salsas

Salsa Molcajeteada (Roasted Molcajete Salsa)

Salsa Molcajeteada

The classic Mexico City-style molcajete salsa: tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a mix of fresh chiles charred on the comal, then ground by hand in a volcanic-stone molcajete. The lava-rock grind gives it that unmistakable chunky, smoky texture you cannot get in a blender.

⏱

Prep

10 minutes

🔥

Cook

15 minutes

🍽

Servings

2 cups

📊

Difficulty

Medium

Salsa Molcajeteada (Roasted Molcajete Salsa)

1 Ingredients

  • 3 small ripe tomatoes (jitomates)
  • 1 large beefsteak tomato (tomate corazon de buey)
  • 1/4 white onion, unpeeled
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 chile poblano
  • 1 chile anaheim
  • 1 chile jalapeno
  • 2 chiles serranos
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut the stems off the chiles and the tops off the tomatoes.

  2. 2

    Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Lay all the chiles, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the dry surface. Char for 7 to 10 minutes until the skins blister and blacken.

  3. 3

    Turn everything and char for another 5 to 7 minutes. Pull the garlic out early once it is soft.

  4. 4

    Off the heat, peel most of the burnt skin from the tomatoes and chiles. Peel the garlic.

  5. 5

    In the molcajete, grind 1/2 teaspoon salt with the garlic until a paste forms.

  6. 6

    Add the onion and grind. Then add the chiles one at a time, crushing into the paste. Add the tomatoes one by one and grind to a chunky salsa.

  7. 7

    Chop the cilantro fine, stir it in, taste for salt, and serve.

💡 Tips from the Kitchen

  • →

    If you do not own a molcajete, pulse everything in a food processor in short bursts. Do not overdo it: chunky is the whole point.

  • →

    Leave a little char on the chiles. The black flecks are the smoky flavor.

  • →

    Best eaten the day it is made. Loses brightness after 24 hours in the fridge.

#salsa#CDMX#smoky#Mexican#spicy#molcajete