How to Make Easy, Restaurant Style Salsa...

Over the years, I've tried many types of salsa. With today's busy lifestyles, canned
salsa soon found a place on the grocery list. Each time I found a salsa I could live with, it
was eventually discontinued. Fresh salsa was fine, but always seemed to lack that 'oomph'
I was looking for.

This is a quick and inexpensive recipe for three pints of salsa, with just a bit left over for
tasting prior to chilling. No cooking, no sterilizing the glass jars, no fuss.

When you notice the recipe calls for canned tomatoes, don't balk. You'll be surprised!
Come on, try it! You can always adjust to taste. Too hot? Not hot enough? Not enough
garlic?

Step 1: The recipe...

Time to gather the groceries:

   * 1 - 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes
    * 2 - 10 ounce cans of Original Rotel (Diced tomatoes and green chilies)
    * 1/4 cup of chopped onion
    * 1 clove minced garlic
    * 1 whole Jalapeno
    * 1/4 teaspoon sugar
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    * 1/2 cup cilantro
    * Juice of 1/2 a whole lime

This recipe is listed as I found it, thanks to Bree Drummond for sharing.
However, the first time I made it, I found the lime to be a bit strong, and not
enough garlic for my taste buds. Please feel free to adjust as you prefer.

Since canned tomatoes are used, this salsa can be made any time during the year,
provided you can find fresh cilantro. I am not a fan of dried cilantro, but I suppose in
a pinch, well. A very tough pinch.

Comments

[bmelton1]

I like the look of it. But my real question here is HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR YOSHIBLADE?

[WUVIE]

LOL. I somehow managed not to see this post until today. Thanks for the giggle.
I love my Yoshiblade! :-)

[Gunther45]

I have showed so many people this recipe and I have yet to make it. I am not a big fan of salsa in jars always to much vinegar and the fresh stuff in the refrigeration section just doesn't have the restaurant taste. After reading your Instructable I was like THATS IT! I hope to make it this weekend. The only thing I am doing differently is using all organic . I am not a Tree Huger or even into Healthy stuff but have been on the Organic kick lately because it taste sooooooo much better!. So in place of the ROTEL ( which I use/ or used to use in my chilli hotdog recipe ) I am using MUIR GLEN Fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies, and their tomatoes as well. I can't for this batch but might try Agave Nectar in place of the sugar, is the sugar even necessary?
Either way I know its going to be good thanks for the recipe.

[WUVIE]

Hello Gunther,

My apologies, I somehow managed to miss your comments and compliments. Many thanks! Hope you enjoyed it. :-) Karen

[kirranikko]

How's the cumin jar instructable coming along?

[WUVIE]

Hi Kirranikko,

Guess what? I finally made the Instructable! Many thanks for asking:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Repurposed-Etched-Glass-Spice-Jars/

Karen

[kirranikko]

Great, thanks!

[grassleaves]

This is going to be my sister's Mother's Day gift. I needed something that she would really and truly love. This is it!

Also, your author bio is fantastic and makes me very happy. (And: If you can make this amazing salsa, and write that amazing bio, then you can learn to crochet. Go for it!)

[WUVIE]

Hello Grassleaves,

Many thanks! I am glad you liked it. I sure fell in love when I first saw
the recipe. Glad others enjoy it, too.

And thanks for the boost on the crochet, too! :-)

[perea]

you are doin it all wrong.

this is what you need for a small proportion of salsa:

3 small green tomatoes
4 jalapeños
1 small green zucchini (surprised?)
some cilantro
half onion
salt.

wash everything. remove the stems.

boil everything, but the onion. you can use some garlic too. whole fresh garlic. not powdered or dehidrated.

BONUS: if you want some extra hottness, grill the jalapeños AND LEAVE THE SEEDS. (watch your eyes in the grilling)

after all is well cook, blend it. add salt as desired.

chop the onion in small pieces. add as desired. DONT USE TOO MUCH.


there you go. a nice mexican homemade salsa.

[WUVIE]

Sounds good. Can't wait for your Instructable with pictures! :-)

[perea]

forget one small step.

as you blend everything, the proportion of water that you use is fundamental for the thickness of it. and use the same water from the boiling.

[Tonkanhootie]

Made it - LOVED IT! This is the kind of salsa I have always tried to make and failed. THANK YOU! Will be making this for life.

[WUVIE]

Tonkan, thank you so much! I am glad you liked it. The first time I saw it on Bree's page, I immediately made it, and we have since made it dozens of times. In fact, today we ate the last of our final jar, so tomorrow means, you've got it, three more jars!

I recently found wide mouth jar lids in plastic, so I'm even more happy about this salsa! Glad you like it, too!


:-)

[nanosec12]

Oh the possibilities this presents......

Ancho chiles, habanero's, chipotle, just to name a few options you can use instead of (or with) the jalepeno's


Great set of instructions, well documented, with good looking pictures.

5 of 5 from me.

[WUVIE]

Nano, thank you so much for the wonderful compliments, and the patch, too!

You've made my day, thanks a million!

[FoolishSage]

For those unfamiliar with Cilantro (or Coriander depending on which side of the pond you live) the best way to tell them apart is by smell. Run your hand through a bunch, bruise a few leaves and smell your hand. Cilantro has a strong and specific smell, Parsley will have a much milder and very different smell. If you have smelled it a couple of times it becomes very easy to tell them apart.

[l8nite]

try a can of roasted tomatos for an added flavor boost. sounds like a great recipe

[depotdevoid]

That looks great! I'm always on the lookout for a better salsa recipe, so I'll have to try this next time.

I've had the same problem with finding a decent canned salsa, too!

[foetalminde]

Try using San Marzano tomatoes. They taste better IMO. Recipe looks good.

[jessyratfink]

Wow, yeah... I need to make some of this. :D

[canida]

Looks great!