Every great taquería has a salsa bar, and every great home cook has a few salsas in rotation. These three cover bright, smoky and fresh, and each takes less than 20 minutes.
Salsa Verde
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked
- 1 to 2 serranos
- 1/4 white onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- Salt and lime
Boil or broil tomatillos, chiles, onion and garlic until soft and olive-colored. Blend with cilantro and salt. Tangy and perfect on carnitas.
Salsa Roja
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 3 chiles de árbol
- 2 guajillos
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 onion
- Salt
Char the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a comal; toast the chiles briefly. Blend with a splash of water and salt. Toasty, deep, great on al pastor.
Pico de Gallo
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt
Chop everything, toss with lime and salt, rest 10 minutes and drain the excess liquid. Fresh crunch for fish tacos.
Heat guide
| Salsa | Heat | Best with |
|---|---|---|
| Verde | Medium | Carnitas, eggs, chicken |
| Roja | Medium-hot | Al pastor, carne asada |
| Pico de gallo | Mild | Fish tacos, anything grilled |
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