Do you salivate for salsa, like the kind typically served at authentic Mexican restaurants? Salsa in a jar can be a time-saving shortcut if you’re running out for party snacks. But you can just as easily make salsa at home, from scratch any time.
Why Make Homemade Salsa?
Salsa from scratch tickles the taste buds with the perfect blend of fresh flavors. Tangy tomato, zippy onion, peppers that pop. And of course, bursts of cilantro and lime, to take this simple snack or accompaniment next level.
Homemade salsa mixes up in just a few minutes if you have the basic ingredients on hand. It’s a great thing to liven up dinner or elevate a snack.
What is Salsa?
“Salsa” means sauce, in Spanish. Most of us think of the traditional salsa found in jars at the grocery store, a blend of tomatoes, onions and chilis, meant to dip chips. But the word salsa can also refer to any condiment added to tacos and other Mexican foods.
Salsa also refers to a lively dancing style… but other than wanting to dance around after eating delicious salsa as a snack or meal, we will not be covering that type of salsa here.
Traditional Salsa
What are the basic ingredients in traditional salsa? It’s a blend of the following:
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Cilantro
- Chilies
- Lime juice
- Garlic (optional)
Why Eat Salsa?
Salsa, especially if it’s prepared from scratch using fresh ingredients, offers health benefits and fantastic flavor. Tomatoes, lime and cilantro are high in vitamin C. Jalapenos stimulate blood flow, with their spicy flavor profile.
Salsa stimulates digestion. It’s a great contrast to heavier foods like meat and cheese. Eating it will help move these along in your digestive system to everything flowing on through.
Salsa wakes up your meal. Adding a cup of it beside the main course makes things a little spicier, a little happier.
Cooking with Salsa
Salsa wakes up an ordinary recipe with its bright and tangy flavor profile. If you make it from scratch using fresh ingredients, add a cup of it to each plate at your dinner table. Spoon up some salsa to enjoy with roasted meats. Everything from chips and crackers, appetizers and snacks, to soups, salads and mains of the meal, tastes better with salsa.
Ideas for adding salsa to your recipes:
- Slow-simmer chicken or pork in jarred salsa
- Top a fresh salad with fresh, chunky salsa
- Add oil and vinegar to make a salsa salad dressing
- Enjoy a salsa burger with jack cheese, salsa, olives and chili peppers
- Top your chili with melted cheese, sour cream, salsa and extra cilantro
- Have salsa and yogurt with your lentil curry (fusion cooking!)
- Dip your quesadilla in salsa
- Enjoy “Mexican grilled cheese” with a spoon of salsa on top
- Spoon salsa over your taco salad
- Salsa as a side with chicken fingers
- Make a “Mexican lasagna” with spicy beef, cheddar and jack cheese, scallions, olives and lots of homemade salsa
- Shrimp and rice, topped with salsa
- Make a quick guacamole – mash avocado, then mix with fresh salsa
- Tender asparagus tastes better with salsa
- Elevate your chicken wrap sandwich with salsa
- Smooth black bean soup goes down better with a garnish of sour cream and salsa
- Empanadas, tacos, burritos and all the Mexican favorites always taste better with fresh salsa
How to Make Salsa at Home
Homemade salsa tastes best when it’s prepared with fresh ingredients. Once you have it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make salsa sooner.
Thankfully, it’s super easy to get into the habit of keeping salsa essentials in your fridge, adding a few low-cost items to your grocery list each week to store in the fridge for quick salsa-making.
Homemade salsa mixes up quickly. You can use canned or whole tomatoes, or a combination of both. If you do use canned tomatoes, don’t feel guilty.
Canned tomatoes are blanched to remove the skin, which means they’re cooked very briefly before preserving. The cooking activates a cancer-fighting compound in tomatoes called lycopene. Fresh tomatoes are delicious, but they don’t have this extra magical disease-fighting power.
Another perk of making salsa using canned tomatoes is that most of the tomato skin has already been removed. Tomato skin is not a huge problem, but your salsa will go down smoother without it.
