If you’ve ever tasted the roasted tomato salsa at Papalote Mexican Grill in San Francisco, you know it’s a game-changer. This papalote salsa recipe brings that same smoky, tangy, and spicy flavor to your kitchen, and it’s surprisingly easy to make.
As a California-born recipe developer who’s spent years perfecting recipes inspired by the flavors of the Golden State, I’m thrilled to share this version of the beloved Papalote salsa. Whether you’re a salsa aficionado or a newbie looking for the perfect accompaniment to your tacos, this recipe will bring bold flavors and a touch of San Francisco straight to your home.
Why You’ll Love This Papalote Salsa
What’s better than a salsa that enhances everything it touches? This Papalote salsa recipe balances heat with sweetness, has a rich roasted flavor, and a satisfying crunch thanks to toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, or just dipping chips! But don’t take my word, even Bobby Flay claimed the salsa was a “secret weapon” during an episode of “Beat Bobby Flay.”
Recipe Ingredients
These are the ingredients you’ll need to prepare this Papalote Salsa Recipe:
- Roma Tomatoes: Roasting the tomatoes gives this salsa its signature smoky flavor and charred sweetness, which is the base for this Papalote salsa recipe.
- Dried Chiles (Chile de Arbol and Pasilla): Toasting the chiles adds a smoky heat, which is balanced with the sweetness of the tomatoes. The Pasilla chile also adds a deep, earthy flavor.
- Pumpkin Seeds (or Sunflower Seeds): These seeds bring a wonderful crunch and subtle nuttiness, mimicking the texture of the original salsa while enhancing its richness.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning and drawing out the natural flavors of the ingredients, the salt balances the sweetness and acidity in the salsa.
- Unrefined Cane Sugar: The sugar helps to balance the heat from the chiles and enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
- White Wine Vinegar: The vinegar adds a tangy finish that cuts through the richness and gives the salsa its zesty kick.
- Green Onions (Scallions): Chopped green onions bring a fresh, crisp bite that complements the roasted flavors of the salsa.
- Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro adds a burst of freshness and herbaceous notes, lightening the deep flavors and bringing brightness to the salsa.
How to Make This Recipe
- Toast the Chiles: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Arrange the chiles on a baking sheet and the pumpkin seeds in a small ovenproof pan. Toast the chiles for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and puffed. Toast the pumpkin seeds for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove both from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Char the Tomatoes: Set your broiler to high and place the tomatoes on a lined baking sheet. Broil them for 5-7 minutes until their skins are slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Simmer the Tomatoes and Chiles: In a large pan, combine the roasted tomatoes, toasted chiles, salt, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Salsa: Add the vinegar to the mixture and cook for another minute. Carefully blend half of the mixture in batches in a blender, adding the toasted pumpkin seeds, scallions, and cilantro. Blend until smooth.
- Taste and Adjust: Pour the salsa into an airtight container and taste for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, or vinegar to your liking. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions About Papalote Salsa
The Papalote salsa recipe is a roasted tomato salsa inspired by the famous salsa from Papalote Mexican Grill in San Francisco. It combines charred tomatoes, toasted chiles, and pumpkin seeds for a deliciously balanced flavor.
This Papalote salsa recipe is unique because of its rich, smoky flavor from the charred tomatoes and toasted chiles, combined with the crunchy texture of pumpkin seeds. It’s a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and tang.
Yes, you can store the Papalote salsa recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will only get better as the flavors meld together, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
Mexican Food In San Francisco
The mention of Mexican food and San Francisco brings to mind the Mission-Style burrito, which is an iconic California dish. This stuffed-to-the-gills burrito is a purely San Francisco creation, and locals will hotly pledge allegiance to their preferred taquería (La Taqueria and El Farolito are often top contenders).
What To Serve This Recipe With
This Papalote salsa recipe is versatile and pairs beautifully with a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes and drinks. Serve it alongside a Classic Paloma Cocktail for a refreshing, citrusy complement to the salsa’s smoky heat.
