This is my son’s favourite homemade salsa. It’s rich and tomatoey with a little kick of heat.
We actually cook this salsa to thicken the tomato sauce and strengthen the flavours. Better than any jarred salsa!!
If you’re looking for a thick and rich salsa, reminiscent of really good jarred salsa (but even better!), then you’ve come to the right place.
Whilst I love a fresh raw-style salsa, a cooked one is a brilliant alternative when you want a version that’s a bit smoother, thicker and more intensely flavoured.
PLUS it lasts longer too (6-7 days for cooked, compared to 3-4 days for fresh).
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients
How to make it
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
- Roughly chop the vegetables, then place in a pan and give a quick whizz with a hand blender. Just a few pulses is fine, as we still want some texture to the salsa.
- Heat up and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the cumin, sugar and seasoning.
- Add in tinned tomatoes, lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Simmer again until slightly thickened, then turn off the heat and let it cool before stirring in finely chopped coriander.
Pro Tip
Adjust the chunkiness of the salsa by changing the blending time. 2-3 seconds for chunky, 10-15 seconds for a smoother salsa.
Once the salsa has cooled to room temperature, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s best served chilled.
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Pin It🍽️ What to serve it with
- As a dip for homemade tortilla chips
- Smothered on fajitas or tacos
- Served alongside chicken skewers or on top of loaded totchos!
This recipe was developed by our son, Lewis, during his work experience week with us. He’s the family expert on salsa (making AND eating it). He even helped with the photography and being the hand model when I was taking photos (see photo above).
🍲 More fantastic Dips and Sauces
? Frequently Asked Questions
It can be either!
Raw salsa is often crunchier and sharper in flavour. It’s also usually chunkier.
Cooked salsa is usually saucier, richer and smoother in flavour as the vegetables have had time to cook down.
Yes – and for this cooked salsa, it’s actually better to make it ahead, as it needs to cool down, and then to go in the refrigerator until chilled.
Once the salsa is cooled, place in an airtight container in the fridge. It should easily keep for 6-7 days.
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How to make salsa
Ingredients
- 3 large tomatoes
- ½ a red onion (medium sized)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 chilli pepper (I use serrano, fresno or jalapeno)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp cumin
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of finely chopped (crushed) tomatoes I like the Mutti brand
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup of chopped coriander (cilantro)
Instructions
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, onions and bell pepper. Mince the garlic clove and deseed and finely chop the chilli.3 large tomatoes, ½ a red onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 garlic clove, 1 chilli pepper
- Put the freshly chopped ingredients into a small pan and use a hand blender to roughly blend about a third of the vegetables. We want to leave some nice chunky bits in there too (alternatively you can pulse for a couple of seconds in a food procesor).
- Heat on a medium heat until bubbling, then half-cover the pan with a lid to ensure no hot splattering juices.
- After 10 minutes of bubbling stir in salt, pepper, sugar and cumin and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp cumin
- Add all the other ingredients except the coriander, mix well and leave it to simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.400 g (14 oz) tin of finely chopped (crushed) tomatoes, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Take the salsa off the heat and let it cool for about an hour before adding the coriander.¼ cup of chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Refrigerate until cool, then serve, or place in a sealed container, in the fridge until ready to use (it should last for up to a week).
Notes
Raw salsa is often crunchier and sharper in flavour. It’s also usually chunkier.
Cooked salsa is usually saucier, richer and smoother in flavour as the vegetables have had time to cook down.
Once the salsa is cooled, place in an airtight container in the fridge. It should easily keep for 6-7 days. Nutritional information is approximate, per tablespoon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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