Salsa Fresca (Fresh Salsa)

Bursting with flavor, this simple and delicious fresh tomato salsa is accented with purple onion, garlic, cilantro, and zesty pepper – great with nachos, tortilla chips, tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, and more!

Salsa and chips, anyone?

Who doesn’t welcome a side of tasty salsa at a party or with their meal? My husband and I love salsa! It’s so easy to prepare, tastes great, and is a great accompaniment to so many dishes.

We love serving it alongside our Vegetable Fajitas, Tacos, Ultimate Veggie Burrito, Grilled Fiesta Bowl, Crunchy Bean Tostadas, Garden Veggie Quesadillas, Super Nachos, and more.

Feast your eyes upon any of one of these links to get a better idea of how versatile this Salsa Fresca truly is!

This Salsa Fresca easily holds its own with a bunch of chips. Truth be told, I may have occasionally had chips and salsa as a meal … Oh, and since we’re chatting about chips, fresh corn tortillas make the best fresh chips. You can bake them super crunchy without any of the unnecessary oil and salt that most commercial chips contain. For step-by-step directions and pictures, check out my Super Nachos post. The baked corn chips are 100% whole food plant based and oil-free.

This Salsa Fresca is one of those recipes that puts you in the driver’s seat. Only you can determine the flavor, texture, and consistency of this incredible salsa. Now’s the time to set the record straight.

Do you like your salsa more chunky like Pico de Gallo (photo on the left) or do you prefer your salsa more blended like most restaurants serve (photo on the right)?

I think both are amazing; but it really depends on what I’m eating. What’s awesome is that this Salsa Fresca can create BOTH of these textures. And you’ll see how in just a moment.

So let’s start talking about the tomatoes. This Salsa Fresca uses a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes to provide the most nutrients and the best flavor. Since this is Salsa Fresca or Fresh Salsa, it’s super important that we use fresh produce. Tomatoes taste incredible, have a gorgeous red hue, and are so good for you. Tomatoes are primarily comprised of water – a whopping 95% water! They are a great source of vitamins C and K1, potassium, and folate. (Healthline)

They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant and carotenoid that reduces risk of heart disease and cancer; beta carotene which our bodies convert into Vitamin A; naringenin which decreases inflammation; and chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant which lowers blood pressure. (Healthline)

There are a few interesting facts about lycopene. First, lycopene increases as the tomatoes ripen and is most abundant in the skin of the tomato. Second, it’s what causes the rich red color of ripe tomatoes. And third, higher concentrations are found in tomato products like ketchup, tomato paste, and tomato juice and. (Healthline)

As an example, studies show that there is twice as much lycopene in ketchup than in a fresh tomato. It’s also interesting to know that your body is four times more likely to absorb lycopene when consumed with a source of fat – one really great reason to serve this Salsa Fresca with creamy guacamole!!

This is one of the reasons I use a a combination of fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes. The flavor and texture of fresh tomatoes are out of this world, but canned tomatoes possess quite a bit of flavor as well. Plus, they’re super convenient. When fresh and canned tomatoes are combined in the food processor, they produce fantastic salsa. This brings up another good point.

I highly recommend using a food processor to make this flavorful Salsa Fresca. You have so much more control over the texture and consistency. To start, you can turn it on for a few seconds or pulse it several times. It’s up to you. Then just pulse a little at a time until it resembles your favorite texture and consistency. This is where you must determine if you prefer chunky or blended Salsa Fresca.

And if you can’t decide or want both, you certainly can have both. Simply pulse the salsa in the food processor until it resembles Pico de Gallo, then remove about half of the mixture. Continue to pulse the remaining half in the food processor until it’s more blended. Then combine both salsas together. And there you have a hybrid Salsa Fresca – one perfect for those who can’t make a decision or want the best of both options.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender or chop it by hand. If you do use a blender, be careful to use the chopping or low speed setting for a couple seconds at a time. We are not making a tomato smoothie here; though this might make a tasty V8 tomato juice concoction. I digress.

In addition to the tomatoes, the flavor composition of this Salsa Fresca comes from fresh purple onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño or serrano pepper, lime juice, and a couple of vital spices. Again, you get to decide how much garlic or spice you like. If you don’t like cilantro, feel free to omit it. Some people think it tastes like soap. And since I know exactly how soap tastes, this is not the taste you want in your Salsa Fresca.

I highly recommend you try this recipe as written, then adjust the seasonings to your taste. Add in a little more jalapeño, garlic, lime, or cilantro to suit your fancy. If you want more spice, feel free to add in a touch of cayenne. And of course you can always add in salt and pepper, if you prefer.

Another important note is the byproduct of fresh salsa – water. Do you remember that short science lesson a moment ago where we learned that tomatoes are comprised of 95% water? This means that water or juice is released when you pulse the tomatoes in the food processor.

If you prefer your salsa a little less watery, no problem. Simply pour the mixture into a mesh colander to drain off some of the excess juice or water. The perfect time to do this is when it’s resting before serving, since the flavors need a chance to meld together. But try not to drain too much since you don’t want your salsa to get dry.

I like adding the excess drained tomato juice into other dishes I’m serving. For instance, if I’m making Instant Pot Refried Beans or Instant Pot Mexican Rice, I’ll use the Salsa Fresca’s collected tomato juice to enhance my these dishes. And the results couldn’t get any better. Less waste and more flavor!

I hope you enjoy this Salsa Fresca as much as I do.  It’s nutritious, full of flavor, and absolutely perfect!

I’m just starting out and would love to see your results. Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• 3-4 tomatoes, chopped*
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• ½ red onion, chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced**
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• cayenne to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse or blend all of the ingredients until desired consistency. If using a blender, use a low chopping setting. Be careful not to blend too fast or too much if you prefer your salsa more chunky.
2. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
3. Allow to rest for 30-60 minutes so the ingredients can mingle together.
4. Drain any excess liquid using a mesh colander, if desired.
5. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

* You can use any variety of tomato to make this Salsa Fresca. They’re all good.

** Depending on your desired tolerance of spice, use half or all of the jalapeño or serrano pepper. If you prefer your salsa more mild, remove the seeds. If you prefer your salsa spicy, feel free to include some of the seeds or more jalapeño.  Wash your hands well in soap and water; and be very careful to not touch your eyes after handling the peppers.  If you have sensitive skin, consider wearing disposable food-safe gloves.