Homemade Salsa – Basic Ingredients
- Tomatoes – Your homemade salsa can include fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or both. Fresh garden tomatoes (the slicing kind) lend themselves to a chunky salsa, the kind that piles up on the chip. Canned plum tomatoes mash up for a smoother, saucy salsa.
- Onion – Your salsa can be as oniony as you like. Red onions (they actually look purple) impart a signature, bold flavor. Vidalia onions taste more mild and sweet. If you don’t have regular onions, green onions or shallots will do in a pinch. Green onions are also known as scallions. If you slice them up for a salsa, they won’t blend as readily as regular, chopped onions which contain more water. But they will impart bursts of mild, tangy flavor.
- Cilantro – Cilantro gives homemade salsa that authentic flavor. Don’t mistake parsley for cilantro; they taste very different from one another. Get a nice, fresh bunch of cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Chilies – Chili peppers is a generic term for different types of spicy peppers. Examples include jalapeno, cayenne, habanero, Scotch bonnet, and tabasco. Jalapenos are the mildest type, making them a popular choice for salsa recipes. Jalapenos make a nice addition to salsa. You can dice up a fresh jalapeno or two, or buy them pickled in jars. The ones in the jars are actually quite good; and depending on the brand, pith and seeds may be removed already, which is convenient. If handling hot peppers, take precautions. Too much direct contact with the skin can result in a burning sensation. Rubber gloves may be necessary, especially if you’re working with a larger quantity of fresh jalapenos, for an extended time. Definitely avoid touching your eyes if your fingers have recently been in contact with hot peppers.
- Lime – Fresh lime juice tastes best in homemade salsa. Like the cilantro, it’s a surprise key ingredient that elevates your salsa to restaurant-quality fare. Bottled lime juice will also work in your salsa recipe, but it’s more generic and has added citric acid.
- Garlic – Some people add garlic to their homemade salsa, but you don’t have to. One minced clove will be quite enough garlic flavor to shake up your salsa. But if you don’t feel like having garlic breath tonight, you can just omit!
- Salt and pepper – A few pinches of each add the finishing touch to your delicious, homemade salsa!
Basic Tomato Salsa Recipe
A basic tomato salsa is a great thing to have at the ready when you’re cooking and snacking. It’s super easy to whip one up when you keep salsa-ready ingredients on hand. And it only takes a few minutes, tops!
Ingredients
1 large can whole tomatoes
½ an onion
1 cup cilantro
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
¼ c diced chilies (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Grab a big bowl from the cabinet.
- Add the whole tomatoes, smooshing them up with your fingers until they’re somewhere between saucy and chunky.
- Add the onion, cilantro and chilies, using kitchen shears to dice everything up into little chip-friendly bits, right in the bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Squeeze in the lime juice.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Transfer to a Pyrex container with lid.
Serve as a snack with chips, crackers and veggie slices. Or, use it in your favorite recipe! Salsa is tasty, healthy and versatile. Enjoy!
Salsa Recipe Variations
Tricolor Pepper Salsa
If you love peppers, this will be a favorite variation on classic salsa. Chilies can be part of the recipe if you wish; or, keep it mild, with varieties of your favorite sweet peppers.
Ingredients
1 small can diced tomatoes
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
½ cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced jalapenos
½ cup diced onion
½ cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Shake of hot sauce if you like it spicy
Directions
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir and season to your liking. Serve with chips and crackers, as a side with your next Mexican meal, as a topping for chili, or any other way you can think of to enjoy salsa!
Peach Mango Salsa
A fresh and fruity take on a fan favorite – healthy, dippable, delicious salsa. Great with fish tacos and tangy vinegar slaw.
Ingredients
1 medium can diced tomato
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced peaches
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 cup chopped cilantro
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced chilies
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Add all ingredients to a bowl. Combine well, plate and serve. Perfect with fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or as side with grilled seafood.
