For Texans, chips and salsa don’t need an introduction. We’ve all been guilty of spoiling our supper when one chip becomes a hundred. Of course, the preferred salsa-shoveling vehicle is tortilla chips.
This essential American party snack is something out of the ordinary in Latin America, where instead of a standalone, it’s included inside a variety of dishes. Salsa has been around for thousands of years. Its history can be traced to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas who used various combinations of chilies, tomatoes and other spices as a type of condiment to give their food more flavor.
Salsa didn’t spread outside of Central American cuisine until the Spaniards arrived and conquered Mexico, between 1519 and 1521. Even then, the tomato-based condiment didn’t have a commonplace name. In 1571, a Spanish priest, missionary, and grammarian gave it the simple name salsa. Directly translated from Spanish, “salsa” simply means “sauce.”
Although bottled hot sauces like Tabasco were already making their way to the table by the late 1800s, salsa as a dip began to take hold in the early 1900s, when they found their place in community cookbooks. By the Forties, salsa had taken hold throughout the Southwest and quickly became a staple in metropolitan kitchens.
Texas played a pivotal role in salsa’s history, debuting brands like El Paso Chile Company, Renfro Foods and Pace Foods. In 1979, Dan Jardine of Jardine Foods named Austin the hot sauce capital of America. From there, more and more companies jumped on the salsa production train, sharply increasing consumption in the late Eighties and early Nineties. Salsa became a staple in American food culture – even outselling condiments like ketchup.
Tomato-based salsas later found competition from salsas made with fruit, corn, or black beans. Since the 2000s sweet salsas combining fruits with peppers like habanero, bonney peppers and datil pepper have grown in popularity. Salsa is used in marinades, salad dressings, stews, and cooked sauces. It can also be used to accompany various fish, poultry, and meat dishes.
While jarred salsas can be good, fresh salsa is downright delicious. Its blend of fresh ingredients is guilt-free, except for a little extra added salt. One of the great things about salsa is that it is fun to make. Here are 6 great salsa recipes to pick from and serve at your next tailgate or backyard barbecue with friends and family.
Homemade Salsa Verde
"Wanna know the secret to sensational salsa Verde? (It's our canned tomatillos!) No more slow roasting in the oven - simply blend with fresh cilantro, spicy serrano pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice."
Drain tomatillos. Remove stem from serrano pepper. Cut lime in half.
In a blender, combine tomatillos, cilantro, serrano, and salt. Pulse a few times until desired consistency. Add a squeeze of lime juice and salt to taste.
Grilled Corn & Poblano Salsa
"Create instant rabid fans and a bit of envy at your next tailgate taco bar with this smoked salsa full of fresh crunch and fire."
2 ears of corn, shucked
2 whole, fresh poblano peppers
½ red onion, sliced into rounds
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your pellet grill to 400°F. Once the grill is hot, roast the shucked corn, whole poblanos, and onion slices for 12 minutes. Remove them from the grill and allow them to cool.
Peel the skin off the poblanos (it should peel off easily). Cut the corn off the cobs, and roughly chop the poblanos and red onion.
Transfer the corn, poblanos, and onion to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and garlic powder, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garden Salsa
"Making your own salsa is fun, easy and a great way to use bountiful garden (or Farmer’s Market) produce. Freeze or can for gift giving and all-year eating!"
10 cups fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped
3/4 cup corn starch
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped banana or Anaheim peppers
2/3 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Spice Islands® Onion Salt
2 tablespoons Spice Islands® Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Spice Islands® Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons pepper, cayenne
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Celery Seed
Place 1 cup of tomatoes in a medium bowl with cornstarch; blend with wire whip. Set aside.
Combine remaining tomatoes, onions, peppers, vinegar, sugar, onion salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and celery seed in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Simmer on medium low heat for 20 minutes. Add corn starch/tomato mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue simmering an additional 10 minutes or until salsa reaches desired constancy.
To Can: Fill clean pint jars with hot salsa, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean if necessary. Place lids on top, and then firmly screw on bands. Process in boiling water canner for 20 minutes.
To Freeze: Ladle hot salsa into pint freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Place lids on containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Fresh Pineapple Salsa
"The tropical flavors of pineapple and lime combined with red onion, cilantro and serrano pepper for a salsa that's great with grilled pork, skirt steak, shrimp or tofu. It's also delicious with tortilla chips or spooned over tacos. For the best flavor, make at least 30 minutes ahead of time to allow the flavors to mingle."
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to use.
Fresh Pico de Gallo Salsa
"Homemade Pico de gallo is the best! A simple salsa recipe made with chopped fresh tomatoes, chili peppers, red onion, cilantro, and lime. Eat it fresh with tortilla chips or serve as toppings for tacos and fajitas. Use firm, fleshy tomatoes ike Romas or hothouse tomatoes."
3-4 medium large tomatoes (1-1 ½ pounds), stems removed, some seeds squeezed out, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1–2 jalapeño chili peppers (stems, seeds, ribs removed), very finely diced
1–2 serrano chili peppers (stems, seeds, ribs removed), very finely diced
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Dice the tomatoes, discarding most of the seeds. Dice the onion. Very finely dice the chili peppers. Immediately wash your hands with soap and hot water; avoid touching your eyes. Reserve some of the chili pepper seeds. The seeds may be added at the end for additional heat.
Juice the lime and chop the cilantro. Combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the heat with the additional chili pepper seeds. Should the salsa be too hot, adjust by adding more diced tomatoes.
Allow the flavors to combine for at least one hour. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Mix well and serve.
Chile de Arbol Roasted Tomato Salsa Base
"This salsa can be served at room temperature or slightly chilled. It can be stored in the refrigerator 3 to 5 days, or frozen for weeks."
1 pound Italian Roma tomatoes
1 cup (30–40) Arbol chiles
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup of roughly chopped cilantro
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat broiler. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally until charred all over, 10 to 12 minutes. Toast Arbol chiles in a dry skillet until smoking over medium heat about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In the same skillet add the olive oil and sauté onion and garlic for 12 to 15 minutes or until onions are golden. Transfer tomatoes, chiles, onion mixture and cilantro to a blender. Puree mixture adding 1/4 cup water at a time until mixture is salsa consistency.
Place in serving dish and garnish with cilantro.