Nine items and an hour, most of it the salsa chilling.
The tomatoes are broiled whole until their skins blister, then peeled before dicing. The flavour is roasted; the finished bowl looks bright and fresh.
Why This Recipe Works
- Broiling whole tomatoes blisters the skins and softens the flesh slightly.
- Peeling off most of the charred skin keeps bitter black flecks out of the bowl.
- Dicing by hand rather than blending keeps the salsa chunky.
- Two colours of bell pepper add sweetness and crunch against the tomato.
- Half an hour in the fridge lets the lime, salt and juices come together.
Ingredient Notes
- Roma tomatoes
- A pound and a half, broiled whole. Romas are meaty enough to dice cleanly after roasting.
- Yellow and orange bell peppers
- One small of each, diced. These are the yellow and orange pieces in the bowl — peppers, not mango.
- Jalapeño, white onion and cilantro
- One small seeded jalapeño, a third of a cup of onion and a third of a cup of cilantro.
- Lime juice and salt
- Two tablespoons and half a teaspoon. They draw out the juices that the salsa sits in.
How to Make It
Whole tomatoes broiled until the skins blister
Heat broiler to high. Broil whole tomatoes 6 to 10 minutes, turning once, until the skins blister in spots and the flesh softens slightly.
Cooled, mostly peeled, cored and diced
Cool the tomatoes, peel away most of the charred skin, core, and dice. This leaves roasted flavor without large blackened pieces in the finished salsa.
Combined with peppers, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, lime and salt
Combine diced roasted tomatoes with yellow pepper, orange pepper, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt.
Chilled at least thirty minutes, still chunky
Chill at least 30 minutes before serving so the juices meld while the salsa remains chunky.
Served cold with charred toasted bread
Serve cold with charred toasted bread.
Where the Roast Went
This salsa looks fresh - bright red, no charring - and the title says roasted. The recipe resolves it in one move: the tomatoes are broiled whole and then MOST BLISTERED SKIN IS REMOVED, WHICH IS WHY THE FINAL BOWL LOOKS FRESH RATHER THAN CHARRED. The roast is in the flavour, not the colour.
Stage 1 of 4
The ROAST - whole tomatoes under a high broiler
Steps 1–1 of 5
1 1/2 lb of ROMA TOMATOES under the BROILER ON HIGH, 6 TO 10 MINUTES, TURNING ONCE, UNTIL THE SKINS BLISTER IN SPOTS AND THE FLESH SOFTENS SLIGHTLY. Whole rather than halved, so the juice stays inside while the skin chars. Slightly is the endpoint - fully collapsed tomatoes won't dice into chunks.
- Whole tomatoes broiled until the skins blisterHeat broiler to high. Broil whole tomatoes 6 to 10 minutes, turning once, until the skins blister in spots and the flesh softens slightly.
Stage 2 of 4
The PEEL - most of it comes off
Steps 2–2 of 5
COOLED, then MOST OF THE CHARRED SKIN PEELED AWAY, CORED AND DICED. The recipe gives the reason directly: THIS LEAVES ROASTED FLAVOR WITHOUT LARGE BLACKENED PIECES IN THE FINISHED SALSA. That is how a roasted recipe gives a fresh-looking bowl.
- Cooled, mostly peeled, cored and dicedCool the tomatoes, peel away most of the charred skin, core, and dice. This leaves roasted flavor without large blackened pieces in the finished salsa.
Stage 3 of 4
The MIX - two peppers, not mango
Steps 3–3 of 5
The diced tomatoes COMBINED WITH 1 small YELLOW BELL PEPPER and 1 small ORANGE BELL PEPPER, diced, 1 small SEEDED JALAPEÑO, 1/3 cup DICED WHITE ONION, 1/3 cup CHOPPED CILANTRO, 2 tbsp FRESH LIME JUICE and 1/2 tsp FINE SALT. The yellow and orange pieces are BELL PEPPERS, NOT MANGO.
- Combined with peppers, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, lime and saltCombine diced roasted tomatoes with yellow pepper, orange pepper, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt.
Stage 4 of 4
The CHILL - chunky and wet
Steps 4–5 of 5
CHILLED AT LEAST 30 MINUTES SO THE JUICES MELD WHILE THE SALSA REMAINS CHUNKY, then SERVED COLD WITH CHARRED TOASTED BREAD. It stays CHUNKY AND WET, NOT BLENDED, and for safety keep it at 40°F OR BELOW.
- Chilled at least thirty minutes, still chunkyChill at least 30 minutes before serving so the juices meld while the salsa remains chunky.
- Served cold with charred toasted breadServe cold with charred toasted bread.
Success Tips
- Turn the tomatoes once under the broiler so they blister on more than one side.
- Leave a few flecks of skin if you like — just not large blackened pieces.
- Chop by hand; a blender turns it into a sauce.
Serving Ideas
About 3 cups of chunky, juicy roasted tomato salsa with yellow and orange bell pepper, jalapeño, onion and cilantro, served cold with charred toasted bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't it look roasted?
Because most of the blistered skin is peeled off before the tomatoes are diced. The roasted flavour stays; the large blackened pieces don't.
Is there mango in it?
No. The yellow and orange pieces are diced yellow and orange bell peppers.
How long does it keep?
Keep it refrigerated at 40°F or below and refrigerate it promptly after making it. Cut tomatoes shouldn't sit out at room temperature.
