This Copycat Baja Fresh Salsa has been made routinely in my house for 11 years.  It is so flavorful!

The Baja Fresh restaurant near us closed down several years ago.  In fact the closest one to me know is in Wisconsin!

this is a photo of salsa on a tortillas chip

Luckily I had a small container left and my late husband and I were trying to figure out what the black flecks were in the salsa.  Was it black beans?  After several trials and errors, my husband bought a copycat recipe for .79.  However, he altered it to fit my tastes because I love spicy, puffy heart cilantro and we discovered that the black flecks were actually the charred tomatoes, which was the missing element in our attempts.  It adds such a smokey layer to this salsa.

this is a photo of salsa on a tortillas chip

Copycat Baja Fresh Salsa

Yield: 14 - 1/3 cup serving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes 10 seconds
Total Time: 25 minutes 10 seconds

Baja Fresh was a chain taco restaurant that had THE BEST salsa bar. Their signature salsa was so good, I used to buy it in 16 ounce containers. They went out of business so my husband paid .79 cents for a copycat recipe, which he morphed into this one. I've been making it for over ten years and it's always a hit. I won't be offended if you add onions.

Ingredients

  • 14 firm roma tomatoes
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups cilantro
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice

Instructions

  1. Grill the tomatoes and jalapeno. This step is necessary to get the char marks. I have broiled the tomatoes but it takes a long time and I don't get as many char marks.
  2. Please start with a tiny bit of the grilled jalapeno and add more as you go. Some jalapenos I can eat like an apple and others one bite and I am running for a glass of milk.
  3. Blend everything together and taste for extra heat or salt.

Notes

This is zero points on all WW plans. If you like a chunky salsa, you can rough chop the ingredients, but I prefer a smooth salsa. Great over grilled chicken or pork too! And breakfast tacos. 😁

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 15Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

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The first time my husband made it, I think Hannah and I split nearly a half a bag of tortillas it was so good.  Side note – Hannah LOVES this salsa when it’s hot and freshly made.  I prefer it room temperature so will pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I want it.

this is a photo of grilled copycat baja fresh salsa

Now that cherries are coming into season, you guys need to try out my grilled cherry salsa – perfect combo of sweet and heat!

This 6 ingredient salsa is ready in 25 minutes with perfectly charred tomatoes and jalapenos that add a smoky element to this salsa. This is zero points on all WW plans. If you like a chunky salsa, you can rough chop the ingredients, but I prefer a smooth salsa. Great over grilled chicken or pork too! And of course, breakfast tacos. #ww #weightwatchers #zeropoints #salsa