Hatch Chile Salsa
A quick and easy salsa recipe made with Hatch chiles, heirloom tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice and cilantro.
We were planning a big hiking trip with the family and I wanted to bring a fresh salsa made from our garden, but I was walking through our local grocery store and came upon something I have never seen before in this particular store – Hatch Chile Peppers.
Such good fortune! Living in the Chicago area, fresh Hatch Chiles are just not something we come by often. If at all. It took everything I had not to snatch them all up to keep for myself.
Hatch chiles are grown in New Mexico’s hatch Valley. It’s an earthy pepper with a mild heat, depending on the variety you’re working with, though after I roasted them and cooked them into this gorgeous salsa, the back heat really developed.
Not too crazy, though.
Because of the soil conditions in the Hatch Valley, Hatch Chile peppers have a unique flavor of their own, so you’ll want to get your hands on some. The salsa was a big hit with the crowd and disappeared when I got the pulled pork ready for tacos.
Seriously, a bit of this Hatch chile salsa spooned over pulled pork? What else do you need?
Let’s talk about how we make it.
How to Make Hatch Chile Salsa – the Recipe Method
- First, roast the peppers. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice the Hatch chile peppers and tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Set them all onto baking sheets.
- Slice the onion into chunks and place them onto the baking sheets along with the garlic.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pepper skins are nicely charred.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Peel the skins from the peppers and tomatoes and discard. Drop the peppers and tomatoes into a food processor.
- Squeeze garlic from their skins and place them into the food processor along with the onion.
- Add lime juice, cilantro and salt. Process until smooth.
- Adjust for salt and set into a covered bowl.
- Refrigerate a few hours to allow flavors to mingle.
NOTE: For this recipe, I’ve started with fresh Hatch chiles and roasted them myself. However, you can start with Hatch peppers that are already roasted. Just skip the roasting step. Enjoy!
A Bit About Hatch Peppers
Hatch peppers are unique in that they are grown in the Hatch region of New Mexico, where the locals claim the soil is rich and unlike anywhere else. Hatch peppers aren’t actually a single type of pepper, but a variety, so named because of the region where they are grown.
The reality is that “Hatch Peppers” actually belong to the broader category of New Mexican peppers, and there are many types. You can learn more about Hatch Chili Peppers here, including types and history. Hatch peppers typically range in heat levels from 1,000 – 8,000 Scoville Heat Units, which is quite mild to about jalapeno pepper level heat.
I ordered mine online because I do not live near New Mexico, and the harvesting season runs from August through September. You can grow New Mexican types in your own garden, but my peppers are just now harvesting and I didn’t grow any this year. Luck you can order anything online!
What Do Hatch Chile Peppers Taste Like?
Hatch peppers offer an earthy flavor, similar to the Anaheim chili pepper. They can be eaten raw, offering a crisp, spicy flavor and a mild pungency similar to an onion, though they are typically roasted which gives them a smoky, rich, earthier, sometimes buttery flavor. Hatch green chiles offer a bit more bite, while aging them to ripened red Hatch chiles mellows them and the heat they deliver from an initial bite to more of a blooming back heat.
Patty’s Perspective
This salsa is addictive!
Where Can You Buy Hatch Chili Peppers? Here are my recommendations.
Try Some of My Popular Hatch Pepper Recipes
- Pork Chili with Roasted Red Hatch Peppers
- One Pan Hatch Chile Cheese Dip
- Roasted Hatch Chile-Beer Mustard
- Spicy Pork-Hatch Chile Casserole
- Roasted Red Hatch Chile Sauce
Try Some of My Other Popular Salsa Recipes
- Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa
- Habanero Salsa
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Salsa Verde
- Ghost Pepper Salsa
- Authentic Pico de Gallo
- Roasted Mango-Habanero Salsa
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Hatch Chile Salsa - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Hatch chile peppers
- 2.5 pounds heirloom tomatoes
- 1 medium white onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- Juice from 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice the Hatch chile peppers and tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Set them all onto baking sheets.
