This smoky salsa roja is built from deeply charred roma tomatoes, sweet broiled onion, and mellow roasted garlic, all blended with rehydrated guajillo and ancho chiles for layers of earthy, fruity heat. A quick simmer in olive oil rounds out the flavor, coaxing the raw tomato edge into something deeper and more roasted before it's finished with dried oregano and a touch of salt. The result is a spoon-coating, richly colored salsa that's just as good drizzled over grilled vegetables and lean proteins as it is scooped up with warm flatbread. Since the whole thing leans on vegetables, aromatics, dried chiles, and good olive oil rather than anything processed, it lines up beautifully with a produce-forward, whole-food way of cooking. Make a batch on the weekend and it'll keep you covered for grain bowls, roasted fish, or simple bean dishes all week. This is a genuinely great one to keep in your Mediterranean-style rotation.
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Position an oven rack 4–5 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the tomato halves cut-side up, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 10–12 minutes, until the tomatoes are deeply charred in spots and softened, the onion edges are browned, and the garlic skins are darkened.
While the vegetables broil, heat a dry medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the guajillo and ancho chiles and press them flat against the pan for 15–20 seconds per side, until fragrant and slightly darkened — watch closely, as they can scorch quickly. Transfer the toasted chiles to the saucepan, cover with the 1/2 cup water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the chiles are softened and pliable, then remove from heat.
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