My goal this weekend: creating / canning some amazing restaurant-style tomato salsa.

Problem is, I’ve never made salsa before. I can make a mean pico, though.

Who’s got a great (or can point me to a great) tomato salsa recipe? Preferably one with lots of cilantro, semi-chunky, med-high heat, no chipotle / smokey flavor (important!), and no corn.

Here's mine:

1 can tomato puree (14.5 oz)
1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1/2 can water (adjust to how thick you like it)
4 Tbs white vinegar
1/2 large white onion diced
1-2 diced jalapenos (~1/4 cup)
1/2 bunch of green onions diced (~1/2 cup)
6-8 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
4 Tbs lime juice
1 tsp salt
3 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp cayenne

Adjust the heat as much or as little as you like with the cayenne, but this is the way I like it.

I haven't tried canning it yet as there's usually not enough left over to can.

Here are my 3. I use the canned in the off-season, and I'm a gardener so I make a bunch of batches of garden fresh tomato and tomatillo salsa when everything ripens.
I use both jalapeno (early heat) and serrano (late heat) as they combine nicely for continuous heat and taste better together.

If all you have access to is grocery store tomatoes, then I suggest the canned tomatoes because grocery store tomatoes are picked before ripe and then gassed with ethylene to turn red which is why they have zero flavor.


Canned Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:

1 fourteen ounce can of Delmonte stewed tomatoes (preferably Mexican style, but Cajun style works fine)

1 fourteen ounce can of diced tomatoes (IMO, diced fire roasted are best)

1/2 white onion

1 serrano pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

Bunch of cilantro

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1 tbsp of lime juice

1 clove of garlic (or 1/8 tsp of garlic powder)

1/8 tsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp of salt

4 oz. can of mild green chilies

Recipe:

Slice onion into chunks and place in food processor

Cut off top (stem end) of jalapenos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place in food processor

Cut off top (stem end) of serranos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place in food processor

Open Delmonte stewed tomatoes and pour tomatoes and liquid into food processor

Open diced tomatoes, drain off liquid, and pour tomatoes into food processor

Add lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, black pepper, salt, cilantro, and green chilis to food processor

Pulse the food processor

Put in a covered container and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving (overnight is even better)

Stir, sample, and season with salt to taste.

Serve



Garden Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:

Bunch of roma tomatoes

1/2 white onion

1 serrano pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

Bunch of cilantro

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1 tbsp of lime juice

1 clove of garlic (or 1/8 tsp of garlic powder)

1/8 tsp of black pepper

1/8 tsp of salt

Anaheim or poblano pepper (can save time and substitute one 4 oz. can of mild green chilies)

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375

Remove pith from each tomato

Slice each tomato in half and place skin side up on foiled cookie sheet

Slice onion into chunks and place on foiled cookie sheet

Cut off top (stem end) of jalapenos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

Cut off top (stem end) of serranos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

If using fresh Anaheim or poblano pepper then cut off top (stem end) of pepper, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

Place cookie sheet in preheated oven for 20 minutes

Remove tomato skins (should be easy as most shrank and separated from meat)

Place skinless tomatoes, peppers, and onions in food processor

Add lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, black pepper, salt, cilantro, and (if using canned green chilis) green chilis to food processor

Pulse the food processor

Put in a covered container and refrigerate ~8 hours before serving or adjusting salt

Stir, sample, and season with salt to taste.

Serve


 
Garden Fresh Tomatillo Salsa (aka Salsa Verde)

Ingredients:

Bunch of tomatillos (if out of season, you can use 28 oz can of tomatillos)

1/2 white onion

1 serrano pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

Bunch of cilantro

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1 tbsp of lime juice

1 clove of garlic (or 1/8 tsp of garlic powder)

1/8 tsp of black pepper

1/8 tsp of salt

Anaheim or poblano pepper (can save time and substitute one 4 oz. can of mild green chilies)

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375

Husk each tomatillo and rinse off goo

Slice each tomatillo in half and place skin side up on foiled cookie sheet

Slice onion into chunks and place on foiled cookie sheet

Cut off top (stem end) of jalapenos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

Cut off top (stem end) of serranos, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

If using fresh Anaheim or poblano pepper then cut off top (stem end) of pepper, slice in half, remove seeds, and place of foiled cookie sheet

Place cookie sheet in preheated oven for 20 minutes

Remove tomatillo skins (should be easy as most shrank and separated from meat)

Place skinless tomatillos, peppers, and onions in food processor

Add lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, black pepper, salt, cilantro, and (if using canned green chilis) green chilis to food processor

Pulse the food processor

Put in a covered container and refrigerate ~8 hours before serving or adjusting salt

Stir, sample, and season with salt to taste.

Protect and Serve

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

Got this years back. Easy and delicious.

1 jalapeno seeded
28oz. can of whole tomatoes
1/2 large onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 heaping teaspoons tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (the green label)
5-6 leaf springs of cilantro (more or less to your liking)
Juice from half a lime
PULSE all together in the blender--just be careful you get it the consistency you want so you don't end up with soup!
Makes 1 quart salsa--eat within 2 weeks

This one is quick but tasty.
1- 28 oz can of tomatoes.
2-3 tbl’s of Julio’s seasoning.
1-2 Serrano peppers. Depending on how much heat you like.
Put it all in the blender. Better the 2nd day after being refrigerated.

Thanks guys. I might need to try all of these.

For me it is all about the acid you use. Lemon juice, not my favorite. Vinegar or wine vinegar (my favorite).

One large can tomatoes
Four fresh large jalapeños
Four fresh Serrano peppers
One half large white onion
A half dozen long green onions
A few gloves of garlic
A large bunch of cilantro, or even two.
Lime juice
A minuscule amount of salt
I feel like I’m forgetting something, but them’s the basics.

Blend, and bask in the glory. If you did it right, it will be green.

I don’t know if it’s the “best”, but I like to toss about 1/2 the peppers and the tomatoes (tomatillos as well) on the grill.

Brings out a whole different “smokey” flavor.

go into any Mexican grocery store, especially the ones with a taqueria counter, next to the butcher section, over in teh section with all the dairy, cheese and other refrigerated items, you'll likely see an assortment of salsas...pick one. It'll be better than anything out of a main stream or, boutique market.