Easy Homemade Tomato Salsa
Homemade tomato salsa is one of the easiest side dishes you can make and is very handy to have around. It is also one of those recipes that once you have made it, you start to tweak the recipe to get it perfect for how you enjoy it. But to help you start that journey, let’s start with a simple tomato salsa recipe.
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How to get the best tomatoes for salsa
There’s one thing for sure about tomatoes – there are plenty of varieties to choose from! Each has its own texture and taste and there’s no right or wrong answer, but some varieties have become known as the best tomatoes for salsa.
In fact, some people actually swear by using tomato paste or passata for the base of salsa then add some fresh tomatoes to this. Really, it is down to how much liquid you like in your salsa. With this dish, we went with simple fresh tomatoes.
One of the best types of tomatoes for the job is something like a Plum or Roma tomato. These don’t have much in the way of seeds and aren’t too full of juice. Vine ripened tomatoes can work well, if they are a little too moist then simply use a colander to drain some of the moisture away.
What’s the difference between tomato salsa and pico de gallo?
Truthfully, not very much! Pico de gallo and tomato salsa look a lot alike and they are. The main differences are in the freshness of the ingredients and whether there’s any cooking involved or not.
Fresh salsa can mean all kinds of things and often involves cooking some of the ingredients (although not in this recipe). Pico de gallo has less variation involved and always involved uncooked ingredients.
What you need to make tomato salsa
To make this homemade salsa recipe, you need:
- 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, divided
- ½ large jalapeño, seeded, divided
- ½ large white onion, divided
- ½ c. fresh cilantro, divided
- 2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ t. coarse sea salt
- 2-3 T. fresh lime juice
Kitchen equipment
Grab the kitchen blender or food processor for this recipe. The idea is to have one powerful enough to blend the ingredients but not pulverise them.
You will also want a large glass bowl or another bowl that is non-reactive due to the acidity of the tomatoes and the lime juice.
How to make the recipe
STEP ONE: Separate the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and cilantro into group groups
STEP TWO: Roughly chop one group and add to the blender with garlic. Sprinkle in sea salt and pulse until combined but not liquefied and move to a glass bowl
STEP THREE: Finely dice the rest of the ingredients then add to the blended mixture with lime juice and stir
STEP FOUR: Serve immediately with tortilla chips or store overnight in the fridge for a stronger, fuller taste
Recipe tips
If you want to enhance the flavour of the tomatoes before creating the salsa, you can roast them in the oven for about 10 minutes. Add a little olive oil and pop them in the oven to bring out the best flavour.
Add the toughest ingredients to the food processor first – garlic, onion and jalapeno. That makes sure they get blended the most while the more delicate tomatoes and cilantro is hit a little less.
Add the lime juice cautiously as it can be powerful, and it depends how strong you like your salsa. Test a little as you go and keep adding until you get it right.
You can store the finished salsa in the fridge for at least three days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it but if you plan to do this, it is best to use tomato paste rather than whole tomatoes as they don’t freeze as well.
Easy Homemade Tomato Salsa
Make your own delicious homemade tomato salsa any time you want it with this easy recipe that you can adapt just the way you want it!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, divided
- ½ large jalapeño, seeded, divided
- ½ large white onion, divided
- ½ c. fresh cilantro, divided
- 2-3 large cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ t. coarse sea salt
- 2-3 T. fresh lime juice
Instructions
- STEP ONE: Separate the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and cilantro into group groups
- STEP TWO: Roughly chop one group and add to the blender with garlic. Sprinkle in sea salt and pulse until combined but not liquefied and move to a glass bowl
- STEP THREE: Finely dice the rest of the ingredients then add to the blended mixture with lime juice and stir
- STEP FOUR: Serve immediately or store overnight in the fridge for a stronger, fuller taste
Notes
Use Roma or Plum tomatoes that don't have too much moisture in them for the best results
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 304mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
