Easy Restaurant Style Salsa

Let’s chat a little bit about salsa, shall we?  I love salsa.  I mean LOVE salsa.  It’s one of those things that is so simple, but with the right seasonings, it’s amazing.  Salsa is one of those things that I could eat anytime, any day, and everyday.  It’s a weakness of mine.

I am a little picky about my salsa and the way it’s served.  Some people like it room temperature.  But, I’m not one of those people.  I like my salsa cold, I mean straight from the fridge cold.  I’m not a fan of lukewarm salsa.  I don’t know why, I’m just not.  To me, it tastes better when it’s chilled. 

I don’t like it too thick either.  If it’s too thick it’s like eating tomato paste.  No big chunks either.  I don’t want everything pureed to the point of not being recognized, but I like everything finely diced.  I like it a little juicy, while still having some texture. 

I am also a big fan of cilantro.  I love cilantro in general, I mean it definitely makes anything better!  So, the more cilantro the better!  I think people will be divided on my next prerequisite, but I love the addition of vinegar to salsa.  I love the acidity it brings.  I’m not talking a ton of acidic flavor, but I think a hint of it definitely adds so much to the overall flavor. 

So now that you know all of my specifics, when it comes to salsa we can move on!  I know you were curious!  Anyway, making salsa at home allows me to have control over all of these things; the texture, taste, amount of vinegar, cilantro and the temperature.  Believe it or not, it’s easier than you think to make a delicious salsa at home. 

If you have a food processor or blender in your kitchen then you can whip up a batch of fresh, delicious salsa in no time.  There are no special ingredients in the salsa either, this recipe consists of ingredients that are staples in my pantry.  So anytime I start craving a good batch of salsa I just go in my kitchen, throw all the ingredients in the food processor, blend it and then pop it in the fridge and allow to chill for a few minutes.  That’s it!  Now that you have the ingredients, you’re just a few steps from fresh salsa anytime you want it too!      

Easly Restaurant Style Salsa

Ingredients:

2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 Large jalapeno
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Onion
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 Cup cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of sugar

Directions:

Remove stem and most seeds* from jalapeno, cut in half and set aside.  Cut onion in quarters.  Roughly chop cilantro.

Place tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, vinegar and cilantro in a food processor and pulse several times until desired consistency is achieved.  Season with salt, pepper and lime juice and pulse a few more times to incorporate.  Taste, adjust seasonings if needed and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I left some seeds in for additional heat.  However, if you are sensitive to heat then remove all of the seeds.  Additionally, if you just want the flavor of the jalapeno and none of the spice, cut the jalapeno in half and remove seeds and soak in ice water for about 15-20 minutes before using.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original