RecipesSpecialty Chilli › Smoked Chipotle Salsa

Smoked Chipotle Salsa

A deeply smoky, earthy salsa built around smoked/dried specialty chillies — chipotles, mulatos, or any smoke-dried variety. Blended with roasted tomato and garlic, this is the salsa that makes people ask what you did differently. Transformative on tacos, burritos, and eggs.

30 min (15 min prep, 15 min cook)Serves 6easySnacksgluten-free · dairy-free · vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 4 dried chipotle or specialty smoked chillies, stems and seeds removedChipotle in adobo works as a shortcut
  • 4 medium tomatoes, halved
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • ½ medium white onion, quartered
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ tsp salt

Contains: eggs, sulphites.

Method

  1. Toast dried chillies in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain.About 18 min
  2. Broil tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet for 10 minutes until charred. Squeeze garlic from skins.About 12 min
  3. Blend chillies, roasted vegetables, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust.About 3 min
  4. Transfer to a jar. Serve as a dip or salsa. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.About 2 min

Tips

  • Toasting the dried chillies first wakes up their smoky, complex flavor.
  • Don't oversoak — 15 minutes in hot water is enough to rehydrate without leaching flavor.
  • This makes an exceptional enchilada sauce if thinned with chicken stock.

Ring the changes

  • Add ½ chipotle in adobo alongside the dried chillies for extra smokiness.
  • Blend in a cup of canned black beans for a smoky bean dip.

Keeping it

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 3 months.

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Tony C Smith
Tony C Smith

Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.