Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa (Easy & Spicy)
Updated: Oct 10
Roasted cherry tomato salsa with jalapeño, cilantro, and fresh lime. Serve roasted cherry tomato salsa with tortilla chips for an easy appetizer. Fresh cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and lime are the starting point for this salsa. Chunky tomato salsa with cilantro and lime, ready for dipping or spooning over tacos.
Sweet, smoky, and spicy, this roasted cherry tomato salsa is an easy way to turn a pile of cherry tomatoes into something delicious. Roasting the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and jalapeño brings out their sweetness and adds a rich, smoky flavor that you just don't get from fresh salsa.
Once the vegetables are blistered and lightly charred, blend them with fresh lime juice, cilantro, and salt. A few quick pulses leave you with a flavorful salsa that's perfect for tortilla chips, tacos, grilled chicken, eggs, and more.
The secret is roasting the vegetables first. Adjust the jalapeño to your preferred heat level, and serve the salsa warm or chilled.
Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa Ingredients
2 cups cherry tomatoes
½ small white or yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed and halved
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1–2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
¼ cup fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
For more heat
Leave some or all of the jalapeño seeds and membranes intact. For a milder salsa, remove them before roasting.
How to Make Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa
1. Roast the vegetables
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Add the cherry tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic to a baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil and toss to coat.
Spread everything into an even layer and roast for 20–25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered and beginning to collapse and the onion and jalapeño have some browned, charred edges.
Don't worry if the tomatoes look a little too roasted. Those browned edges are exactly what we're looking for. Roasting concentrates the tomatoes' sweetness and adds a deeper, smoky flavor.
Roasting tomatoes Roasted tomatoes Roasted tomatoes Roasted tomatoes
2. Let everything cool slightly
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the vegetables cool for about 5 minutes.
This also gives those delicious roasted juices a chance to settle.
3. Blend the salsa
Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic to a blender or food processor.
Add the fresh lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
Pulse several times until you reach your favorite salsa consistency.
Don't completely puree it unless that's what you like. A few pulses will give you a salsa with some texture while still keeping it nice and scoopable.
4. Taste and adjust
Give it a taste.
Want more brightness? Add another squeeze of lime.
Want more heat? Add more jalapeño.
Need a little more seasoning? Add another pinch of salt.
That's it!
How to Serve the Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa
This salsa is obviously made for tortilla chips, but don't stop there.
Try it with:
Tacos 🌮
Burrito bowls
Grilled chicken
Steak
Scrambled or fried eggs
Quesadillas
Black beans and rice
Grilled fish
Mexican-style bowls
Avocado toast
I especially like it spooned over tacos while it's still slightly warm. That roasted tomato flavor really comes through.
Sizzling Lime Tip
Don't throw away the juices left on the baking sheet! Scrape all those roasted tomato and vegetable juices into the blender. That's where a lot of the flavor is hiding.
And if you're making this for a family with different spice preferences, start with ½ a jalapeño, blend the salsa, and add more jalapeño afterward if you want to turn up the heat.
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