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    Home

    Which Salsa Should I Make?!

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    So many Salsa recipes, so little time!

    If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the Salsa recipes online, just start with Tomato Jalapeno Salsa or Salsa Verde. 

    These are the classic red and green Salsas of Mexico and both are a massive upgrade compared to store-bought salsa.  Once you get these beauties to your liking it will make all the other Salsa recipes a breeze.

    Tomato Jalapeno Salsa vs. Salsa Verde

    First up is Tomato Jalapeno Salsa.  It has an ultra-simple ingredient list:

    3 plum tomatoes
    1/2 onion
    1 jalapeno
    1 garlic clove

    Ranchera Sauce Recipe and Ingredients mexicanplease.com

    The key is to roast the tomatoes so no skipping that step!  This will sweeten up the tomatoes and lower their acidity. 

    I usually use the oven (400F) but you could also pan roast them if you want.

    Anatomy of My Current Favorite Burrito mexicanplease.com

    Once roasted just plop them in the blender along with the onion, garlic and jalapeno.

    I usually recommend adding the jalapeno incrementally if it's your first time making this Salsa just so it doesn't turn nuclear on you.  Slice the jalapeno in quarters and add it a sliver at a time, taste testing along the way. 

    This Tomato Jalapeno Salsa is the Mother of all Mexican Salsas. Getting the heat level to your liking opens up infinite possibilities. mexicanplease.com

    Once the heat level is to your liking you're done!  

    tomato jalapeno salsa wide shot with ingredients

    Easy right? 

    This is the first Salsa I learned how to make and I still come back to it on a regular basis!   When it's freshly blended it is wonderfully satisfying and I use it in a wide range of dishes. 

    By the way, if you ever feel like you're dealing with meh tomatoes you can always give this Salsa a quick simmer in some oil over medium heat and it will wake them up. 

    Next up is Salsa Verde, clocking in at five simple ingredients:

    4-5 tomatillos
    1/2 onion
    1 serrano (or jalapeno)
    1 garlic clove
    10-12 sprigs cilantro

    This Roasted Poblano Quesadilla recipe is a great example of the rich, otherworldly flavor that Mexican cuisine can generate by using just a few simple ingredients. And it's served with Avocado Salsa Verde! mexicanplease.com

    If you're new to tomatillos you can always pull back the husks at the grocery store to check 'em out.  Try to buy the ones that are taut and greenish -- if they are pale or mushy then they're past their prime.   More info on tomatillos. 

    It would be easy to give all the credit to the chorizo in these epic breakfast burritos. But it's the tomatillo salsa that really amps them up. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Similar to red Salsa, your green Salsa will get a massive bump in flavor if you roast the tomatillos!  I used the oven (400F) for this batch. 

    Once roasted, plop 'em in the blender along with the other ingredients. 

    salsa verde blender with one half serrano

    Again, I think it's best to add the heat incrementally the first time you make this Salsa, so feel free to slice the serrano into quarters and add it a sliver at a time, taste testing along the way. 

    And yes, you can definitely use a jalapeno in place of the serrano -- they are quite similar in flavor but serranos tend to pack more heat.  Serrano vs. Jalapeno -- What's the Difference? 

    salsa verde in jar green sauce

    Hello Salsa Verde!

    These are the simplest Salsas you'll ever make at home, and I think they also happen to be the most satisfying when they are fresh out of the blender.  Of course, that's assuming you roast the tomatoes/tomatillos so please don't skip that step!

    If you'd like to try making these Salsas, here are links to step-by-step instructions that you can print out:

    Tomato Jalapeno Salsa

    Authentic Salsa Verde

    And once you're comfortable making these classics you'll find that all the other Salsas on the site use similar techniques:

    Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa

    Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa

    All Salsa Recipes

    Enjoy!

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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