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This molcajete salsa is bold, smoky, and full of authentic Mexican flavors. Made by grinding charred tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers in a traditional molcajete, it has a rich, deep taste and chunky texture that’s better than any store-bought salsa.
It seems like every Mexican household has its own version of molcajete salsa. This deeply flavorful and rustic salsa is made from the most basic Mexican ingredients – tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, and salt – but the flavor is anything but basic.
The secret? Roasting the vegetables until charred and then grinding them by hand in a molcajete, a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle.
The molcajete does something magical – it melds the flavors together in a way that a food processor just can’t replicate. The texture is slightly chunky, the taste is smoky and bold, and it’s the kind of salsa that you’ll want to put on everything (just like my salsa macha and roasted tomato salsa).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It goes with everything! Tortilla chips, chilaquiles, migas, tacos, quesadillas – this salsa makes everything better.
- Incredibly rich flavor. The roasting and traditional grinding process brings out a depth of flavor that’s impossible to get with a blender.
- So easy to make. Only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes stand between you and the best homemade salsa.
What Is a Molcajete?
A molcajete is a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock, perfect for grinding salsas, guacamole, and spices. Its rough surface creates a rich, rustic texture that a blender just can’t match.
Before using one for the first time, it needs to be “cured” or seasoned by grinding dry rice into the surface to remove any loose volcanic rock. Once seasoned, it lasts a lifetime, absorbing flavors and getting better with every use.
- Here’s my favorite molcajete from Masienda.
- Here’s a quick video I recorded on how to season a molcajete.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Roma tomatoes: The base of the salsa which adds a natural sweetness and depth of flavor. If you want to tone down the heat, you can add an extra tomato.
- White Onion: Adds a bit of sharpness that mellows out and gets sweeter when charred. You could also use yellow onion if you’re in a pinch.
- Jalapeño: Gives the salsa its signature heat. For a milder salsa, remove the seeds or swap for a milder pepper.
- Garlic cloves: Roasted in their peel for a mellow, slightly sweet garlic flavor.
- Kosher salt: Brings out all the flavors and helps grind the ingredients smoothly. Season with your heart.
This is an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Molcajete Salsa
Roast the vegetables. Heat a comal or cast iron skillet over high heat. Dry roast the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic, flipping every 30 seconds, until softened and charred on all sides. Transfer to a cutting board, chop the onion and tomato for easy grinding, and remove the papery skin from the garlic.
Grind the garlic and a pinch of salt in the molcajete until it forms a thick paste.
Grind the jalapeño to your desired consistency.
Add the onion & tomatoes. Grind them until the salsa reaches the texture you like, then season with salt to taste.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Start with the garlic. Grinding the garlic and salt first creates a paste that helps break down the rest of the ingredients.
- How to adjust the spice level. If your jalapeño turns out super spicy, you can bring down the heat by mashing an additional roasted tomato or adding chunks of avocado (like in my salsa Mexicana). If it’s not spicy enough, add in a dry roasted serrano pepper or one chile de árbol.
- Don’t peel the charred skin. Some recipes say to remove it from the peppers and tomatoes, but that’s where all the smoky goodness is.
- Don’t have a molcajete? You can mash this salsa in a large bowl using a fork, hand masher, or even the bottom of a cup for a similar texture. You could also pulse in a blender or food processor until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Adjust the texture. You can make this salsa either chunky or smooth depending on what you prefer. Roughly grind down the ingredients for a chunky salsa, or grind heavily until it’s a smoother consistency, or anywhere in between.
- Add some freshness. Stir in some chopped cilantro at the end along with a spritz of fresh lime juice for a little brightness.
Storage
Molcajete salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can eat it cold or warm. If you’d like to warm it up, I recommend reheating it in a medium saucepan.
More Salsa Recipes
Did you make this molcajete salsa? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I love hearing about your experience, and it also helps others.
Molcajete Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- ¼ large white onion
- 1 large jalapeño pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, paper on
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a comal or cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion segment, jalapeño, and garlic and dry roast, flipping every 30 seconds, until softened and charred on all sides. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Roughly chop the onion and slice the tomatoes in half.
- Peel the paper off the garlic and add it to the molcajete along with a small pinch of salt. Grind it in the bowl of the molcajete until it turns into a thick paste.
- Add the jalapeño and grind it to your desired consistency. Do the same with the onion and tomatoes.
- Season the salsa with salt to taste and serve.
Notes
- Here’s my favorite molcajete from Masienda, and here’s a quick video I recorded on how to season a molcajete.
- How to adjust the spice level. If your jalapeño turns out super spicy, you can bring down the heat by mashing an additional roasted tomato or adding chunks of avocado (like in my salsa Mexicana). If it’s not spicy enough, add in a dry roasted serrano pepper or one chile de árbol.
- Don’t peel the charred skin. Many recipes require you to peel the charred skin off your vegetables, but that is what gives this molcajete salsa its signature rich and smoky flavor.
- Don’t have a molcajete? You can mash this salsa in a large bowl using a fork, hand masher, or even the bottom of a cup for a similar texture. You could also pulse in a blender or food processor until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
