Cinco De Mayo literally means May 5th and commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over Napoleon III’s French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The USA really adopted Cinco De Mayo as a holiday and celebrations there are actually bigger than they are in Mexico. Eventually, Canada started celebrating Cinco De Mayo too. Who doesn’t want to enjoy some amazing Mexican food and margaritas?
Quesada Burritos and Tacos is the perfect place to get your Cinco De Mayo eats. If you are feeling ambitious though, and want to make your own salsa, the Canadian restaurant chain shared “The Joy of Mex” with us with three of their famous salsa recipes. Buen provecho!
Chipotle Tomato Salsa
Quesada’s Chipotle Tomato Salsa has a mild heat level. This simple recipe can be made spicier by adding more chipotle peppers if you want more heat.
Makes 2-3 cups
Ingredients:
5 medium tomatoes
1 ½ Tbsp canned chipotles in adobo sauce*
2 Tbsp diced cooking onion
1 tsp salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place tomatoes on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and score an “x” into the tops of the tomatoes. Place in oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until the tops are charred and tomatoes are soft.
- Remove from oven and cool.
- Place tomatoes and their juices into a blender. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until you have reached your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Salsa Verde
This medium salsa has a bright, slightly acidic note from the tomatillos. It’s the perfect salsa to balance out rich ingredients like shredded meats and cheese.
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
1 lb fresh tomatillos
1 ½ cups water
⅓ cup diced jalapenos
⅓ cup diced onion
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
1 ½ tsp salt
Directions:
- Wash tomatillos, remove outer husk, then rinse again.
- Quarter tomatillos and place in a medium pot with water. Cover, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered, for 10 minutes, or until soft.
- Cool in pot. Once completely cooled, pour tomatillos and liquid into a blender, then add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Salsa Roja
Salsa Roja is Quesada’s fiery-hot, bold salsa that not everyone can handle. If you love really spicy food, this is the one for you!
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients:
5 medium tomatoes
¼ cup roasted and ground De Arbol chile peppers
1 ½ Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp dried oregano
¼ cup diced cooking onion
2 tsp salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place tomatoes on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and score an “x” into the tops of the tomatoes. Place in oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until tops are charred and tomatoes are soft.
- Place tomatoes and their juices, along with the remaining ingredients, in a medium pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
- Cool completely and serve.
*Please note: Quesada does not use canned chipotle peppers. Quesada prepares its own Chipotle Paste from whole, dried Chipotle Morita Chiles at each location. However, for this at-home recipe, Quesada recommends using canned chipotle peppers for convenience!
