Summer is in full bloom, and so are the beautiful tomatoes coming out of everyone’s gardens. So when faced with a bowl full of fresh, ripe, red tomatoes, what’s one to do? Make Fresh Summer Tomato Salsa, of course!
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When I was a kid, I hated vegetables. Green beans, peas, spinach, asparagus, cooked carrots, onions, and yes, even tomatoes. I know that tomatoes are technically a fruit, but play along here, OK? The only vegetable that I would readily eat without putting up a fight was corn. And as much as I love corn, let’s face it–it’s basically kernels of sugar on a cob.
As I grew older, I started to realize a few things:
- Not all vegetables are gross.
- Canned vegetables have very few edible uses outside of stews or casseroles.
- Maybe–just maybe–my limited exposure to really fresh veggies growing up was the culprit.
Flash forward a decade (OK, maybe more than one, but if you’re not counting, neither am I), and I was on a glorious vacation in Spain with my adorable husband. We were staying in this beautiful half-pension, which meant that breakfast and lunch were included each day. In Europe, their idea of breakfast is very different than ours, and that means a spread of not only fruit for breakfast, but also items like meats, cheeses and vegetables.
I decided to go native, so to speak, and dive in and finally TRY eating a fresh tomato. I figured if I still didn’t like them, I could go on being a pain in the rear about that and other items I swore I wouldn’t eat. I mean, I’d become a pro when it came to turning my nose up at various foods. Who was I to abandon a perfectly practiced routine?
BAM. I ate the tomatoes, and realized that I had been duped! Well, I’d duped myself, but still. It hit me that DANG these things were delicious, and yes I DID like tomatoes! Not much of a revelation for most people, but I’m slow on the uptake. I made a bee line for that platter each morning of our vacation, and have never looked back. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on the Summer bounty of these gorgeous flavor bombs.
But sometimes nature’s bounty really puts out, if you know what I mean. You wind up with bushels of these things and have to get creative in how to use them up for fear of letting them go to waste (never!). The easiest way to use a pile of them is Fresh Summer Tomato Salsa. Tangy, sweet, and oh-so-good in so many ways. Dipped on a chip, lathered on tacos, stirred into other veggies–the possibilities are endless. Yay!
Never made your own salsa before? Have no fear. This is the easiest salsa you’ll ever make, and you’ll never want to go back to store-bought again. Belly up to the food processor and get your tomato on as you dive into your new favorite Fresh Summer Tomato Salsa!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1 quart | 15 minutes |
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I love tomatoes in just about any recipe, but admittedly this bright and delicious Summer Tomato Salsa is the quickest way to get me my fix of the summer bounty. The great thing about salsas and recipes like this one is not only the ease of preparation, but the variety of uses. Get your blender going and dive into this Fresh Summer Tomato Salsa before the season ends!
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- 6 medium vine ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1-10 oz. can Ro-tel Original, drained
- 1/2 large red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Rinse and pat dry the tomatoes. Slice and core them, removing any seeds.
- Roughly chop the onion, and mince the garlic. Drain the Ro-tel.
- Place the tomatoes & Ro-tel in a food processor. Pulse to incorporate into roughly chopped mixture.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the salt & lime juice.
- Blend the mixture until a smooth but still slightly chunky consistency is reached.
- Juice the lime into the salsa. Give the mixture 3 quick pulses to incorporate the juice. Salt to taste.
- Serve immediately with corn chips, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Now some of you may be crying "foul" over my using one measly canned item in this recipe. But hear me out! Ro-tel is one of those ingredients that you just HAVE to have in your pantry at all times if you make Tex-Mex or other Southwestern food with any regularity. It's tomatoes & green chiles, and comes in a variety of heat levels. I use the Original No-Salt Added variety here, as it has just enough zing to make you remember that you're eating salsa, but not so much that it overpowers the sweet and tangy nature of the fresh tomatoes and other ingredients. Seriously, once you start using Ro-tel in certain recipes, you'll never be without a can (or 5) in your pantry again!
I love freshly made salsa. Why don’t I make it more often? Your recipe looks amazing and so easy. Thanks!
You will love it. The ease is half the reason it’s so good! :o)