USA
Homemade Salsa Trio (Mild, Medium, Hot)
Three garden-fresh salsa styles using tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs.
~20 mintotal~7 kcalper serving~0g protein~2g carbs~0g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 22.
Ingredients
- 4–5 tomatoes, diced
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1–2 tbsp lime juice
- Salt
- Mild: bell pepper only
- Medium: 1 jalapeño, seeded
- Hot: 1–2 serranos or habaneros
Cooking Steps
Prep ingredients
Dice tomatoes, onion, peppers. Mince garlic.
Mix
Combine with cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Adjust heat
Add mild, medium, or hot peppers to taste.
Chill
Refrigerate 30–60 minutes for flavor to develop.
Optional Enhancements
- Roasted salsa: char tomatoes, peppers, and onions first
- Pico de gallo: keep chunky and fresh
- Salsa verde: use tomatillos
- Fruit salsa: add mango or peach
Plant & Growing Tips
Tomatoes
- Full sun, consistent watering.
Peppers
- Jalapeño = medium heat. Serrano = hot. Habanero = very hot.
- Require heat and long growing season.
Cilantro
- Cool-season crop.
- Bolts quickly in heat; resow often.
Onion & Garlic
- As previously described.
Lime (optional)
- Grow dwarf lime trees indoors in cooler zones.
Natural Pest Control
- Use neem and garlic spray once weekly.
- Marigolds deter nematodes around tomatoes/peppers.
- Cilantro attracts predatory hoverflies.
Harvest
Tomatoes
- Fully red and fragrant.
Peppers
- Pick green or ripe depending on heat preferred.
Cilantro
- Harvest before flowering.
Onions/garlic
- Harvest when tops yellow or dry.
Storing & Freezing
Keeps 2–3 days in fridge. Freezing not recommended for fresh salsa texture.
