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Smoked Salsa

Move over jarred salsa, Smoked Salsa has big, bold, Southwestern flavors and a smoky kiss that really highlights the sweet tomatoes. This luscious salsa is an easy fix and is perfect for snacking with crispy tortilla chips. Hungry? Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you all my tips to making this outstanding Smoked Tomato Salsa!

smoked tomato salsa in a black dish

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Thick, chunky and with a kiss of smoky goodness, Smoked Salsa is an unforgettable recipe. It’s an easy recipe to make, and one that’s made in two steps. Let’s get started!

What You Need To Make Traeger Smoked Salsa

  • Traeger pellet smoker or another kind of smoker
  • Hardwood pellets or your favorite pellet flavor
  • Grill basket or pan
  • Food processor
  • Roma tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic – fresh is best!
  • Salt and pepper
  • Red onion
  • Jalapeno – fresh is best!
  • Cilantro
  • Lime juice
  • Cumin

Smoked Tomato Salsa – Step 1: Smoke the Tomatoes

As I said, you make this amazing Traeger salsa recipe in two steps, and the first step is to roast the tomatoes. Here’s how:

  1. Preheat your Traeger pellet grill or other smoker as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. Wash the tomatoes, cut the stem end off, and then cut the tomatoes in half. If you’re using bigger tomatoes, cut them into thick slices.
  3. Toss the tomatoes with minced fresh garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. How long to smoke tomatoes for salsa? Arrange the tomatoes on your grill pan or basket and smoke them at 225-F for 45 minutes to an hour.
  5. They’re done when they are a bit wrinkly from evaporating some moisture. But, you can keep smoking them until they reach your desired smokiness and consistency.

Smoked Tomato Salsa – Step 2: Making the Salsa

  1. Pop the cooled smoked tomatoes into a food processor. Add the red onion, de-seeded jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, more garlic, cumin, and salt to the processor.
  2. Pulse it a few times until it is the consistency you’re looking for.
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Smoking Salsa – Thick or Thin consistency?

Salsa thickness is a personal choice. Some people like it so thick you can stand a spoon up in it, while others like it thinner, almost runny.

If you like your salsa on the thicker side, pulse the food processor just enough so that everything is chopped up.

If you like it thinner, run the processor in 15-20 second batches to liquify it.

smoked salsa in a serving dish with tortilla chips

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • If you like extra smokiness, toss the onion and jalapeno with the tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic, and smoke all of it!
  • Want it extra spicy? Use a serrano or habanero pepper instead of a jalapeno pepper.
  • Depending on the size of your tomatoes, this recipe can make about 3 cups of salsa, but it’s easily doubled. Just make sure to smoke the tomatoes in a single layer.
  • You can prep this dish ahead of time. Simply smoke the tomatoes and pop them tightly wrapped into the fridge. When you’re ready, simply finish the recipe.

How To Use This Smoked Salsa Recipe

Bust out your favorite crispy tortilla chips and start dunking! Or, use this salsa on top of tacos – Smoked Pork Belly Tacos, perhaps? But it’ll also go nicely on breakfast burritos, grilled fish or seafood, burgers, or wherever you usually add salsa. Got a Blackstone griddle? Check out these 50+ Blackstone Griddle recipes.

Pop the leftovers into the fridge for up to a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze Smoked Salsa?

Technically, you can freeze smoked salsa. But, it’ll be runnier when you thaw it out. So if you don’t mind it a bit runnier, then go ahead and freeze it for up to three months. This fresh salsa recipe is, however, better eaten fresh.

How spicy is Smoked Tomato and Jalapeno Salsa?

Jalapenos are not all created equal: some are seriously more spicy than others. And, if you remove the seeds and inner membranes (the white part inside the jalapeno), you’ll temper the heat. With an average jalapeno, I’d put this Smoked Tomato Salsa at a mild-medium level for spiciness.

What kind of tomatoes do you use for salsa?

I love using big Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes have more flesh and less seeds than other round tomatoes, so they make a meatier, thicker, and chunkier salsa.

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Step By Step Process

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smoked tomato salsa in a black dish
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4.85 from 52 votes

Smoked Tomato Salsa

Thick, chunky, and with a kiss of smoke, Smoked Tomato Salsa is so unbelievably good, you'll never want it any other way!
Course Appetizers
Cuisine American
Keyword party food, salsa, smoker, tomatoes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Preparing the salsa: 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 90kcal

Ingredients

For the smoked tomatoes:

  • 2 lbs roma tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

For the salsa:

  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno seeded
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp cumin

Instructions

To smoke the tomatoes:

  • Preheat your pellet smoker to 225-F as per the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Toss the cut Roma tomato halves with the oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
  • Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer in a grill basket, cut side up.
  • Smoke at 225-F for 45-60 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the salsa:

  • Combine the cooled tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, cumin, and salt in a food processor.
  • Pulse the food processor until the smoked tomato salsa has reached your desired consistency. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 4tbsp | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1043IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

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