Simple Cooked Tomato Salsa

Mexican Cooked Tomato Salsa, made by simmering puréed fresh tomatoes, jalapeno or serrano chili peppers, garlic, and salt.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated March 03, 2022
Elise Bauer
Cooked Tomato Salsa
Elise Bauer

My friend Arturo taught me how to make this simple salsa the other day. He calls it "Salsa Fresca", which he says is what this salsa is called where he's from in Mexico.

What we in the states usually call salsa fresca, a chunky salsa with chopped fresh tomatoes, onions and chiles, is something completely different.

Looking for similar recipes in some of Diana Kennedy's books I find several references to "salsa de jitomate" or simply, "tomato salsa", and none for salsa fresca. But that's not surprising. The names for dishes, and even ingredients, can vary widely, depending on where you are in the country.

Fortunately, the salsa is more simple than its name's etymology.

Likely you've had it before, if you've ever stepped inside a taqueria. There you usually have a choice of salsas, one smooth, red, and hot, the other made with chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, and chiles.

This would be the first—the smooth, red and hot one. It's great for dipping tortilla chips, or over quesadillas.

Simple Cooked Tomato Salsa

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 18 mins
Total Time 23 mins
Servings 6 servings
Yield 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-size fresh tomatoes, cored and cut in half

  • 1 whole jalapeño chili pepper (or serrano), stem removed, chopped

  • 5 large cloves garlic, peeled

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

Method

  1. Purée ingredients:

    Put tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, salt, and water into a blender. Purée for 20 seconds, until completely liquified.

  2. Simmer for 15 minutes:

    Heat olive oil in a sauce pan on medium high. Pour purée into pan. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture completely changes color from light red to a much darker red, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Keep refrigerated when not using.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
26 Calories
2g Fat
3g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 532mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 118mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.