This roasted charred tomato salsa is a classic Mexican-style salsa made by charring tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic under the broiler or in a hot pan. This version is finished with avocado for richness and kept loosely blended, so it stays chunky and spoonable.
Unlike my molcajete salsa recipe (which is hand-ground and rustic) or my tatemada salsa recipe (which is more pourable), this one sits right in the middle, loosely blended for a variation that’s perfect with tacos or chips.
🔍 A Quick Look: Roasted Tomato Salsa with Avocado
- 📝 Recipe Name: Roasted Charred Tomato Salsa
- 🕒 Total Time: About 20 minutes
- 👥 Servings: About 2.5 cups
- 🎯 Key Ingredients: Tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, onion, avocado
- 🌱 Dietary Info: Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free option
- ✨ Best For: Tacos, bowls, chips, beans, same-day salsa
- 💕 Why You’ll Love It: Smoky, chunky, rich, and spoonable
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I’ve been making some version of this roasted tomato salsa for years, and it’s a recipe that never lasts long. My kids love it, it shows up at Sunday dinners and casual get-togethers, and it’s always the first thing people hover around when the chips come out.
I usually serve it alongside this simple guacamole recipe and a bowl of homemade refried pinto beans or black beans in the instant pot. It's simple, familiar, and always a hit.
Charring the tomatoes, garlic, and peppers fills the kitchen with an unmistakable, irresistible smell. And stirring in avocado at the end makes it rich and spoonable without turning it into a smooth dip.
Why This Recipe Works
- Roasting concentrates flavor and adds smoky depth fast.
- The salsa is loosely blended, not smooth, so it keeps its texture.
- Avocado is stirred in at the end for richness without turning it creamy.
- Roasting the garlic whole keeps it sweet and prevents bitterness.
If you enjoy roasted Mexican-style sauces like this, check out my full guide to easy vegan sauces.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this charred roasted tomato salsa recipe:
- Vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes – Roma gives a thicker salsa; vine-ripened is juicier
- Jalapeños – Remove seeds for milder heat, add serrano peppers for more heat
- Garlic – Roasted whole for sweetness
- White or yellow onion – Quartered
- Avocado – Added at the end for richness, skip if storing longer than one day.
See recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
How to Make Roasted Charred Tomato Salsa
See recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Step 1: Roast tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, and garlic until blistered and charred. Then, peel garlic and remove stems.
- Step 2: Transfer everything to a food processor except avocado and add a few pinches of salt. Pulse, stopping while the salsa is still chunky.
- Step 3: Add the avocado and pulse gently again until just incorporated.
I like to serve this roasted tomato salsa alongside salsa de chile arbol (for serious heat), my creamy tomato avocado salsa, and homemade pico de gallo when I make my air-fryer vegan taquitos.
Tested Tips
- Aim for blackened spots and collapsed tomatoes, not fully charred vegetables.
- Season in stages. Add a pinch of salt before blending, then finish after tasting. Roasting changes sweetness, so final salt always comes last.
- If it's too smoky or bitter, add a small squeeze of lime or extra fresh cilantro.
- If it's too spicy, add more avocado or stir in a couple of dollops of my cashew sour cream recipe to soften the heat. Salsa also mellows as it sits, especially after a few hours in the fridge.
I especially love this roasted tomato salsa with my tomatillo jalapeno cream sauce on a healthy nacho bowl recipe, tacos dorados de papa (mashed potato tacos), or layered into vegan taco dip.
Make It Your Way
- Texture: Blend just enough to combine for a rustic salsa, or blend longer for a smoother finish.
- Heat: Start with seeded jalapeños for mild heat; add more chiles or a pinch of cayenne if needed. If using in soup, like my vegan slow cooker black bean soup, I prefer to keep it on the milder side so it blends into the broth without overpowering it.
- Chiles: Serranos work well on their own or mixed with jalapeños.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes can be added near the end since they soften quickly.
- Garlic: Use less if you prefer a milder garlic flavor.
When I make plant based tacos, I leave the fresh roasted salsa a little chunkier. For serving with beans and this veggie Mexican rice or lime white rice, I blend it a touch longer so it coats everything nicely. And for parties, I add avocado just before serving, along with mango tomato avocado salsa, so it stays fresh on the table.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Meal prep: Make the salsa without avocado. Store it plain, then mash or stir in avocado right before serving for the best color and texture. See my roundup of vegan Mexican meal prep for more Mexican sauces, mains, and side dishes.
Want more bold flavors? Browse my complete collection of vegan Mexican recipes or Mexican salsas, and if you're making this fresh roasted salsa for game day, make sure to check out my vegan game day food collection.
Roasted Charred Tomato Salsa FAQs
Roasted salsa isn’t necessarily better, but it is deeper and more complex. Roasting brings out natural sweetness in the tomatoes and adds smoky flavor you don’t get from raw ingredients.
Roasted tomato salsa is made by charring tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic before blending or mashing them together. The roasting step adds smoky depth and softens the vegetables, for a salsa that’s spoonable, bold, and full of flavor.
Many taquerías roast or char their vegetables, season in stages, and blend just enough to keep texture. It’s less about secret ingredients and more about technique, which is why this salsa starts with high-heat roasting and seasoning in stages.
Most salsa ingredients roast in 10–15 minutes under a broiler or in a hot skillet. You’re looking for blistered skins, softened tomatoes, and lightly charred edges, not fully blackened vegetables.
Did you try this recipe? Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest! 💛
📖 Recipe
Roasted Charred Tomato Salsa
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Ingredients
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, (or about 6 Roma tomatoes) aim for 1.5 pounds
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers
- 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled, use less if you prefer
- 1 large white or yellow onion, quartered
- ⅓ bunch fresh cilantro, stems included
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1 avocado, pitted
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat.
- Arrange the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, and garlic on a lined baking sheet.
- Optional: Lightly spray with avocado oil for extra browning, though roasting works well without it.
- Broil for 5-7 minutes, until blistered and charred in spots. Garlic will likely be ready sooner. Remove once softened and lightly golden, not blackened.
- Flip tomatoes, jalapeños, and onion (and garlic if needed) and broil another 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Destem the jalapenos, peel the garlic cloves, and remove tomato skins (or keep them on if you prefer).
- Transfer everything to the food processor except the avocado and add a pinch or two of salt.
- Pulse to combine, stopping while the salsa is still chunky. Add the avocado and pulse gently just until incorporated.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Video
Notes
- Comal or skillet option: Char the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chiles in a large skillet or comal over medium-high heat, turning occasionally (about 10 minutes), then lower the heat to soften (about another 10 minutes).
- Oil-free roasting: The vegetables will char and soften without oil. A light spray encourages faster browning but isn’t necessary for flavor.
- Blending: You can use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender; pulse gently and check often to avoid overblending. You can also mash by hand for a rustic texture.
- Season gradually: Roasted vegetables vary in sweetness, so sprinkle salt slowly and taste as you go.
- Taste before adding salt; roasted vegetables vary, and this is where you adjust.
- Adjust heat: Add another roasted jalapeño or serrano, or cayenne, a pinch at a time.
- If it's too spicy, balance with extra avocado or a couple of dollops of cashew sour cream. The salsa also mellows as it sits.
- Too thick? Use a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Julie Gaeta says
This salsa has amazing flavor, and the avocado adds a rich layer that makes it really, really hard to stop eating. Definitely a favorite!
Gustavo Amadios says
This tasted delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Julie Gaeta says
I’m really glad you liked it, Gustavo. Thanks for letting me know!