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Fall is here! Well, almost. I’ve already gotten into the seasonal habit of adding pumpkin to eveyrhing.. and I mean everything. Speaking of pumpkin, this Smoky Pepita Salsa is the perfect way to dip your toe into all-things pumpkin this Fall. This salsa is fresh, easy to make, and juuuuust a little pumpkin-y. Plus, it’s quick to make.
why you should make this recipe
Salsa is an item that’s easy to make at home and can be used in a variety of ways. You can use this salsa on its’ own with chips, on top of tacos or enchiladas, or as a dressing for a fall-inspired salad.
Pepita Salsa has a smoky, subtle fall flavor to it. Roasting the Pepitas allows us to get a nice smoky flavor. In addition, we also roast the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper in this recipe, broiling them on high to get a char. We’ll add chipotles in adobo (plus some of the delicious sauce) which rounds out the smokiness to this dish.
It’s great with tortilla chips, quesadillas, or even over grilled chicken! It’s easy to make and really impresses. If you can’t use it all up, you can freeze it and use it at a later date. Lastly, this salsa takes a little bit longer to make than my Cantina Style Salsa, but I promise it’s worth it!
ingredient notes
- Chiles in adobo – These help give the salsa a smoky flavor. You can find them at most grocery stores, and you’ll also want to use the sauce that they are in.
- Pepitas – Also known as pumpkin seeds, pepitas are the major fall element to this recipe.
- Cumin – I always have ground cumin on hand. If you don’t, that’s ok! I’ve made this recipe without it during those rare times when I’ve been out of it, it’s still good!
- Fresh Lime Juice – Never bottled lime juice. Never, ever! Roll your limes on a flat surface (like your counter) and apply light pressure with the palm of your hand. This will make it easier to juice!
recipe faq’s
How long can salsa stay in the fridge for?
This salsa can stay in your fridge (in an airtight container, of course) for up to 10 days.
Do I have to broil the tomatoes, onions, and pepper?
Yes, you do (if you want the roasted flavor). For a milder salsa (such as my original recipe), you can skip this step.
Enjoy, and as always, please let me know if you make this recipe – and if you do, don’t forget to tag @seasonedandsalted and #seasonedandsalted on Instagram!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 vine tomatoes halved
- 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper cut into slices
- 3 chipotles in adobo
- 2 tsp adobo sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/8 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- oil spray
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- The first step is toasting our pepitas, or pumpkin seeds. Spread 3/4 cup pepitas on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove the pepitas from the oven and set aside while we work on broiling our other ingredients.
- In order to broil the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper and get a nice char on them, we should first make sure that we have an oven rack high up in our oven. Remember to use oven mitts to do this, since the oven was just roasting our pepitas. Once you set an oven rack 2-3 inches from the roof of your oven, set it to broil (high).
- Arrange the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper on a baking sheet. Spray oil of choice over the veggies and then sprinkle 1 tsp of kosher salt over the tops. Broil for 8-10 minutes, rotating once. The skins should get charred and you’ll notice that the tomatoes start to blister and almost burst. Keep an eye out while they are broiling – you don’t want to burn anything. Remove the broiled veggies and set them aside.
- Now it’s time to blend our salsa. Add 1/2 cup roasted pepitas (plus 1 tablespoon), chipotle peppers, garlic, and the adobo sauce. Blend with the blade attachment until the pepitas are ground up and combined.
- Next, add the roasted veggies. If you have a smaller food processor, I suggest adding a few pieces at a time. Start with the tomatoes and onions, and the bell pepper if you can fit it. Blend until smooth.
- Lastly, add the 1/2 cup cilantro, lime juice, remaining 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp sugar, juice of 1 lime, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin.
- Taste for additional seasonings, and refrigerate until cold (about 1 hour). Serve with tortilla chips!
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