Taco Salsa~ Burritos For Days!

Taco salsa? Don’t you mean taco sauce? One of my guilty pleasures anytime I have burritos or crispy tacos, I crave that taco sauce that we used to get in our school lunches! Lol! I don’t know if it’s just because it reminds me of those days, but I actually do enjoy it. For a few summers, all those years ago, my brother Ismael and I used to volunteer at our elementary school giving out free lunches. Our friend Bernie, short for Bernadette, worked as a P.E. coach and was in charge of the program along with her mother, Mrs. Perez. 

You always remember how people treat you

I will never forget the kindness she showed to my brother and me for those years. She kind of adopted us as her little brother and sister, since she was an only child. On the weekends during the summer, she would treat us to dinner or a movie. I have not been able to connect with her for so many years and still have hope that through social media I may find her one day.

Life back then seemed so much simpler

Getting back to the free school lunches, our job was to fill all the brown bags with whatever was being served that day. Most times it was sloppy joes, hot dogs and burritos. Whatever lunches were leftover, Bernie would let us take home. I remember how excited my Dad  would get when we came home with a box full of burritos, ha, ha, ha!  But of course we could not have the burritos without that pile of packets filled with taco sauce. As I was cleaning out my refrigerator of ingredients that had to be used promptly, this taco salsa/sauce came together beautifully! #burritosfordays #tacosalsa #tacosauce

The chile peppers on hand this day were jalapeños and fresnos. I added the guajillos after I took this picture. Sometimes the after thoughts turn out to be the best idea! All of the dish suggestions can be found on my blog, minus the homemade potato chips. Future post. 

We enjoy plenty of tacos, both with corn and flour tortillas. Only once in a while do I remember to pick up tortillas for burritos. I guess because I kind of see it as an oversized taco, lol! One of my favorite burritos these days would be grilled chicken, sliced and sauteed with poblano and onion strips. Oh you can’t forget the rice, beans, guacamole, salsa tatemada, jalapeños and pickled red onions!

Some leftover red chile infused tortillas prepared into a pan of Migas con Huevo, homemade flour tortillas….and Taco Salsa. 

And the classic, Huevos Rancheros. You need extra salsa for this dish, in my opinion.

Taco Salsa-Red Chile Sauce

Trying to recreate that "taco sauce" I enjoyed as a kid with the burritos from my elementary school lunches!

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salsa/Sauces

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 5 Cups

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 4 large roma tomato sliced in half
• 3 large fresh chile peppers jalapeño, Serrano or Fresno, remove stems and slice in half
• 3 chile California or guajillo remove stems and seeds and tear into pieces
• 3 chile de arbol
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce Look for El Pato brand in the Mexican food isle. Any flavor will work
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon each of cumin garlic powder, onion powder and paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• salt to taste

Instructions

Directions

• Add the tomatoes, chiles, onion and garlic to a deep skillet. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes. This is the simple and easiest, but you could roast or lightly sauté all of your ingredients for another level of flavor.
• Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes. add all of the remaining ingredients soaking, to the blender. Reserve the cooking water.
• Add all the spices, tomato sauce and vinegar. Carefully remove skins from the tomatoes and add to the blender. Blend on high until very smooth.  If it is too thick, pour in some of the reserved cooking water.
• Preheat a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil to medium heat in a skillet. Once it's nice and hot, pour in the salsa from the blender. Careful, because the salsa will pop when it hits the hot oil. Reduce heat and continue cooking for a good 20 minutes.  Taste for salt. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

For a darker looking sauce, use chile ancho and  a few chipotles in adobo instead of the guajillos and fresh chile peppers. The red chile sauce is perfect for burritos, enchiladas, tacos or plently of chips! 

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Like this:

Like Loading...