Salsa Ranchera Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

▢ 5 tomatoes about 1 pound - halved
▢ 1 jalapeño* halved (seeds and ribs removed if you want a mild salsa) - see notes*
▢ 1 onion yellow or white - quartered
▢ 3 cloves garlic
▢ ¼ cup cilantro
▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Season the sliced tomatoes, onion, and chili with salt and pepper (if using), and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet skin side up with the garlic cloves.
Roast the vegetables until they're tender (about 20 minutes), then remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly for a few minutes.
Place the roasted vegetables (and any optional seasonings, see recipe notes below*) in a food processor or blender, squeeze out the garlic cloves, and blend the ingredients until the salsa is smooth.
Mix in chopped cilantro, or use it as a garnish when serving.

Feel free to add additional seasonings to the salsa if you like, such as dried oregano, thyme, cumin, ground black pepper.
This salsa is quite mild as it uses just one jalapeno. To make it hotter, use serrano chilies. It also depends on whether you choose to deseed the chilies or not. For a milder salsa, always remove the seeds and the ribs of the chili. For even more heat, add habanero chilies or even scotch bonnets.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
This recipe makes 8 servings which is about 2 cups.