Smoky Roasted Salsa

No broiler, no grill, no oven. This salsa gets its smoky char from a dry, uncoated frying pan over high heat. Whole tomatoes, quartered onion, and peeled garlic cloves cook directly on the hot metal, turning with tongs until charred and blistered on all sides. That direct contact with scorching-hot steel creates the same kind of smoky, blackened flavor you’d get from a comal or open flame.

Chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños in adobo) double down on the smoke factor. Blended with the charred vegetables, lime juice, oil, and fresh cilantro, they create a salsa that’s deeply smoky from two different sources: the pan-charring and the chipotle.

Seeding the charred tomatoes before blending removes excess water and bitterness from the seeds, giving you a thicker, more concentrated salsa. Blend to your preferred consistency, chunky or smooth.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a dry, uncoated pan (cast iron or stainless steel). Nonstick coatings can release toxic fumes at high heat
• Don’t move the vegetables constantly. Let them sit and char before turning. You want black spots, not steaming
• Seed the tomatoes after charring. The seeds add bitterness and water that dilutes the smoky flavor
• Start with one chipotle pepper and add more to taste. A whole can may be too spicy for some

Variations

• Add a charred tomatillo or two for a tangier, more complex salsa
• Stir in diced mango for a smoky-sweet fruit salsa variation
• Use as a marinade for grilled chicken or steak as well as a dipping salsa