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, pair it with this creamy Classic Guacamole Recipe for the perfect balance of flavors. For a crunchy, snackable option, enjoy it with Oaxacan Mexican Peanuts to add a touch of spice and texture to your meal!
Other Mexican Recipes To Try
Here are a few of our readers’ favorite Mexican recipes:
Mexico Travel Guide
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Papalote Homemade Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 medium Roma tomatoes cored and halved
- 10 medium dried chile de arbol stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
- 1 medium dried pasilla chile stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
- 2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (aka scallions)
- 1/4 cup packed finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Toast The Chiles: Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Arrange chiles on baking sheet and the pumpkin seeds in a small ovenproof pan and toast the chiles until fragrant and puffed, about 5 minutes and the pepitas until golden brown, about 10 minutes.Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.10 medium dried chile de arbol, 2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin or sunflower seeds, 1 medium dried pasilla chile
- Char The Tomatoes: Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place the tomatoes. Broil the tomatoes until the skins are slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.5 medium Roma tomatoes
- Simmer The Tomatoes: Place the roasted tomatoes and toasted chiles in a large stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the salt, sugar, and water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture has reduced slightly and thickened, about 20 minutes.1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar, 1 1/2 cups water
- Finish The Salsa: Add the vinegar to the tomato mixture and cook for 1 minute. Carefully place one-third to one-half of the mixture in a blender, add the toasted pumpkin seeds, scallions, and cilantro, remove the plug on the blender top so it lets off heat, then carefully blend until smooth. (You will have to do this in batches. Do not fill the blender beyond its capacity or it will shoot salsa everywhere in your kitchen!)Pour the salsa into an airtight resealable container, taste, and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar, as desired. Refrigerate uncovered until thoroughly chilled before serving, at least 2 hours.TIP: Salsa can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (aka scallions), 1/4 cup packed finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
9 thoughts on “Homemade Papalote Roasted Tomato Salsa”
Greetings Aida. I think something is wrong. Generally, you don’t toast dried Pasilla or dried Arbol chilies. They are already toasted and dried. If you mean they should be toasted more and then rehydrated, that is accurate. But that should be done separately from the tomatoes as the tomato juice will not allow them to toast. Easier to do that in a skillet and the rehydrate them in a saucepan with water. I do agree with blending until smooth. The Processor won’t do it. This is, one of the best salsas in the world, by the way, Swen
Swen again. Please consider adding that the Pasilla chilies need to be deseeded before being toasted. Those seeds are very tough. Thank you.
Thanks for weighing in, Swen. We updated the recipe to better reflect the steps. As for the chiles, we have cooked with many cooks and chefs in Mexico (during our group tours to Oaxaca and our travels around the country) who toast dried chiles to bring out their best flavor. The technique here is in reference to that. Thanks for your feedback. And happy cooking!
Can I freeze this salsa?
Yes, technically you can freeze salsa and a thicker, smoother salsa like this one does better than say a chunky one like pico de gallo. Keep in mind that salsas have a lot of water so when you defrost them after freezing them, they will be watery. However, the work around would be to thaw it in the fridge and then pour off any excess amount of water. The flavor won’t be as fresh so instead of using it for chips, we’d recommend cooking it say in enchiladas or even our Chicken Tinga recipe.
I have been looking for the recipe to Papalote’s salsa!
Is this imitating their homemade salsa (which they sell in mason jars), or their bottled salsa that they sell at grocery stores? They taste different. Also, I tried making this once last week, but my salsa turned out really deep red, instead of the orange. Any idea why?
Hi, Nader. This is mimicking the main salsa that they sold in the taqueria back when we first created this recipe (circa 2006). The color difference is likely based on the type of blender you are using and how much aeration the salsa does or does not get.
Made this recipe exactly as outlined, and it’s a great salsa but it doesn’t taste like the version of papalote salsa that’s jarred and sold in grocery stores.
Also, it’s quite a bit spicier than the jarred version – anyone else making this that’s expecting a relatively mild salsa should be prepared to add more tomatoes or to have some guac or sour cream on the side to help dilute the heat!
Sorry to hear that, Emma. This salsa recipe was developed in 2005 so they may have changed their salsa recipe since then.