Garden tomatoes and serrano peppers are roasted with onions and garlic then blended into a thick and flavorful vegan and gluten free salsa. Use more or less peppers to adjust the heat level to your liking!
I spent last week helping my brother move up to Salem, Massachusetts. We covered a lot of miles (1,873 to be exact) and saw a lot of beautiful scenery. I think Virginia was my favorite followed closely by Tennessee. What I missed most (other than sleeping in my bed) was working in my garden. Though most days the only “work” required is watering, I usually spend a lot of time out there in observation. I’ll notice new growth or buds, or perhaps insect damage that needs to be addressed, or maybe how the subtlest of movements encourages the tulsi basil to release its lovely scent. It’s a grounding experience and one that helps me stay tethered to my tasks for the rest of the day.
Upon returning home and venturing into the garden, the first thing I noticed were the plentiful reddish-green orbs on my tomato plants! Despite having harvested a pint’s worth before leaving, there was at least another pint’s worth that had ripened in my absence. I’ve been craving a roasted salsa of sorts since I first started harvesting my tomatoes and peppers so I decided to share the results with you here just in time for the summer solstice tomorrow. And, in honor of the official first day of summer, after the salsa recipe you’ll find a collection of my favorite summer-inspired recipes from the blog. Happy Summer Solstice friends!
My Favorite Summer Recipes
- honey sage ice cream (pairs perfectly with fresh summer fruits)
- cooling summer tisane (make up a big batch of this cooling herbal tea and sip on it through the week)
- humble plum blueberry pie with lime & cardamom
- oven-fried okra with sunflower cider dip (there’s no added oil in this recipe!)
- lemongrass peach shrub
- spiced maple peach pancake stack (the perfect lazy weekend morning breakfast)
- zucchini spaghetti with tarragon & lemon
- rainbow quinoa salad with cashew tzatziki (a good option for a picnic or summer potluck)
- polenta pizza with herbed cashew ricotta & summer veg
- blueberry peach crumble ice cream
- lemon cucumber quick pickles
Roasted Garden Salsa
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Garden tomatoes and serrano peppers are roasted with onions and garlic then blended into a thick and flavorful vegan and gluten free salsa. Use more or less peppers to adjust the heat level to your liking!
Ingredients
- 1 quart of tomatoes
- 1/2 a red onion, cut into wedges
- 2 large garlic cloves with the skin on
- 2 to 3 serrano peppers (depending on how spicy you want it)
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
Line a large baking sheet with foil or a silicone mat. DO NOT use parchment paper as we’re using the broiler and it can potentially catch fire! If you are using tomatoes smaller than 2 or 3 inches, put a small slit in each tomato (this will discourage them from bursting open and covering your oven in tomato juice!). If you are using larger tomatoes, cut them into 4 or 6 wedges. Place the tomatoes, onion, whole serrano peppers, and garlic cloves (with the skin still on) onto your prepared sheet. Set your oven to broil then place the sheet in the oven under the broiler.
Watch the veggies carefully. Once they begin to blacken and blister in spots, remove them from the oven and place them in a blender or food processor. You may have to do this in shifts because the smaller items (like the peppers) may be ready before the larger items (like the onions and tomatoes). Make sure you remove the skin of the garlic before adding it to the blender. To the veggies, add the lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and a good pinch of salt. Blend until you get the consistency you want, then allow the salsa to cool for at least 15 minutes. Taste the salsa then add more salt or apple cider vinegar as needed.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Makes just under 2 cups of salsa.
Notes
- I used a quart of black vernissage cherry tomatoes from my backyard. Pretty much any tomato variety will work here so use what you like!
- I went ahead and roasted 3 serranos for this recipe but only ended up using 2 because I liked the heat level. Feel free to adjust as you like!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: appetizer
