Mexican & smoky· VG · GF · DF

Salsa Roja

Name: Salsa Roja
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 6 (600g) tomatoes, halved; 1 (150g) onion, quartered; 4 cloves (20g) garlic, unpeeled; 3 (45g) jalapeños; 2 limes, juiced; 20g fresh coriander; 4g salt; 4g ground cumin

A cooked Mexican red salsa of charred tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeño and lime.

makes 26 cubes, about 11p each

Jump to recipe

BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/sauces/salsa-roja/

Time: 25 min13 min prep · 12 min cook
Makes: 26 cubes
Cost per cubePer cube: 11p
Calories per cubeCalories: 11 kcal
A serving: 2 cubes
Spice: 3 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

cubes

6 (600g)tomatoes, halved
1 (150g)onion, quartered
4 cloves (20g)garlic, unpeeled
3 (45g)jalapeños
2limes, juiced
20gfresh coriander
4gsalt
4gground cumin

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Use it for

Tacos or nachos · 2 cubes; Huevos rancheros · 3 cubes; Mexican rice: 2 cubes per 150g rice · 2 cubes

Method

Step 1: Char the tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeños under a hot grill for 12 minutes, turning, until blackened in places.
Step 2: Peel the garlic and remove the jalapeño stems.
Step 3: Blend everything to a slightly chunky salsa.
Step 4: Taste for salt and lime.
Step 5: Cool, pour into 30ml trays and freeze.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per cube	11	0.5g	2.1g	0.1g	0.4g	0.17g
Per 2 cubes	22	1g	4.2g	0.2g	0.8g	0.34g

Cook’s notes

Thaw in the fridge for 2 hours, or 30 minutes at room temperature.
Charring under the grill gives the smoky depth.
Deseed the jalapeños for a 2.

Use it for

Tacos or nachos · 2 cubes
Huevos rancheros · 3 cubes
Mexican rice: 2 cubes per 150g rice · 2 cubes

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 4 months.
Use from frozen: Thaw in the fridge for 2 hours, or 30 minutes at room temperature. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
A portion: 2 cubes is a serving: about 22 kcal.

Salsa Roja questions

Can I char the vegetables without a grill?

Use a dry, heavy frying pan or griddle over a high heat, turning them until blackened in places. It takes a little longer but gives the same smoky flavour.

Can I use tinned tomatoes?

In winter, when fresh tomatoes lack flavour, tinned fire-roasted tomatoes are a good swap. Char the onion, garlic and jalapeños as usual and blend them with the drained tomatoes.

Can I cook with it?

Fry a few cubes in a little oil for a couple of minutes to deepen the flavour, then use it to simmer beans or spoon it over roast vegetables.