Smoked Salsa Recipe

This smoked salsa recipe combines juicy tomatoes, spicy Serrano chilies, balsamic vinegar, cilantro, and a bold blend of mesquite and hickory smoke for a barbecue-inspired take on classic homemade salsa. Featured on License to Grill, this easy recipe transforms a handful of simple ingredients into a rich, smoky, and vibrant dip that is perfect for summer cookouts, appetizers, grilled meals, and casual entertaining.

The Inspiration

Salsa is one of those versatile preparations that can range from bright and raw to deeply roasted and smoky. This version leans confidently into the barbecue side of that spectrum, using the grill not simply as a cooking surface but as an important source of flavor.

On License to Grill, host Rob Rainford brings the signature flavors of outdoor cooking into recipes that extend far beyond traditional grilled meats. This smoked salsa is a perfect example of that approach. Tomatoes and Serrano chilies are exposed to mesquite and hickory smoke until their flesh becomes tender and charred, giving the finished salsa an unmistakable backyard-barbecue character.

The final result is an easy homemade smoked salsa with a distinctive balance of char, acidity, gentle sweetness, spice, and fresh tomato flavor. It works just as naturally beside tortilla chips as it does spooned over grilled chicken, steak, fish, tacos, or vegetables.

Ingredients

6 large tomatoes
4 smoked Serrano chilies
½ cup of water – (125ml)
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar – (30ml)
Salt – to taste
3 tablespoons of dried cilantro – (45ml)

Method

Mesquite and hickory wood chips soaked in cold water for 30 minutes.
Remove grill from barbecue and preheat to a medium heat.
Half and remove the seeds from the tomatoes and hot peppers. This will remove the bitter taste from the tomatoes and some of the heat from the hot peppers.
Drain mesquite and hickory wood chips and set aside
Place tomato and hot pepper halves on to the grill. Once the barbecue, reaches a medium heat place grill on barbecue along with damp wood chips and close barbecue lid.
Process will only take approximately 10 minutes, or until the flesh of the tomatoes and peppers are charred.
The skin of the tomatoes and the peppers can know be easily removed.
Dice up tomatoes and peppers; add to blender with water, balsamic vinegar and salt. Pulse to a desired chunkiness, add dried cilantro and voila!
Serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this smoked salsa with tortilla chips as an easy appetizer for backyard barbecues, summer parties, game-day gatherings, or casual family meals. Its combination of charred tomatoes, Serrano chilies, balsamic vinegar, and wood smoke also makes it a natural partner for grilled chicken, steak, pork, burgers, sausages, shrimp, or firm white fish.

Spoon it over tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls, grilled vegetables, or baked potatoes for an instant smoky upgrade, or use it as part of a larger barbecue spread alongside guacamole and other dips. The balsamic acidity helps cut through richer meats and cheeses, while the Serrano peppers provide enough heat to keep every bite lively.

For entertaining, place the salsa in a serving bowl surrounded by tortilla chips, grilled flatbread, or crisp vegetables and let guests help themselves. Paired with the smoked guacamole from License to Grill, it can also create a simple barbecue-inspired dip platter that brings together creamy, spicy, tangy, and smoky flavors.

Final Thoughts

This irresistible smoked salsa recipe is proof that a few minutes of wood smoke can transform familiar ingredients into something far more memorable. Tomatoes and Serrano chilies already make a classic salsa combination, but smoking them over mesquite and hickory adds a deep barbecue character that sets this recipe apart.

Find more recipes from License to Grill here!