Salsa Cooked Salsa
King Taco Red Salsa (Salsa Roja Estilo King Taco)
Heat
Smoky Earthy Fiery Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Yield Approx. 2 cups (16 oz)
Tested Status Made 6 times
Inspiration: CookingwithGloria ↗
Community Cook Counter
Made 6 times
Marked as made!
Rate:
Salsa Duo Pairing
The signature Los Angeles taquería double-threat. Red gives deep chipotle heat; green provides charred tomatillo tang.
Pairs Best With
The best protein, taco style, or dish vehicles for this flavor profile.
Carne Asada Al Pastor Beef Birria Tacos
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(12 items)Preparation Steps
Read steps top-to-bottom 01
SIMMER CHILES & TOMATO
In a small saucepan, combine water, destemmed chiles de árbol (1 handful / ~25g), and quartered tomato (1 tomato). Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until dried chiles soften and water turns reddish.
02
LOAD BLENDER
Pour softened chiles, tomato, and all their cooking liquid directly into a blender pitcher.
03
ADD AROMATICS & WHOLE SPICES
Add chipotle chiles with adobo sauce (3 chiles + 2 tbsp sauce), red onion (1/4 onion), minced garlic (2 cloves), garlic powder (1/2 tsp), whole cloves (3 cloves), chicken bouillon (1 tsp), kosher salt (1/2 tsp), black pepper (1/4 tsp), and cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp).
04
PULVERIZE & EMULSIFY
Blend on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes until seeds, chiles, and whole cloves are completely pulverized into a smooth, glossy red emulsion. (Kitchen Note:Run on low to prevent foaming)..
05
CITRUS FINISH
Pour salsa into a serving bowl. Squeeze juice of 2 fresh lemons through a strainer directly into the salsa. Stir thoroughly and adjust salt.
Storage & Shelf Life
Airtight glass container. Up to 10 days refrigerated. Long blending is critical to fully break down whole cloves and chile skins into a uniform sauce.
Kitchen Notes
Field notes, texture checks, and tweaks from test sessions.
Test Session
Aug 20, 2026
Vehicle: Carne Asada Tacos "Very smoky, not sure what application this has."