Chipotle salsa is one of our favorites. The smoky, slightly sweet flavor of chipotle blends beautifully with tomato, and a touch of jalapeño adds bright heat. The result is a tangy, smoky salsa that’s wonderfully flavorful and naturally low in carbs—a staple across the southwestern United States.
In many Mexican restaurants in the Southwest, chips and salsa arrive at the table before you order. The crunch of corn chips and the heat of a good salsa roja are irresistible—but those chips add most of the carbohydrates. The salsa itself is very low in carbs, so skip the corn chips (or choose pork rinds) and enjoy the salsa freely. Homemade salsa using fresh ingredients is far superior to mass-produced jarred versions; we always recommend making it at home for the best flavor.
Salsa literally means sauce in Spanish. Traditional salsa roja is tomato-based and includes onions, chilies, and spices for flavor and heat. Adding canned chipotles in adobo transforms the color to a warm brown and introduces a deeply smoky flavor. The adobo—typically a blend of paprika, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and other spices—acts as a marinade and brings that unmistakable smokiness to the salsa.
Blending tips
For this recipe we use a mix of canned tomatoes (whole or crushed), halved cherry tomatoes, and Rotel tomatoes with green chiles. You can also boil fresh ripe tomatoes until soft, then use them in your salsa. In the past, a mortar and pestle (molcajete) was common for salsa-making; today a blender or food processor saves time. Use the pulse setting to control how chunky or smooth you like your salsa. Add extra jalapeño for more heat, or an additional chipotle and a spoonful of adobo for intensified smokiness.
What is a chipotle?
A chipotle is a smoked, dried jalapeño. It takes many pounds of fresh jalapeños to yield a small amount of dried chipotles. The fresh pepper ripens from green to red, then is smoked for days until most moisture is removed and the pepper becomes a reddish-brown, prune-like pepper. Canned chipotles in adobo sauce offer a consistent, convenient way to add smoky heat: the peppers come packed in a tangy, spiced adobo sauce that elevates salsas, sauces, and marinades.
We use both the chipotles and the adobo sauce as flavor boosters across many dishes. This salsa works beautifully as a topping for fish, chicken, pork, burgers, or hot dogs, and it’s excellent with chicharrones (pork rinds) as a low-carb chip substitute. Joanie often prepares oven-baked salmon finished with a chipotle salsa—simple, bright, and full of flavor.
Chipotle Salsa – Delicious chipotles in adobo
Make a batch today, enjoy it tonight, and freeze the rest for later. We think you’ll love this chipotle salsa—please leave a comment and tell us how you used it.
Chipotle Salsa
Chipotle salsa made with chipotles and adobo sauce for a smoky, flavorful kick. Great as a topping on baked salmon or simply as a dip.
18
10
minutes
0
minutes
11.8
kcal
1.7
g
10
minutes
Ingredients
-
28 ounces canned tomatoes
-
10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and chilies (canned)
-
1 small white onion, rough chopped
-
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
-
2 whole chipotles
-
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
-
1 whole jalapeño, rough chopped
-
1 teaspoon cumin
-
1 whole lime, juiced
-
1 cup cilantro, no stems
-
Sea salt, to taste
-
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse to your desired thickness.
- Adjust heat and smokiness with extra chopped jalapeño, additional chipotle, or more adobo sauce. Add more chopped cilantro if desired.
Chef’s notes
- You can substitute a 14-ounce can of tomatoes plus 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes. Fresh whole tomatoes can be boiled until soft, then quartered and used instead of canned.
Nutrition facts
- Calories: 11.8 kcal
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 50.8 mg
- Potassium: 118.9 mg
- Carbohydrates: 2.4 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Vitamin A: 1400 IU
- Vitamin C: 10.7 mg
- Calcium: 7.9 mg
- Iron: 0.4 mg