- Slice the onion into chunks and place them onto the baking sheets.
- Place the garlic on the baking sheets as well.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pepper skins are nicely charred.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Peel the skins from the peppers and tomatoes and discard. Drop the peppers and tomatoes into a food processor.
- Squeeze garlic from their skins and place them into the food processor along with the onion.
- Add lime juice, cilantro and salt. Process until smooth.
- Adjust for salt and set into a covered bowl.
- Refrigerate a few hours to allow flavors to mingle.
Nutrition
44 comments
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Hi- my chili peppers are already roasted but would you go ahead and roast the tomatoes, onions and garlic? Does it make that much of a difference in the overall flavor?
Stacey, it does make a difference, though you could also process them all up first then simmer then together. Different method, great flavor. I love roasted, too. Yum!
Thank you!! Going to make this for an upcoming trip to the mountains….will be so good after a day of hiking !
Nice! Have fun!
Just made this for the 3 rd time in 4 wks. Love the flavor and texture. ❤️
Great, Judy! Thanks!
Used mild Hatch chili’s last week. Flavorful, but not enough heat for me. Today, I used extra hot Hatch chili’s and this salsa rocked! I can’t wait to let my Hispanic neighbors taste it tomorrow.
Excellent, Bill!!
How would I go about canning the salsa?
Bruce, check the acidity of this to make sure it is 3.5 pH or lower for home canning/jarring with a water bath. Or you can use a pressure canner. Here is a great link for using the water bath method: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa/chile_salsa.html
THE BEST SALSA RECIPE EVER!!!
The less ingredients the better. The full flavor of the HATCH Chili Peppers aren’t covered up by too many spices. I love roasting not only the peppers, but also the tomatoes, onion & garlic. This receipt in a WINNER in my book.
Thank you for sharing.
Awesome, KP! Super happy you enjoyed it! I LOVE this one for sure.
added a half of serrano and BAM! very good and plenty of heat
There you go! BOOM! Love it.
How much vinegar would you need to water bath your salsa recipe?
Doug, I would start with a few tablespoons and measure the pH. Shoot for 3.5 or lower.
This salsa is delicious.
As an FYI, seeds are not the source of the capsaicin. The capsaicin is in the placenta of jalapeños and the flesh of chilis. The seeds have capsaicin on them but not in them.
Here is an article about where the capsaicin is in different peppers and chilis.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/03/ghost-pepper-heat-research/473361/
Thanks! And yes, the majority of the heat in most peppers is in the placenta, or the whitish pithy innards, not the seeds at all. It’s also true that the capsaicin extends into the pepper flesh with superhot peppers. This is discussed all over this site, especially on this page about capsaicin: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-capsaicin/. See also Cooking with Superhot Chili Peppers (https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/10-tips-for-cooking-with-super-hot-chili-peppers/) and also information about The Scoville Scale (https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/the-scoville-scale/). This is also a good resource answering the question: “Should I remove the seeds from chili peppers before eating them?” (https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/should-i-remove-the-seeds-before-eating-or-cooking-with-chili-peppers/). Thanks again!
For those wishing to make the recipe spicier, Hatch Green Chiles come in a very hot variety as well. All can be ordered online direct from Hatch, New Mexico. They can be shipped raw in season if you wish to roast them yourself, or already roasted, or even roasted and peeled. I grew up in New Mexico, now live in Central Texas, and only ever order the hot variety. They’ll satisfy even the most affirmed heat lover.
Yes! Thanks for the comments, Keith!
I made this today for my son-in-law’s birthday present and it’s delicious and easy peasy to make! I would put in a couple jalapenos next time for a little more heat. So excited to have a recipe I make can anytime as I grow my own chilis and have a freezer full of roasted peppers. I live in Virginia and their idea of salsa is completely different from mine.
Great, Liz! I love the addition of the jalapenos. Just a touch of heat! Glad you found the recipe.
