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Fresh Tomato Salsa

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 small white onion, or less than half of 1 large
  • 1 or 2 limes
  • 2 or 3 large ripe tomatoes (1 pound)
  • 1 fresh hot green chile (like serrano or jalapeño), or more to taste
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Trim, peel, and chop the onion and put it in a medium bowl.
    Halve the lime. Set aside the other half and reserve the second lime to cut later if you need it.
    Core and chop the tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
    Trim the chile and remove the seeds if you like; chop as finely as you can manage and add it to the bowl.
    Peel and chop the garlic; add it to the bowl.
    Chop 1/2 cup cilantro tender stems and leaves; add it to the bowl.
  2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine the ingredients. If possible, let the salsa sit for about 15 minutes to develop flavor and juiciness.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Cooked Salsa For a smooth or slightly chunky sauce that keeps in the fridge for a week, all you have to do is put the ingredients in a blender instead of a bowl. Purée until the mixture is the texture you want, then transfer the salsa to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the salsa bubbles steadily but gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens a little and looks saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. To make it thicker, uncover and boil off some of the extra liquid for a few minutes more.