That’s right! The difference between a so-so homemade salsa and an OMG-we-ate-it-all salsa is crushing a third of the ingredients to release the oils, flavors, and juices of all those fresh salsa goodies. The same concept applied to good guacamole applies here in salsa world too!
Now you may be thinking, why does crushing and smashing yield more delicious results than cutting or processing?
Crushing and smashing extracts more flavor by exposing more surface area and pressing the juices out of the ingredients. These juices and flavors can then mingle more freely and infuse more fully with the other ingredients because they have been juiced and reduced to smaller bits.
Salsa made with a blender or food processor isn’t as flavorful!
A food processor or blender obliterates every ingredient into the same texture and flavor– a result similar to mixing all of your paint colors and getting brown. A chopped salsa gives nice bursts of flavor, and crushing just some of those chopped ingredients achieves the juicy, pulpy texture we all love.
To crush your homemade salsa, you can use a molcajete, mortar and pestle, or the flat bottom of a dish or measuring cup on a cutting board. Then, mix your crushed ingredients and any juices into the rest of your salsa. Add the citrus juice and salt, and voila! Delicious salsa.
Let’s Salsa 💃🏽
“Salsa” is the spanish word for any sauce, but here in the U.S. we generally identify salsa as salsa fresca (fresh, uncooked salsa, like pico de gallo.)
A salsa fresca can be made of almost any fresh ingredients and is very simple to make! You don’t even need a recipe– all you need are a few guidelines. Plus, you can taste and add as you go!
Check out the guidelines below to put together the homemade salsa of your dreams:
Salsa Fresca Elements
All quantities below are for one batch of salsa that serves about 4:
THE STAR: the majority of the salsa and main flavor
Examples: tomato, peach, mango, avocado, grapefruit, corn, tomatillos, pineapple
Quantity: about 1.5 cups chopped
ALLIUMS: the zest and bite
Examples: garlic, onions, scallions, chives, shallots
Quantity: about ¼ of an onion, 1 small shallot, 2 scallions, or 2-3 cloves garlic
HEAT: hot chili peppers
Examples: jalapeño, habañero, serrano, fresno
Quantity: Your preference! You can forego chilies entirely, but they do add flavor as well as heat. For less heat, leave out the seeds and ribs. For more heat, leave them in. For a medium-level heat, use ¼ to ½ a chili. Chilies, (especially jalapeños), can vary greatly in heat levels. Always taste your pepper before adding to your salsa.
If you’re looking for a pepper flavor with no heat, use bell peppers! You can also add bell peppers in addition to hot chilies.
FLAVORINGS: herbs and spices
Examples: Cilantro, mint, basil, cumin, coriander
Quantity: 2-3 sprigs mint or basil leaves, 6-7 sprigs cilantro (use the stems too, they’re very flavorful!) ⅛-¼ tsp per spice.
ACID: citrus juices
Examples: Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit.
Quantity: 2 tbsp juice (1 juicy lime or lemon will usually yield around 2 tbsp of juice.)
SALT:
Salt makes everything tastier. It also helps the ingredients release their juices and flavors!
Quantity: about ¼ tsp
TIME:
Time is also an ingredient! For optimum flavor, allow your salsa flavors to mingle for about 10-15 minutes before eating.
Flavor Combo Ideas
Scroll down for my Classic Pico de Gallo recipe and Mango-Habañero salsa recipe! But you don’t have to stop there. Here are some other ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Grapefruit salsa with avocado, lemon, red onion, serrano peppers, and mint
- Grilled corn with basil, cotija cheese, and red onion
- Pineapple, red fresno chilies, scallions, cilantro, and cumin
- Heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, lemon, shallots
- Mango, chipotle chile powder, cilantro, lime, habañero pepper
- Apple, chives, lime, cilantro, serrano pepper
- Habañero and sweet fruits like pineapple, peach, and mango are a match made in heaven!
Classic Pico de Gallo Recipe
Classic Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 1 large tomato or 2 small tomatoes diced with seeds and skin
- 7-8 sprigs cilantro roughly chopped with tender stems
- 1/4 yellow onion diced small
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3-1 jalapeño pepper diced small (with seeds and ribs for more heat, without for less heat)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix all but the salt and lime juice together in a medium bowl. Transfer ⅓ of the mixed chopped ingredients to a cutting board and use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or bowl to crush until juicy and pulpy. Stir the crushed ingredients back into the bowl along with the salt and lime juice. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before eating for optimum flavor.
Mango-Habañero Salsa Recipe
Mango-Habañero Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 ripe mango peeled, pitted, and diced small
- 1/4 red onion diced small
- 2-3 sprigs mint leaves stacked and sliced
- 1/4-1/2 habanero pepper diced small (with seeds and ribs for more heat, without for less heat)
- 1/2 a large yellow or orange bell pepper seeds and ribs removed, diced small
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Mix all but the salt and lime juice together in a medium bowl. Transfer ⅓ of the mixed chopped ingredients to a cutting board and use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or bowl to crush until juicy and pulpy. Stir the crushed ingredients back into the bowl along with the salt and lime juice. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before eating for optimum flavor.
Need some chips to go with that homemade salsa?
Check out these Sweet + Spicy Tortilla Chips!
