I don’t consider myself a food snob. But I’m definitely a salsa snob. I don’t like most store-bought salsas, and I’ve been making my own for years now.
I think the reason why is that I add salsa to many foods — burritos, eggs, taco meat, beans, tacos, nachos — and the list goes on. It also helps that my favorite food is Mexican. And we can’t forget dipping. Salsa adds flavor to so many foods but if it doesn’t taste right, it’s not the same.
There are two types of salsa I make. One is more of a restaurant style salsa and the other is pico de gallo. For many years I made the Pioneer’s Women Restaurant Salsa. It is great. But when my daughter brought home a salsa she made at Girls Scouts I was all over the recipe they provided. It has a few more spices in it than regular salsa but I think that’s why I like it.
Some weeks I make pico de gallo at the beginning of the week to use in eggs and put on salads. You heard me! Those weeks feel like a special treat because the more the salsa sits, the more flavor it garnishes (but it can sit too long, a day or two is perfect).
I’ll admit it. People often comment on how good my salsa is and it feels good. I guess snobs like to be complimented on what they are snobs about.
Below are both the salsa recipes I use. The restaurant style salsa is adapted from Little Spice Jar’s 5-Minute Restaurant Style Blender Salsa.
What’s your favorite salsa recipe?
- Pico De Gallo
- 4 tomatoes (Roma), chopped
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ½ jalapeno pepper (seeds removed), chopped
- ½ cup minced cilantro
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ lime, juiced
- pepper, to taste
- Restaurant Style Salsa
- 2, 14-ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 small white or red onion
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- For the pico, in a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, salt, lime juice, and pepper. Mix and serve. You can also use a food processor to chop the veggies.
- For the restaurant style salsa, put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Enjoy all week!
For more easy recipes and tips on how to serve meals to kids, check out Maryann’s book The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love
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