Skip to Content

Smoked Salsa

Break out the chips for this incredible smoked salsa! The recipe couldn't be easier, the hands-on time minimal, and the fresh smoked tomato salsa out of this world!

As a kid, I remember dipping my chip in the salsa to get the flavoured juice on my chip, but no chunks allowed. As a kid, I was so misguided; thinking naps suck, adulthood is magic, and salsa juice good; salsa chunks bad.

I'm now reformed. Naps rule. Adulthood is what it is. The salsa juice is good, but the chunks are better.

This smoked salsa is the best.

This recipe is dedicated to growing wiser.

A jar of smoked salsa with a chip dipped in it.
Jump to:

Tips + tricks

No. 1 --> Cut the veggies in wedges rather than throwing them on the grill whole. This will allow better smoke penetration.

No. 2 --> Use this recipe as a guide, not a gospel. Don't like red onions? Sub them for yellow. Love cilantro? Add some. The best thing about cooking is that you can make it your own quite easily!

No. 3 --> I'm a chopper, I like to chop my salsa so it's nice and chunky. If you're not a chopper, throw all your veg into the blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times till you get the consistency you like!

No. 4 --> I keep the roots on my onions. This helps keep the onion together while it's on the smoker. Otherwise, the onion layers get all loosey goosey and no one wants loosey goosey onions. Once they are done smoking, just chop the root end off, and Bob's your uncle.

Chopped veggies in a chafing pan.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

This awesome smoked salsa only requires a handful of ingreidents, and if cook anything like me (which, obv, you're here and have great taste!) you'll probably have them all on hand!

  • roma tomatoes
  • red onion
  • jalapeno
  • garlic
  • bell pepper
  • lime juice
  • olive oil
  • vinegar
Slightly browned onions and peppers after being smoked.
Smoked salsa in a jar surrounded by chips.

How to make

  1. Fire up your smoker according to manufacturer's directions, and set the temperature to 225f.
  2. While the grill is warming up, quarter all the tomatoes, jalapenos, and bell pepper. Peel the garlic, and cut the onion into 8 wedges. Note: I like my salsa to have a little bit of heat behind it, so I deseed ONE jalapeno and leave the seeds in the other. This is a personal preference thing, follow your tastebuds.
  3. Place all the veg on the grill, give it a little wiggle room so the smoke can really wrap around it. If you're concerned the garlic or jalapenos may fall through, place them on a wire cooling rack inside the smoker!
  4. Smoke the whole works at 225F for 90-120 minutes, until the veggies soften up and take on a little bit of a smoked colour. I prefer 90 minutes, but Kevy prefers 120.
  5. Remove the veggies from the smoker and allow to cool until they are easily handled. Gently rub the tomato skins and they will come right off. Chop off the root end of the onion to release the layers.
  6. Chop as coarse or as fine as you like, or use your food processor or blender to do the dirty work for you - just be careful, they can easily be over-processed. Reserve any juices lost during chopping and add them back to the salsa.
  7. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt the salsa to taste.
  8. Eat it right away, or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. After an overnight rest, the flavours meld and it gets even better!
Smoked salsa in nacho chips.

I cannot say enough good things about my Traeger Timberline 1300. In fact, we love it so much, we coughed up to buy a second smoker to keep at the lake, so we can enjoy smoked goodness ALL summer long!

Or you can grab the big daddy Timberline 1300 like we’ve got at home from Traeger!

Traeger Timberline 1300 on a deck with fall leaves in the background.

More smoker recipes to love!

📖 Printable Recipe

A jar of smoked salsa with a chip dipped in it.
Yield: 2.5 cups

Smoked Salsa

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

A delightful smoked salsa. Use your Traeger, Pit Boss, or another pellet smoker to up your salsa game with this easy recipe. Made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos and bell peppers, you'll fall head over heels for smoked salsa.

Ingredients

  • 6 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Start your smoker and preheat to 225f.
  2. Prepare the veggies; quarter the tomatoes, jalapenos and bell pepper. Peel the garlic. And cut the onion into 8 wedges.
  3. Place all the veggies on the grill and smoke at 225f for 90-120 minutes - until the veggies soften.
  4. Remove the vegetables from the grill and either chop to desired consistency OR use a food processor/ blender to chop for you. Reserve any juices lost while chopping to add back to the salsa.
  5. Place in the fridge to cool before eating.
  6. Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge.

Notes

Jalapenos


If you like a bit more heat in your salsa, keep the seeds in the jalapenos. We like it best with one deseeded and one seeded jalapeno.

Onion


Keep the root intact on your onion as shown in the photos, this will keep your onion pieces together! It's easy to chop off once you're done smoking.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

2 tbsp

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 15Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 30mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Share this smoked salsa recipe on Pinterest!

Traeger Smoked Salsa Pinterest graphic.
Share Your Thoughts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Caitlin

Saturday 12th of August 2023

What flavor of pellet do you recommend for this?

Ally

Friday 18th of August 2023

Hi Caitlin, I actually love a competition blend for this one. We mostly use Lumberjack Competition blend which is hickory, maple, and cherry as an all around pellet and its perfect for salsa!

Tom hershberger

Sunday 9th of July 2023

How to preserve you salsa for all seasons, more of ? Than a comment

Ally

Sunday 9th of July 2023

I haven't canned this salsa - it's not a safe or tested recipe for water bath canning, but I have fermented fresh salsa and that lasts many months in the fridge or cold room. I have been working on a roasted salsa specifically for canning and it's delicious, we are working through the couple versions I made last fall, and I hope to share the winner this fall.

Julee

Wednesday 21st of June 2023

This makes amazing smoked salsa! I even smoked cilantro to go in mine. Went very well with the pulled pork street tacos!

Ally

Thursday 22nd of June 2023

That sounds sooo good! I am not a huge cilantro fan, but that does sound amazing!

tony

Sunday 11th of June 2023

can you use a foil pan to put the vegs on

Ally

Wednesday 14th of June 2023

You bet!

Amy

Tuesday 28th of September 2021

I love this smoked salsa! Mine has a bit of a bitter after taste that I haven't been able to get rid of by adjusting sweetness and changing the type of onion. Any thoughts?

Ally

Saturday 2nd of October 2021

Hi Amy, I haven't had this problem with mine, but a pinch of salt or baking soda might help with the bitter aftertaste!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe