Salsa roja recipe with Tex-Mex BBQ Rub
Salsa roja means red sauce. In this own Tex-Mex variation, tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeño are cooked into a tomato salsa, with a modest amount of Tex-Mex BBQ Rub for extra seasoning. Add lime and coriander to taste after cooking. Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or as a sauce with tacos, chicken and vegetables.
This is our own recipe proposal, not a fixed traditional Mexican recipe or a preparation tested by The Rub Kitchen. Start cautiously with chilli and rub: heat and salt vary between ingredients.
Ingredients for approximately 4 small sauce portions
- 400 g ripe tomatoes
- ½ small onion
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ jalapeño, or less to taste
- ½ tsp Tex-Mex BBQ Rub as a starting point
- Optional: a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick while cooking
- Lime juice to taste
- Optional: fresh coriander to taste
The number of portions depends on how much you serve and how much liquid evaporates. Use the rub as seasoning, not as a substitute for tomatoes or fresh chilli. Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and dosage. Do not automatically add extra salt.
How to make salsa roja: step by step
- Wash the tomatoes and jalapeño. Remove the tough stem ends, peel the onion and garlic and roughly chop everything. Use less jalapeño for a cautious start. Wash hands and utensils after handling chilli and avoid touching your eyes.
- Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeño with a blender or stick blender. Transfer to a suitable pan and stir in the half teaspoon of Tex-Mex BBQ Rub.
- Bring gently to the boil and simmer over low to medium heat, using approximately 10–15 minutes as a guide. Stir regularly and avoid catching. Cook longer if needed until the onion no longer tastes raw and the desired thickness is reached. Add a splash of water only if the sauce thickens too much.
- Remove from the heat. Let a small spoonful cool enough and taste with clean cutlery. Add lime juice and optional chopped coriander to taste. Add a little more rub only if needed, then taste again.
- Serve warm or allow a small serving portion to cool. Use a clean bowl and clean serving utensils. The sauce does not need to be cooked on the BBQ or in the air fryer to accompany those dishes.
Cooking time is a guide, not a fixed endpoint: tomatoes vary in moisture and a wide pan evaporates liquid faster. Adjust thickness to the dish; a taco sauce can be different from a dip.
What does the Tex-Mex rub add?
Smoky Spicy Tex-Mex BBQ Rub adds another layer of seasoning to this variation. Start with ½ tsp for 400 g tomatoes and adjust after cooking. If the main dish already uses the same rub, the sauce need not be equally strongly seasoned.
We do not add chipotle here or assume that the rub contains it. A creamy chipotle dip is a different sauce with a different base. Tomatoes, jalapeño and lime remain the focus of this salsa.
What should you serve salsa roja with?
Tex-Mex chicken, tacos and wraps
Spoon over cooked chicken or a filled tortilla. Serve separately so everyone can choose their own amount.
Vegetables and air fryer dishes
Serve alongside Tex-Mex cauliflower or Shawarma tofu from our air fryer recipes with BBQ rub. Start with a small amount so the dish’s own seasoning still comes through.
Tortilla chips and a Tex-Mex table
Use as a tomato dip. For a substantial side with beans and corn, choose the existing black bean and corn salsa with Tex-Mex rub. That recipe has a different role and is not a smooth tomato sauce.
Making ahead and clean serving
Preferably use the sauce fresh. If making ahead, cool promptly in a clean, shallow container and refrigerate covered. Follow current food safety advice for chilled homemade sauces; this recipe has no tested shelf life. Lime juice and heating do not automatically make the sauce suitable for storing unrefrigerated in jars.
Put out small portions and keep the rest chilled. Keep sauce and utensils away from raw meat juices. Sauce that has touched raw chicken is not a clean serving sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Is salsa roja the same as pico de gallo?
Not in this recipe: the tomato base is blended and cooked. Pico de gallo is generally a chopped fresh salsa. Our black bean and corn salsa is another preparation again.
Can I leave out the jalapeño?
Yes, as a flavour adaptation. Tex-Mex rub can also add heat, so taste before adding more. Omitting jalapeño changes the character of this recipe.
Can I make salsa roja in an air fryer?
This method is developed for a pan. Do not transfer the cooking time to an air fryer or put liquid sauce directly into a perforated basket.
Inspiration and further reading
The cooked tomato base is inspired by BBC Food: salsa roja. The quantities and Tex-Mex BBQ Rub addition here are our own proposed variation, not a preparation tested by the BBC.
More pairing ideas: which sauce goes with which BBQ rub?