The Basic Mexican Salsa
A decent salsa should be a fresh and lively affair. This Basic Mexican Salsa is Mexican cuisine at its best.
The trick here is to make it with the sort of produce a real Mexican would use— Bright red, ripe tomatoes that have never seen the inside of a refrigerator, crisp sweet white onion, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime juice. You can learn about the Salsa basics here.
This salsa is so popular it goes by several names besides Salsa Fresca, including salsa Mexicana and pico de gallo. It is easy to see why it turns up at every self-respecting Mexican cookout
The basic Mexican salsa recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes seeded.
- ½ medium onion
- 2 to 4 serrano or jalapeño chillies, seeded and minced (for a spicier salsa leave the seeds in)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
Method
- Cut the tomatoes and onion into the finest dice you have patience for.
2. Transfer the tomatoes and onion to a bowl.
3. Add the chillies, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to the tomato mixture and gently stir to mix.
4. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or lime juice; the salsa should be highly seasoned.
The best bit of this salsa lies in its freshness. Serve it within 1 to 2 hours of making. Makes 2 ¾ cups.
Serves : 6 – 8
Top Tip!
Spoon this salsa over any type of grilled seafood, poultry, or meat. Serve it with tacos and fajitas. Use it as a dip for chips or as a sauce for grilled fish or mussels or mix it with scrambled eggs.
