Can you think of any snack better than fresh homemade salsa and tortilla chips? I think not. Everyone has their own preference of salsa. Some like it sweet and filled with fruit while others love it hot and spicy. Whichever way you prefer to enjoy it, these three salsa recipes are fun and fast to make for your next party or social gathering.
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There are hundreds of different kinds of salsas. Salsa, which translates to sauce, is mostly used in Mexican cuisine as a dip but can be used as a topping on dishes or as an ingredient in a recipe. Most popular are the salsa frescas which consist of fresh ingredients chopped and combined with lime, chilies, cilantro and onions.
Today we are focusing on three of the most popular fresh salsas: a traditional red salsa containing tomatoes, jalapeños, onions and cilantro, a salsa verde which is made from tomatillos, and a fruit-based salsa which is sweet and ideal for topping grilled meat. No need to stand in front of a stove and cook these recipes, these salsas are all easily ready in ten minutes.
Restaurant-Style Salsa
If there's one thing you can count on when dining at a Mexican restaurant it's the salsa. Usually brought to the table along with the menus, this mild and tomato-based salsa is served up with fresh tortilla chips.
This tomato salsa gets its boost of tomato from (get this), canned tomatoes, making this salsa available year-round. Unlike a pico de gallo, which is chunky, this salsa can get away with using canned tomatoes because the entire salsa is blended until almost smooth.
Lyndsay Burginger
It's almost comical how easy this awesome recipe is. Blend together canned plum tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño pepper, garlic cumin, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Blend the salsa until the desired consistency is reached. You can also do this with a food processor, pulsing until the ingredients are chopped and blended.
Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)
A staple to Mexican cuisine, the tomatillo is a husk tomato that originated in Mexico. Tarty and a bit fruity, tomatillos add a distinct taste to any dish they are a part of. While you can blend them raw, we highly prefer roasting them until the skins start to brown to get a deep flavor.
To do this, remove the husks of the tomatillos under running water and wash the outside of the tomatillo to get rid of some of the sticky reside. Preheat the broiler to HIGH and lay aluminum foil on a cookie sheet for easy clean up. Half the tomatillos and place them cut side down on the pan (along with a few cloves of unpeeled garlic) and broil until the skins start to brown.
Now comes the fun part. Add the roasted tomatillos, roasted garlic (peeled), white onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño and some salt to taste. Blend the mixture until smooth and pour into a serving bowl.
Peach Mango Salsa
If you can't get enough of the fresh fruit in the grocery stores, this homemade salsa is for you. As one of my favorite salsas to pair with grilled chicken or steak, this Peach-Mango Salsa is going to become a summertime favorite. Packed full of fresh tomatoes, red onion and fruit, this dip only takes minutes to put together.
This is a great recipe to whip up and it elevates any at home grilled dish immensely. Show off your knife skills by chopping up fresh peaches, mango, Roma tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeños and mixing them together in a big bowl.
We highly recommend making this salsa a few hours in advance so the flavors have time to meld in the fridge before your guests arrive.
