Homemade Creamy Roasted Salsa with Avocado Oil

If you saw my ground beef and lentil tacos, this is the salsa I served with them!

I've made homemade salsa for years, but one of my favorite ways to prepare it is by blending in a little avocado oil. It changes the texture completely, giving the salsa a smooth, creamy consistency without adding any dairy.

I like my salsa with plenty of garlic, fresh cilantro, lime, and a good amount of heat. Roasting the tomatoes first gives it a deeper flavor, while using both roasted and fresh jalapeños adds a nice balance.

This is the kind of salsa I make to keep in the fridge throughout the week. It's great with tacos, burritos, grilled meats, or just a bowl of tortilla chips.

Ingredients

• 8 Roma tomatoes
• 2 jalapeños
• 1 habanero
• ½ cup yellow onion
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 4 cloves garlic
• Approximately 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
• Salt, if needed

Instructions

1. Roast the vegetables.

   Preheat your oven to 400°F.

   Cut the Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange them cut side down on a baking sheet. Add one jalapeño and the garlic cloves.

   Roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and the skins begin to blister and develop some color.

2. Blend the salsa.

   Transfer the roasted tomatoes, jalapeño, and garlic to a blender.

   Add the remaining fresh jalapeño, habanero, yellow onion, cilantro, lime juice, and chicken bouillon.

   Blend until everything is smooth and well combined.

   
   
   

3. Add the avocado oil.

   With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the avocado oil.

   Continue blending until the salsa becomes creamy and takes on a lighter, orange color.

   The avocado oil emulsifies with the other ingredients, creating that smooth consistency without needing sour cream or any other dairy.

4. Adjust to taste.

   Give the salsa a taste and adjust the salt or lime juice as needed.

   I personally enjoy a spicier salsa, but you can always reduce or leave out the habanero if you prefer something milder.

A Few Things Worth Mentioning

Roasting makes a difference. I love the flavor that roasting brings to the tomatoes and garlic. It gives the salsa a little more depth than using everything raw.

I use both roasted and fresh jalapeños. The roasted jalapeño brings a softer, slightly smoky flavor, while the fresh one adds a little brightness.

Don't skip the avocado oil. It's what gives this salsa its creamy texture. Start with a small amount and add more as needed while blending.

The consistency is up to you. I prefer mine completely smooth, but you can blend it a little less if you like more texture.

A Little Note From My Kitchen

I cook with my heart, not measuring cups.

Like most of my recipes, these measurements are approximate. I usually go by taste, adjusting ingredients until everything comes together the way I like it.

Start with the recipe as written, then make it your own.