3-Ingredient Grilled and Fresh Tomato Salsa

From the kitchen of Carly

Grilled tomatoes and onions char into sweet, smoky depth before joining fresh diced tomatoes and jalapeño. The result balances raw brightness with caramelized richness. Simple, bold, and infinitely better than anything jarred.

3-Ingredient Grilled and Fresh Tomato Salsa

Half the tomatoes hit the grill to deepen and char while the other half stays raw and bright, which is the whole point. Grilled onions melt into a sweet base, and you end up with a salsa that tastes way more interesting than the sum of three ingredients should allow. The mix of temperatures and textures makes this one.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 4 mediumtomatoes , divided
  • 1Olive oil
  • 1 largewhite onion, cut into 1/4" rounds
  • 1jalapeño, seeded if desired, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tspkosher salt

Instructions

  1. Get a grill or grill pan going over medium-high heat. Halve 2 of the tomatoes and brush the cut sides with oil, then brush the onion rounds with oil as well. Lay the onion and tomato halves on the hot grill and cook, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and softened, about 10 minutes. Pull them off and let cool slightly.

  2. Seed the remaining 2 tomatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch cubes, then drop them into a medium bowl. Add the jalapeño and salt and toss everything together. Finely chop the cooled grilled onions and tomatoes, fold them into the raw tomato mixture, and toss until combined.

  3. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Keep the grill hot and don't crowd the tomatoes. You want them to char lightly in about 10 minutes, not steam. Turn them only once or twice.
  • Seed the raw tomatoes before dicing them. It keeps the salsa from getting watery and lets the other flavors shine through.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the salt. Fresh tomatoes vary wildly in water content, so a pinch more or less makes a real difference.

Variations

  • Skip the grill: char the tomato halves and onion in a dry skillet over medium-high heat instead for the same effect without the setup.
  • Go spicy: don't seed the jalapeño if you like real heat, or add a second one for depth.
  • Add cilantro: a small handful of fresh cilantro chopped in at the end brings a brightness that works if your tomatoes are already a day old.
  • Make it chunky: skip the chopping and leave the grilled tomatoes and onions in larger pieces for a fresher, less refined take.

Make ahead and storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The salsa softens a bit over time, but the flavor only gets better. Don't freeze.