SALSA DE RAJAS – Smoky, Charred, and Built for Tacos

H1: Salsa de Rajas Recipe – Blistered Peppers Meet Bold Salsa

Intro

One thing about me: I love rajas. It’s the texture, the char, the sweet-smoky flavor—rajas just hit every time. This salsa is my ode to that. It bottles up that beautiful blistered pepper vibe and pours it all over whatever you’re eating.

Think of it like this: imagine taking your favorite salsa and drenching a pile of freshly grilled rajas with it. That’s the energy here. It’s smoky, sweet, savory, and unapologetically made for tacos. Specifically, it was born for tacos de asada—true soulmates.

The soy sauce sneaks in an umami punch that rides perfectly with the roasted peppers, and the mix of fresh and dried chiles adds depth, complexity, and just enough heat to keep you coming back.

Why This Salsa Works

• Rajas Energy – Charred chiles bring smoky, sweet depth and texture.

• Dual Chile Action – Fresh + dried chiles = complexity and heat.

• Umami Kick – Soy sauce balances the roasted flavors with a savory punch.

• Purpose-Built for Tacos – It shines on asada, sopes, gorditas—anything smoky and meaty.

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Ingredients

Yield: 1 quart + 1 pint

• 185g red onion, julienned (about 1 medium)

• 85g lime juice, fresh (about 6 Tbsp)

• 65g soy sauce (about ¼ cup)

• 400g chiles güeros, whole (about 8–10 peppers)

• 385g tomatillos, whole (about 8 medium)

• 300g Roma tomatoes (about 4 medium)

• 60g serrano chiles (about 3–4 chiles)

• 32g garlic, whole and in paper (about 6 cloves)

• 10g pasilla chile, seeded and stemmed (about 1 chile)

• 7g guajillo chile, seeded and stemmed (about 1 chile)

• 3g chicken bouillon powder (about ½ tsp)

• 2g Diamond Crystal kosher salt (about ¾ tsp)

• 0.8g Mexican oregano (about ½ tsp)

• 155g boiling water (about ⅔ cup)

Instructions

Marinate the Onions

• In a medium bowl, combine red onion, lime juice, and soy sauce. Mix well and let marinate while prepping the rest.

Char the Chiles Güeros

• Blister güero chiles over an open flame or under a broiler until skins are blackened and peppers are tender. Cover and steam 10 minutes. Peel, seed, julienne, and mix with the onion.

Roast the Veg + Toast the Chiles

• On a comal over medium-high heat, roast tomatoes, tomatillos, serranos, garlic, pasilla, and guajillo until blackened and tender (see timing notes).

  • Tomatoes/tomatillos: 15–20 min

  • Garlic/serranos: 12–15 min

  • Dried chiles: 1–2 min (then steep in boiling water for 20 min).

Build the Salsa

• Mince serranos and add them to the onion/chile mixture.

• Blend steeped pasilla/guajillo, garlic, and some steeping water until smooth. Add tomatoes/tomatillos and blend on low until smooth.

• Pour this salsa base into the onion/rajas mixture. Stir well. Season with bouillon, oregano, and salt to taste.

Serve

• Store in the fridge and serve at room temp.

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Tools I Used

• Comal or Cast Iron Skillet – for charring everything evenly

• Tongs – flipping chiles and tomatoes without breaking them

• Blender – for smooth chile base

• Sharp Knife – for julienning rajas

Tips & Tricks

🔥 Rajas Rule – Don’t skimp on the char, it’s what makes this salsa sing.
🔥 Balance the Heat – Add more serranos if you want it spicier, or dial back for a milder version.
🔥 Serving Vibes – Made for tacos de asada, but also shines on sopes, gorditas, or any smoky masa-based dish.
🔥 Flavor Layering – The soy sauce is optional, but that umami note is a killer move.

Make It & Show Me

If you make this salsa de rajas, I want to see it! Tag me @goatboyintl so I can share your creations.