{SIMPLE} FRESH GARDEN SALSA

Fresh Garden Salsa is perfect for using up the those fresh grown veggies to create a delicious homemade snack! So if you’re having a great summer haul, make sure to set aside a few tomatoes for this tasty restaurant style salsa.

This garden fresh salsa recipe is super easy to make and pretty customizable too, make it as chunky or smooth depending on your preference. It might feel a little time consuming to make this easy salsa recipe, but one batch can last a while and the end results are totally worth it!

Garden Tomato Salsa

I love to make homemade garden salsa because I can easily adjust it by adding in more or less of anything, thereby customizing it to our tastes or with what we have on hand. We love cilantro and usually opt for milder flavors for the kids, but you can easily omit cilantro or add in as much heat as you want for your own salsa recipe. One thing is true though, once you make homemade salsa with garden tomatoes you’ll never go back to buying the jarred stuff again.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS EASY HOMEMADE SALSA RECIPE

• Easy to prepare. Making homemade salsa does not have to be complicated, with this recipe it is so simple. With some minor prep work for the vegetables you will be on your way to enjoying this fresh dip in no time.
• Fresh and delicious. This recipe is loaded with ingredients that are healthy, fresh and satisfying. The fresh veggies taste incredible and are a wonderful alternative from the store bought salsa’s.
• Won’t break the bank. Another great thing about this homemade salsa is that you can use veggies from your garden to make it. It saves you money and that is always a bonus in my book. The rest of the ingredients are simple and inexpensive, so a trip to the store will be minimal.

Simple Homemade Garden Salsa Ingredients

Tomato: You will need about 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes for the base of this salsa recipe.

Lime juice: Use 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice to help add a fresh and cohesive taste to the salsa mixture. This is the juice from about 1 large lime.

Jalapeno: To add in some spice, add 1 fresh jalapeno pepper. Remember that most of the spice is in the seeds so you can omit those for a milder flavor.

Cilantro: Use ⅓ cup of fresh chopped cilantro for a truly authentic salsa taste.

Onion: You will need to use about ¼ cup of diced red onion, although other onions (like yellow or white) will work just as well too.

Onion powder: Adding in 1 teaspoon of onion powder will help to add a little sweetness which may sound odd but really works with this dish.

Garlic: You will need 1 clove of minced garlic or 1 tablespoon of premade minced garlic.

Salt and pepper: Add in some coarse salt and ground pepper according to your own tastes, start with ½ teaspoon of each and taste test before adding more.

How to Make Fresh Garden Salsa

Prep

Get started by preparing the tomatoes, wash and dice them into chunks.

If you are using a jalapeno, wash that and remove any seeds if you want the salsa to be on the milder side.

Then chop the cilantro into thin, small pieces. They don’t have to be super small since you will be adding them to a blender.

Also, dice the onion into small chunks. Although these will be put in a blender, you want to cut the onions into small pieces since they won’t be blended too much (for chunky salsa).

Lastly, prep the garlic. If you are using a fresh clove, dice it into small pieces as well.

Blend

Proceed to combine all ingredients in a blender. You can blend the salsa lightly to make it chunky or more for a thinner salsa. I used my hand blender and pulsed it about 2 or 3 times, since we like a chunkier salsa. The more you blend, the smoother the salsa will be. Mix it for a few pulses, stir the salsa mixture to check the consistency, blend as much or little as you desire.

Chill

Salsa is best if it’s allowed to sit in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours prior to serving. It really gets better as it ages, so ideally, you’d make it the day before you want to serve it.

Serve with chips, or over grilled chicken, on top of tacos, and enjoy!

Adapted from Sarah’s Salsa on Allrecipes.com

How long is fresh salsa good for?

This homemade salsa recipe will last about 7-10 days in your fridge in a well covered container, but only if it doesn’t get eaten by then!

CAN YOU USE DRIED CILANTRO IN SALSA?

Dried cilantro, also called coriander is not a good option for salsa because it just doesn’t have enough flavor. You’ll want to use fresh cilantro for this salsa recipe!

CAN YOU USE ANY TOMATOES FOR SALSA?

The best kinds of tomatoes you can use for salsa are the ones you have on hand! Ha! I use any kind of tomato. My favorite store-bought tomatoes are the red on the vine tomatoes because I think they have great flavor. Roma tomatoes have fewer seeds, so they’re also popular because you use more of each tomato.

Can I can this recipe?

No, this recipe does not have high enough of an acid value to safely can and store for later. You can however choose to freeze it in an airtight container in the freezer for several months if you don’t mind softer tomatoes once it’s thawed (it will look like the soft tomatoes in the jarred stuff).

Try more amazing homemade salsa recipes here:

• FRUIT SALSA with BAKED CINNAMON CHIPS
• CHEESY SALSA DIP
• EASY BLENDER SALSA
• CRANBERRY SALSA DIP
• BBQ CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA
• EASY SALSA CHICKEN
• SPICED CRANBERRY SALSA WITH HOMEMADE CINNAMON CHIPS
• CREAMY SALSA VERDE

Fresh Garden Salsa is a fantastic dish to make when you have a large batch of fresh grown veggies to use up! If you are having a major summer haul, set aside a few tomatoes for this delicious restaurant style salsa.