We’ve all been there: You show up to someone’s house and there’s a bowl of salsa sitting on the table. It’s fine, but you know it came out of a jar. You go home, allowing the salsa’s memory to blend in with all the other times you had the exact same thing.
It’s way too easy to NOT be that host. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shared this salsa with people only to have them tell me, “YOU made this?!?” I’m always a little embarrassed when I share how simple the recipe is. If there’s one thing that you take away from this site, let this recipe be it, along with these words of advice: Making your own salsa is just about the easiest thing you will ever make. This version incorporates canned tomatoes and peppers, and will still be far healthier than anything you can buy in the store.
Ingredients: One 14oz can of tomatoes (fire roasted, no salt if possible); if you really want to go with fresh tomatoes, I’d suggest using two or three romas
1 lime
2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on size and desire)
1/4 chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (just leaves, no stems)
1-2 canned jalapenos (depending on level of spiciness desired);
4-5 slices of carrots from the jalapeno can
1 tbsp jalapeno canning juice
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Instructions: Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, juices, carrots, garlic and cilantro to a food processor. Pulse for a couple turns or until everything is nicely chopped, but still chunky. Dump the contents into a glass bowl, add the chopped onions, add the olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.
Serving: I’ve never had any problems serving it right away, but I’ve found that letting it chill in the fridge for an hour or two really allows the flavors to marry together.
Prep time: 15 minutes (at the most)
What it will set you back: 1 can tomatoes ($1.25), one can jalapenos ($1.25 or about $.40 per batch), one onion ($.30 or $.15 per batch), one bunch of cilantro ($1 or $.25 per batch). This recipe will make about 14oz of salsa for less than $2.
Added bonus: If you have some time and are really interested in impressing people, try making tortilla chips yourself. If you happen to have a deep fryer, this is ridiculously easy. Assuming you don’t, you really need a cast-iron pot or dutch oven. Make sure to use enough cooking oil for the chips to float freely and get the oil to about 350 degrees (not quite smoking). Cut the tortillas into quarters. Drop the chips into the oil, about six-eight at a time. Allow them to start getting golden brown, but not dark brown, and transfer them to a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Kept in a ziplock bag, the chips should last at least a couple days.
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