Bring the heat this season with this fresh Serrano and Tomato Salsa and serve with your favorite chips, crackers, or homemade flatbreads as a delicious spread.
Today we’re turning up the heat with a Serrano and Grilled Tomato salsa, where the primary ingredient is, as you might have guessed – serranos. Twenty of them, to be precise.
Versatile, simple to make, and intuitive to experiment with to fit your palate, today’s salsa is must in these final days of summer and beyond. Now, let’s get to it.
Why You’ll Love Today’s Recipe
1) Not Just Mindless Heat. A lot of recipes that advertise themselves as ‘spicy’ are hot for the sake of being hot, where their capsaicin level if both the defining trait and flavor. Now, while I’m certainly someone who’s of the mind that “hotter is better,” even for my palate heat is hardly an attraction unto itself. I like there to be some nuance, something the heat is either complementing or being framed by – and that’s precisely what today’s salsa does, where a variety of umami, fruity, and salty flavors meld together against a fiery serrano backdrop.
2) Super Versatile. Whether you’re serving this as a dip alongside tortilla chips, or as a topping to steak, or with eggs, or as a spread on pitas, today’s salsa is truly about as versatile as they come – provided you’re up for some heat.
3) Something Different. While I love a classic red or green salsa as much as they next person, I’m always craving something just a tad different, something that breaks the mold on the overly commercialized “salsa as battled tomato sauce” equation, and today’s recipe – at least for my palate – fits that bill rather nicely.
Pairing Today’s Salsa
While the obvious choices like tortilla chips are a perfectly fine pairing for today’s salsa, I thought I would share a few more ideas with you to really let today’s recipe shine.
1) On Steak. Today’s salsa would be absolutely delicious spread on top of your favorite cut of steak. A basic recipe would work best, such as my marinated sirloin recipe HERE.
2) Crostini. On top of crostini, dusted with either a bit of fresh parsley or cilantro, or perhaps grilled onions, this salsa would be delicious. I have a basic crostini recipe HERE and HERE.
3) Flatbreads and Pitas. As pictured in today’s photos, homemade flatbreads are a great pairing for today’s salsa. Grab the recipe for my flatbreads HERE.
Ingredient Notes
1) The Serrano Peppers. More Than Just Heat. These are ‘not’ just a flavoring mechanism in today’s salsa, they’re actually also the ‘meat’ of the dip, providing most of the ‘flesh’ carrying the flavor – as you might be able to tell from the rather high count in the ingredient list. As a result, cutting down on their count is probably not advisable, unless you substitute in an equal quantity of something else to take their place, but then at that point the recipe starts to become something else entirely, as the unique flavor and texture of the serrano ‘meat’ is what makes this salsa unique.
2) Sea Salt. It Makes a Difference. Since we aren’t cooking the salsa after mixing it in the food processer, the added texture of ‘whole’ or ‘uncooked’ sea salt helps add an extra layer to the texture of the salsa, making a subtle but ultimately ‘noticeable’ difference.
3) Anchovies. I’ve been using these quite a bit lately, and the reason why is that they just add so much on their own. Meaty, salty, savory, and just a tad fishy all at once, they add a splendid complexity to a properly balanced recipe, bringing an umami profile that few other ingredients can do in such a small quantity. That said, if you really can’t stomach anchovies (as many can’t) feel free to substitute in two tablespoons of fish sauce, and just a pinch more seas salt.
Serrano and Tomato Salsa
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups grape tomatoes
- 20 small Serrano
- 6 - 7 large cloves of garlic
- 1/2 large red onion - sliced
- 2 oz. anchovies - in olive oil
- 2 tbs. capers plus a tbs. of caper juice
- 2 tbs. lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese
- 2 cups of loosely packed cilantro
- 3 -4 tbs. olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron frying pan and place the tomatoes in a dry pan. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to char. Remove from pan and let cool.
- Place the 20-small Serrano in the dry cast iron frying pan and sprinkle with sea salt and allow the peppers to achieve a nice char. Remove from pan and set aside to cool, then remove the stems. I did not remove the seeds for the extra heat, this is purely according to how much heat you like.
- Place the sliced onion in the dry cast iron frying pan and let the onion grill to a nice golden color. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
- Place the garlic cloves in the dry cast iron pan and let the garlic get a bit of a char. Remove from pan and let the garlic cool.
- Place all of the ingredients, along with the olive oil, cilantro, capers and caper juice, lemon juice, anchovies with olive oil, Romano cheese and salt in a food processor, if your processor is not bit enough you may do this in two batches, and process to a nice consistency. Taste for salt, you may desire a bit more.
- Serve with your favorite flat breads or crackers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8
Did you make this recipe?
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Enjoy with Love!
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angiesrecipes says
That looks so GOOD! I need to go get some cilantro to try this too.
Liz says
With some pita and a few slices of cheese, this salsa would make a marvelous addition to my lunch. I truly love how you balanced the flavors! xo
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, This is my kind of salsa! My wife would like it too as we both like a bit of heat. Unfortunately, most of our dining friends don't like 'heat' and the chefs here in East Tennessee, cook and serve their offerings accordingly. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Amanda Mason says
So true about some recipes just being "hot for the sake of being hot". Serrano peppers do bring so much flavor, as well as bringing the heat. This is a really good post and the tips are super helpful!!! Looks absolutely delish!!
Jacqui Debono says
I love this! It would be delicious with the flatbreads my husband makes, or as a side to a curry, grilled chicken or pork!
Elaine Benoit says
This salsa looks so hearty and delicious! I love the color, the flavor combinations and I can't wait to make it asap!!
Danielle says
When it comes to setting your food mood right, there is just nothing better than a good salsa. Simple as that. This one looks amazing - really excited to make it!
Heather says
I love that's it not hot just for the sake of being hot. Thank you for that!! I'm not a huge spicy fan but usually because I agree with you it's "spicy" but not a lot of flavor going on. But my fiance LOVES spicy everything so I think we will BOTH love this salsa. And love the versatility - I'm trying this on some crostini asap. Can't wait!
Shobelyn Maria Dayrit says
Woo, I can taste the heat from heat. I love my tomatoes toasted and those serrano, will burn to me for sure, although I can tolerate a level 8 spice. I love that even though it's spicy-ness, it still goes with anything.
GUNJAN C Dudani says
Very interesting recipe. I never thought of adding Sereno in tomato salsa. Its a great twist tot he regular tomato salsa.
Sophie says
This looks so so good. Your salsa with those blistered Serrano looks divine. Now I should make some before the summer heat dies.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
Haha, I am definitely in the mindset of "the hotter the better" but I do agree with you. I am very curious to try this recipe!!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
This salsa recipe sounds so delicious! And what perfect timing as I just got a bunch of homegrown tomatoes from family. Can't wait to give this a try!
Jo says
A salsa that is definite to go down pretty fast. I love serrano peppers and the flavors and taste of this salsa is sure to be mind blowing. Yum.