Fresh Tomato Salsa

Centered on fresh, ripe tomatoes, this recipe is as simple as they come.

Use your salsa on tacos with gluten-free corn tortillas, of course!

Salsa always tastes better when it’s made from fresh ingredients, and it is just a matter of roughly chopping a few ingredients and running through the food processor. Fresh tomatoes are the centerpiece of this salsa, so please take advantage of the summer tomato season to make this often. You already know how to use it for dipping your corn chips or spooning onto your favorite tacos. It is also amazing as a condiment with any grilled meat or fish. For this, recipe, you’ll need a sharp knife and a food processor or a good blender.

Scroll down for a cat update!

Tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt are all you’ll need.

Ingredients (see note 1):

1. 2 large, fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups) (see note 2)

2. ½ small onion, chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)

3. 2 to 3 garlic cloves

4. 1 fresh jalapeno pepper chopped, including seeds (see note 3)

5. 1 lime, juiced

6. 1 handful of fresh cilantro, both stems and leaves (see note 4)

7. 1 teaspoon salt

I always use my food processor to make salsa, but a powerful blender should work as well.

Instructions:

1. Coarsely chop all the vegetables and put them in the bowl of the food processor or blender with the lime juice and salt

2. Blend the ingredients for just a few seconds, until they are finely chopped to your desired consistency

Ready to eat!

Notes:

1. Please adjust the amount of ingredients to your taste. If you want more onion, add more, or if you want less garlic, use only one clove (I love garlic, so I use a lot). If you want it spicier, add more jalapeno, or substitute a hotter type of pepper.

2. As I’ve noted elsewhere, what qualifies as a “small onion” is entirely subjective, so I’m including approximate volumes for chopped vegetables as well.

3. I include the seeds, because they contain most of the pepper’s capsaicin—the chemical that makes peppers taste hot. If you want a milder salsa, cut the pepper in half and scoop out the seeds and pith with a spoon. If you want it hotter, add more jalapeno or use a pepper with more heat, like Serrano or habanero (very hot).

4. Always use the stems and leaves of fresh cilantro! The stems have the same flavor as the leaves and are very tender, so—unlike the tough, woody stems of many other herbs—they are easy to chop and eat.

Seraphina makes her way to my chest for a kneading session. She has all her claws, so I try to wear a fleece jacket when she wants to do this—I’ve found fleece offers the best protection against sharp cat claws!

Cat update:

Seraphina doesn’t often crawl into my lap to nap or cuddle, but she will crawl onto my chest to knead me while purring deeply. The action of kneading seems to have a calming effect on her—it’s like her meditation practice.