Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by Carne Diem
Method: Smoker
Jump to RecipeCraving a homemade salsa with an unforgettable twist? Look no further than smoked salsa. This great recipe takes the classic salsa to a whole new level by infusing fresh tomatoes and vegetables with a deep, smoky flavor. It's a perfect way to elevate your crispy tortilla chips, tacos, breakfast burritos, or even smoked queso. This homemade smoked salsa is so good, you'll never want regular salsa again!
Table of contents
Smoked Salsa: A Flavor Explosion You Won't Forget
What sets smoked salsa apart is, of course, the smoky flavor. This is achieved by smoking the vegetables over an outdoor grill or pellet grill. You can also use wood chips in a smoker box on a gas grill for a similar effect. This great way transforms the fresh ingredients, creating a depth of flavor that's simply irresistible.
Give some of our other great homemade salsas, sauces, and accompaniments a try:
- Scratch Fire Roasted Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- Authentic Peruvian Green Sauce: Aji Verde
- Spicy Palestinian Shatta: Middle Eastern Hot Pepper Sauce
- Texas-Style Spicy Pickled Barbecue Red Onions
- Best Fresh Guacamole Recipe
- Carolina Gold Mustard Barbecue Sauce
Making Smoked Salsa At Home
Making homemade smoked salsa is incredibly easy and, best yet, entirely customizable. We have included one of our favorite recipes, but the process can be used to add a smoky element to your favorite salsa recipe as well.
Ingredients for smoked salsa
The first step to making smoked salsa is selecting your fresh veggies. You can use different types of peppers to control the heat and customize the other salsa ingredients to your taste.
Fresh tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are a popular choice due to their meaty texture and lower water content, but beefsteak tomatoes or any type of tomatoes you prefer will work. The best tomatoes are ripe and in season making this one of your favorite summer recipes to use garden tomatoes. We typically use a mix of Roma and heirloom tomatoes in the salsa recipe
Onions: Red onion, white onion, or yellow onions can be used. We prefer the sweetness and color from a red onion.
Peppers: Jalapeno or serrano peppers are a staple for a medium heat level. For a milder salsa, remove the seeds and membranes. For a spicier salsa, add a habanero pepper or two. In this recipe we use a mix of jalapeno, habanero, and Anaheim peppers.
Garlic: Cloves of garlic or roasted garlic both add a wonderful depth of flavor. We use 5-6 cloves of fresh garlic.
Herbs, spices, and seasonings: Fresh cilantro is essential for that classic salsa taste. For added flavor we add salt to taste, brown sugar, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, and a little dried oregano.
Acid: Fresh lime juice balances the sweetness and adds a little brightness to the salsa.
Prepping the Ingredients
Prepare the ingredients by halving the peppers and removing the seeds and stems. Quarter the red onion (and remove the skin) and the tomatoes. Place the onion, garlic, peppers, and Roma tomatoes on a wire rack or grill rack. Season with a little Kosher salt.
Smoking the Salsa Ingredients
Preheat your grill to medium heat, or about 350 degrees. Place the grill rack with the tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cloves of garlic directly on the grill grates of your outdoor grill or pellet grill. The goal is to soften the skins and infuse the vegetables with that smoky flavor. This process doesn’t take a very long time, usually about 20-30 minutes, depending on the heat and size of your vegetables.
If you want a more profound smoke flavor use a lower heat, like 250 degrees, and smoke the vegetables longer. Note that the tomatoes take up a lot of smoke, which is why we only smoke half of them. If you want a very smoky salsa, you can smoke the heirloom tomatoes too.
Finishing the Homemade Smoked Salsa
Once the vegetables are smoked, remove them from the grill and let them cool slightly. Rough chop the vegetables and add them to a food processor. Add the fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, kosher salt and other ingredients. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency. Some prefer a smooth salsa, while others like it chunky. For and extra chunky salsa, reserve some of the heirloom tomatoes and hand chop them and add them in after blending the other ingredients.
Once mixed, transfer the homemade smoked salsa to a large bowl or a mason jar. For the best results, chill the salsa in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Tips and Tricks
Adjusting the heat: If you want a milder salsa, remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño and other peppers before smoking. For a spicier salsa, include the seeds, add other different types of peppers, or increase the number of hot peppers like the habanero.
Adjusting the Smoke Level: To adjust the smoke level of the salsa you can make the salsa less smoky by smoking less of the tomatoes. To increase the smoke flavor, smoke more or all of the tomatoes or decrease the temp of your grill and smoke them longer.
Serving and Storing the Salsa: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The flavor is often even better the next day.
Variations:
- Salsa Verde: Use tomatillos instead of fresh tomatoes for a tangy salsa verde.
- Add fruit: Grilled pineapple or mango adds a touch of sweetness.
- Experiment with different woods: Fruit wood like apple or cherry can add subtle nuances to the smoky flavor. Woods like pecan or oak add a more profound smoke flavor.
This smoked salsa pairs well with a variety of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes and recipes. Here are a few of our favorites:
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole with Smoked Chicken
- Trompo Al Pastor Tacos on Your Grill
- Mexican Style Migas Breakfast Skillet
- Smoked Taco Dip with Cream Cheese
- Brisket Quesabirria Tacos
- Authentic Michoacan-Style Pork Carnitas
- Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas
This smoked salsa recipe is a great way to impress your friends and family with a truly unique and flavorful dish. It’s a classic salsa with a smoky twist, and it’s sure to become a new favorite. This isn't just fresh salsa; it's a flavor explosion!
Frequently Asked Questions
Use mild woods, like fruit wood, to add a balanced smoke flavor to your salsa. Stronger woods like pecan or oak will add a more profound smoke flavor that may be overpowering to some people.
The tomatoes absorb a lot of smoke flavor so we find that only smoking half of the tomatoes results in a more balanced smoked salsa. For a stronger smoke flavor you can smoke a larger proportion of the tomatoes.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Smoked Salsa at Home
Ingredients
- 5 Roma Tomatoes Quartered
- 5 Heirloom Tomatoes Quartered
- 1 Red Onion Quartered
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Jalapeno Halved
- 1 Anaheim Pepper Halved, seeds and stem removed
- 1 Habanero Pepper Halved, seeds and stem removed
- ½ Cup Cilantro
- 1 Juice of lime
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 teaspoons Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 250-350 degrees. Use the lower temperature for a smokier flavor or the higher cook temp for less smoke flavor.
- After prepping all of the ingredients place the Roma tomatoes, onion, peppers, and garlic on a grill pan and sprinkle with Kosher salt.
- Place the grill pan on the smoker and cook until the skins begin to peel and the onion is soft. This will take 30 minutes to an hour depending on your cook temperature.
- Remove the grill pan from the grill and allow to cool. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired consistency.
- Place in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour or until you are ready to eat.
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