Smoked Salsa Recipe
This smoked salsa recipe uses fresh tomatoes and vegetables gently smoked on a pellet grill for deep, balanced flavor. It's easy to customize, perfect for summer produce, and works as a dip, topping, or cooking ingredient.
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 14kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes (cut in half or wedges)
- 1 large bell pepper (cored and halved)
- ½ medium red onion (quartered)
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers (cored and halved, remove seeds for less heat)
- 6 cloves garlic cloves (peeled)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. If using an electric smoker, soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes first. For pellet smokers, load with mild wood pellets like apple or cherry.
- While the smoker heats, prepare the vegetables. Wash all produce thoroughly. Cut tomatoes in half (quarter if large), core and halve bell peppers, peel, and roughly chop onion, and halve jalapeños lengthwise. For milder salsa, remove jalapeño seeds and membranes.
- Arrange prepared vegetables in a single layer in a lightly oiled grill basket or directly on the grill grates. If using foil, create a packet with small holes for smoke to penetrate. Don't stack them - this helps the vegetables smoke evenly instead of steam.
- Place vegetables in the preheated smoker. Close the lid and smoke for 90 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and their edges begin to brown and crisp slightly. Check occasionally, rotating the grill basket or foil packet if needed for even cooking.
- Using tongs, remove the smoked vegetables from the smoker. Let cool for 5-10 minutes or until safe to handle.
- Transfer smoked vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add fresh cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cumin. Pulse the mixture 8-10 times for chunky salsa, or blend for 30-60 seconds for a smoother consistency. Stop and scrape down the sides of the processor if needed.
- Taste the salsa and add more salt, lime juice, or sugar if needed. Pour the finished salsa into a serving bowl. Serve immediately while still warm, or cover and refrigerate until chilled. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Notes
- For a milder smoke flavor, use fruit woods like apple or cherry - hickory is too strong.
- Adjust the heat by including the seeds and membranes of the jalapeños.
- This salsa tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld. Consider making it a day in advance.
- This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of salsa. The serving size is two tablespoons, but may vary depending on use.
- This salsa is thicker than store-bought, making it perfect for tacos, grilled meats, and queso without watering them down.
Nutrition
Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 591IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg
