with olive oil. Then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Roast the vegetables for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the veggies to cool on the baking sheet until easy to handle. Then remove the stems from the jalapeños and shake out the seeds.
- Set out a large food processor. Place the tomatoes, onions, and seeded jalapeños in the food processor. Squeeze the garlic head and drop as many garlic cloves as you like into the food processor. I usually use 6 to 10 garlic cloves, but you could use only a couple, or you could use the entire head.
- Pour the remaining oil and pan juices into the food processor. Add the cilantro, and ground cumin. Purée the salsa to your desired consistency. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
- Taste again, if the salsa seems too sweet add 1 tablespoon of fresh squeeze lime juice. If the salsa seems too acidic, add 1-3 teaspoons of sugar to the salsa.
Thank you so much for this easy recipe. I made my salsa for our church cafe today and everyone loved it.
So yummy! This turned out great!