Salsa Ranchera
Ingredients
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- 2 pounds roma tomatoes (~15.5 medium roma tomatos)
- 6 ounces white onion – thickly sliced (~1.5 medium white onions)
- 2 chiles serrano chile
- 2 cloves garlic – unpeeled
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
1. Heat a heavy skillet or comal over medium-high. Lay the tomatoes, onion, serranos, and garlic in the dry pan and char, turning occasionally, until blistered and softened; remove pieces as they finish: tomatoes 10–15 minutes, serranos 6–8 minutes, onion 8–10 minutes, garlic 5–6 minutes.
2. Let cool briefly. Peel the cloves, remove chile stems, trim tomato cores, and slip off only the loosest tomato skins if desired. Transfer everything, with any juices, to a blender and blend to a coarse sauce (or smoother, to taste).
3. Heat the vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium until shimmering. Carefully pour in the blended sauce—it will sputter—and cook, stirring occasionally, 8–12 minutes until thickened to a spoon-coating consistency and glossy.
4. Season with the kosher salt and simmer 1 minute more. Use warm, or cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Salsa Ranchera is a cooked tomato-and-chile sauce with a rustic, fire-kissed flavor and a medium, steady heat. Charring the vegetables builds gentle smokiness, while simmering concentrates the tomatoes into a spoonable, brick-red sauce. It’s versatile enough to pour over huevos rancheros, spoon onto tacos, or serve alongside grilled meats and beans.
Rooted in rural Mexican ranch kitchens, this “ranch-style” salsa was traditionally made on a comal or over a wood fire, then ground and fried to deepen its flavor. It became the signature topping for huevos rancheros, but regional versions appear across Mexico with slightly different chiles and textures. Despite those local nuances, the defining features remain roasted tomatoes, fresh green chiles, and a brief cook in oil to marry the flavors.