Tasty Recipes for Home Grown Salsa

Now that you have fresh, homegrown ingredients, it’s time to prepare the salsa. Here are some of my favorite recipes —

Fresh Tomato Salsa

2 cups diced ripe tomatoes.

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion.

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves.

2 Serrano or Jalapeño peppers, minced.

1 garlic clove, minced.

1 T. fresh squeezed lime juice.

1/2 to 1 tsp. sea salt.

Place the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while the flavors meld.

Pico de Gallo Salsa

A slightly different version of fresh tomato salsa —

3 large, ripe tomatoes.

1/2 red onion bulb, finely chopped.

1 large fresh green jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped.

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped.

juice from one lime.

salt and pepper.

Cut tomatoes in half, scoop out and discard the seeds. Dice the tomatoes and place in a large, non-metallic bowl. Add the onion, pepper, cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with some salt and pepper and gently combine the ingredients. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more to let the flavors develop

Salsa Verde

Roasting the vegetables brings out the great flavor in this green salsa.

8 oz. tomatillos, (about 3) papery husks and stems removed; rinsed, dried and cut into quarters.

1 poblano chile, stems and seeds removed, chopped.

1 jalapeño chile, remove stem, cut in half and remove seeds.

2 T. plus 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil.

3 garlic cloves, peeled.

2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano.

1 tsp. ground coriander.

salt and pepper.

2 T. minced fresh cilantro.

3 scallions, chopped.

1 T. lime juice.

Line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, toss tomatillos, peppers, garlic, oregano, coriander, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper and 2 tablespoons of oil. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet. Broil the vegetables on an upper rack in the oven until the tomatillos and peppers are browned (about 10 minutes). You may have to stir the mixture half-way through the broiling. Once they’ve cooled, put the vegetables in a blender. Add the cilantro, scallions, lime juice and the remaining oil and blend until smooth. Pour into a non-metallic bowl and let the flavors meld in the refrigerator.

Pineapple Mango Salsa with Tequila

1 large golden pineapple, flesh diced to 1/4-inch pieces

4 mangoes, flesh diced to 1⁄4-inch pieces.
2 plum tomatoes diced to 1⁄4-inch pieces.
1/2 red onion, finely diced.

1 shallot, finely diced.
A garlic clove, minced.
1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and minced.
1 Serrano pepper (or habanero, if you like it HOT), deseeded and minced.
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro.
1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey.
2 shots tequila.

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar.
1 teaspoon sea salt.

Macerate all ingredients together in the tequila and refrigerate the mixture for at least four hours. Drain the liquid (you can drink it if you like a spicy-hot cocktail) and add the juice of one lemon and one lime to the mixture. Let salsa come to room temperature and serve with tortilla chips.

Fun, Fresh, Flavorful

While salsa purchased in a jar is convenient in a pinch, discover the joy of making your own from vegetables and herbs grown in your garden. The best part — no preservatives, and you know how the plants were grown and handled. Experiment and create your own salsa recipes by adding black beans, roasted corn kernels, purple onions, or for fruity salsas, add fresh mango, pineapple, nectarine, pear, or dried chopped fruits.

Read more about peppers, how to choose them and grow them.

The Complete Chile Pepper Book: A Gardener’s Guide to Choosing, Growing, Preserving, and Cooking. Dave DeWitt and Paul W. Bosland. Timber Press. 2014

The Field Guide to Peppers. Dave DeWitt and Janie Lamson. Timber Press. 2015

Have a bumper crop?  Learn how to preserve your salsa for winter use.