This looks fabulous! I’m about to get a bunch of roasted hatch chiles at a local chile festival. Do I need to roast or boil the other ingredients? I generally boil my onions, tomatoes and garlic. Should I continue on that way and add in the roasted hatch chiles at blending time? Or stay consistent with a roasted flavor? I finish with a quick saute in oil after blending. Is that necessary if everything is roasted? Thanks!
Kim, you can roast the other ingredients if you’d like per the recipe, or you can boil them. The flavor will change slightly if you boil, but the roasted Hatch peppers will be the dominant flavor either way. Yes, add them in at blending time and just heat the whole thing through. Let me know how it turns out for you. Exciting!!!
Your red hatch salsa was exquisite. So I gave your green a try.
Blackened all on a comal then followed your recipe. Simple and basic is the best. Past ‘fresh hatch salsa’ recipes have failed me–they all call for too much stuff that is not in salsa.
My gut always says uncomplicated is better. This is a keeper. Thanks.
P.S.–this is getting dumped all over my southwest quiche tomorrow.
Thanks, Brent! I agree, simple is often best when you want a particular ingredient to really shine. Glad you loved it! Wishing I could have some of that quiche!! =)
This is delicious. The best salsa! Do you think the acidity level would work for canning the salsa?
Dana, you could use a pressure canner and you’d be fine, but if doing a water bath method, you might need to add some vinegar or citrus to get the pH down to around 3.5.
Hi Mike: I have a question.
I purchased my Hatch chile’s from Gelson’s who roasts them on site. They are “mild” but we prefer a medium heat so what should I add to spice them up a bit?
Hi, Julie! You can incorporate other peppers into the salsa, so try roasting some jalapenos or maybe serranos, depending on your preferred heat level. You can also swirl in a bit of cayenne pepper or spicy chili flakes. Let me know if that helps, or if you need more ideas. Happy to help!
Michael: Thanks for the reply. I just made your salsa and added two jalapeno’s to the roasting process. YUMMY!! Absolutely delicious. I will be making this again and again.
Excellent! Thanks, Julie!
How much vinegar would need to be used to can this and would I need to simmer it all before putting it in jars?
Emily, I’m not sure how much vinegar, but if adding vinegar to can it, you should check the ph of the finished salsa first. It should be 4.0 or below for home canning, unless you are using a pressure canner. I would simmer it with the vinegar before canning. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Looks amazing! Going to try tonight with our fresh hot hatch chiles. How long can this salsa last in the fridge? Do you leave a few seeds to make sure it’s hot enough?
Thanks, Rochelle. This will last about a week in the refrigerator, a couple months in the freezer. You can leave in the innards for a spicier sauce, or use hotter Hatch peppers. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Hubby & I made this last night with our home grown hatch chilis & Tomatoes. Turned out delicious! My hubby put the chilis on the gas grill, but I roasted the tomatoes, onion & garlic in the oven. Would definitely make again! Thanks for the recipe.
Outstanding! Thanks, Lori! Glad you enjoyed it.
I’m also in Chicagoland and haven’t been able to find Hatch peppers anywhere. Do you remember where you got them?
REPLY: Robyn, you can order from either https://www.hatch-green-chile.com/ or http://www.newmexicanconnection.com/. Great peppers! — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
My local Sprouts Grocery Store orders me a bushel of Hatch chili’s every August! they only should run you $1 a pound. Thanks for the recipe.
Sprouts carries many Hatch products year around.
That’s GREAT, Beth! Lucky you get to stock up! Enjoy!
Stella, did you can this?? I’m considering it but haven’t canned salsa before
Hi! Step 6: keep or throw away the skins?
REPLY: Hi, Kim. Discard the skins and set the peppers and tomatoes into the food processor. Thanks! — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Can this salsa be canned ??
REPLY: Yes, just be sure to follow proper canning procedures. This salsa would need a pressure canner since it is low acid. If you’d like to use a waterbath method, add in enough vinegar to bring the PH below 4.6. — Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.