Salsa, which is literally translated as the Spanish word for “sauce,” can take many forms. Salsa roja uses cooked tomatoes, while salsa cruda, pico de gallo, and salsa fresca use all raw ingredients. Salsa verde calls for tomatillos and is a delightful green color. And these are just a few of the many variations.
Prepared salsas sold in jars in the United States are always cooked to lengthen their shelf life so they can be sold in grocery stores and markets.
However, once you’ve tried fresh, homemade salsa, practically no mass-produced, jarred variety can compare. Here we show you how to make a chunky pico de gallo.
Assemble your ingredients. In this DIY, we used about 1 1/4 pound of tomatoes, 1 small red onion, 1 jalapeño, 1 clove of garlic, about 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the juice of 1/2 lime.
The beauty of a DIY salsa is that you can customize the ingredients and the amount of each to suit your tastes. Want it spicier? Add more jalapeño or substitute a hotter pepper. Want it milder? Substitute bell pepper. Love garlic? Add more! Other optional ingredients include roasted corn, peaches, mangoes, olives, black beans, avocado, and pineapple.
First, chop the tomatoes and onion. Add to a bowl and stir gently to combine.
Remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Dice the jalapeño and garlic. Add to bowl and stir gently to combine.
Chop the cilantro. Add the cilantro, salt, and lime juice to the bowl.
Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow flavors to combine. Use within 48 hours.
What flavor profile do you enjoy in a salsa? What custom ingredients do you add? What do you serve your salsa alongside?
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