Easy homemade salsa

Homemade salsa with taco mess and pico de gallo

Jarred salsa just doesn't cut it for me, and canning my own with a bunch of fresh veggies just isn't happening either. This is the no-cook, restaurant-style blender salsa I have on hand in my fridge and freezer at all times. 

I've tried making salsa with raw fresh tomatoes, and I just don't like it as much. The salsa always ends up watery. This is why a lot of recipes call for cooking fresh tomatoes to concentrate the flavor. Then I had a breakthrough. I could just use quality canned tomatoes, which have already been cooked to concentrate their flavors at their peak of freshness, something I can't achieve from my own garden or farmer's market 99% of the time. This means that I can have consistently fresh salsa year-round. 

Nothing else in this recipe needs to be cooked, so I can just throw everything in the blender or food processor and let 'er rip! It makes a restaurant-style, relatively smooth salsa. My favorite part is it freezes well, something that a fresh salsa could never do (it turns watery and mushy). The salsa will last for about 5 days in the fridge. If we're not hosting a dinner or something, it's just the two of us, so I'll freeze half of it to use later. When I'm ready for it, I just let it thaw in the fridge or on the counter. 

The recipe below is endlessly riffable. You can make it as is, but I love to add different spices every time to mix it up. Some of my favorite additions are whole cumin seeds, chili powder, and/or chipotles (canned or ground). 

Basic Homemade Salsa Recipe
Quarter of an onion (red onion if you have it)
2 jalapenos, stems removed (this makes a medium spice level. Add more or less, or switch for spicier peppers like serranos or habaneros if you like it really spicy.)
3 cloves garlic
Handful of cilantro
1 t salt
2 T lime juice
28 oz can whole tomatoes (I like Cento)

Place all ingredients except tomatoes in blender or food processor. Blend until almost smooth, a soil-like texture. Add tomatoes and blend until your desired consistency. (I like it pretty smooth.)