Name: Hatch Chile Salsa - Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
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

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

Try Some of My Other Popular Salsa Recipes

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.

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5 from 8 votes