Fresh Salsa with Green Tomatoes (a flavour fiesta!)

You’re going to love this fresh salsa with green tomatoes recipe that uses tomatoes and tomatillos.

There is so much to love about summer produce. Summer makes it a lot easier to eat local, organic, in season, and healthier overall.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t already mourning the loss of the fruit and vegetable bounty that crops up during the warmer months. Easy and plentiful access to organic berries, organic kale and other greens, organic sweet peppers and celery, and of course – the juicy tomato!

That’s my kind of eating, oh yea!

And it honestly takes every ounce of willpower I have not to stuff my face with local fresh fruits and vegetables when they’re perfectly ripe and in season.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on some late-season local tomatillos. They were a speedy eight-minute drive from my house.

If you’ve never seen or eaten tomatillos, behold these fabulous green orbs. Don’t they have a lovely charm to them?

The tomatillos above are naked… but let’s not get x-rated: they’ve simply been relieved of their papery, thin husks.

As tomatillos ripen, the fruit fattens until it gets too big for its jacket. It then splits open, signalling that it’s ready for picking (and eating!).

Proof that nature will let you know when it’s good enough to eat!

Nutritional Benefits of this Salsa with Green Tomatoes

The green tomatoes in this fresh garden salsa are tomatillos, and they’re the star!

Full of potassium and vitamin C, tomatillos are very tart, refreshing and crisp. Some say they taste like apple, citrus, pear or cucumber. In any case, they don’t taste like an unripe green tomato! These babies have a flavour that is all their own.

Here I’ve married these fun tomatillos with:

• fresh garlic,
• fresh parsley,
• fresh lime juice,
• olive oil,
• apple cider vinegar,
• ground cumin,
• cayenne,
• and a small amount of ripe, red tomatoes. I love the idea of contrasting colours in a traditionally green salsa.

I added apple cider vinegar because I have been studying its reputation as a blood sugar stabilizer. You can read about some of apple cider vinegar’s health benefits here.

If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, feel free to substitute it with white wine vinegar or even a nice herbal vinegar. Plain distilled white vinegar won’t work though.

Your info is safe with me. I will guard it with my life and promise no spam, ever. I genuinely hate it as much as you do!

You’ll be happy to know that making a fresh homemade salsa couldn’t be easier: just chop, blend and season.

Let’s never forget the salt, friends. It helps every dish’s true flavours shine through.

This recipe yields a tangy salsa that is as good fresh as stored in the freezer. Especially in late winter when fresh tomatoes seem impossible to find.

Here’s how to make this Fresh Salsa with Green Tomatoes:

Customization Ideas for this Salsa with Green Tomatoes

This salsa with green tomatoes recipe is very adaptable. Make it your own!

Here are some ideas to customize this recipe to suit your palate:

• For spice: Add more cayenne. You could also add more fresh garden peppers like jalapeño or serrano peppers. Remember the seeds often pack the most punch, so remove some or all if you want the flavour rather than the spice in your salsa.
• For smokiness: Roast the green tomatoes before chopping. A smoky salsa pairs beautifully with grilled dishes.
• For sweetness: Mix in a diced ripe fruit like mango, pineapple, or even peaches to balance the tartness.
• For tang: Not tart enough for you? Add an extra splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lime to amp up the tartness.
• For herb lovers (that’s me!): Add half a bunch of fresh cilantro or more parsley, chopped roughly, for a herbaceous boost.

Use whatever your garden blesses you with this season!

Troubleshooting Common Salsa Problems

Not every batch of salsa is perfect on the first try. This is especially true if you make changes or adjustments to the original salsa with green tomatoes recipe. However, here are some tips to troubleshoot some common problems when making salsa.

• Too watery? Strain the salsa through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove excess liquid. Sometimes tomatoes are extra-watery, especially after a big rain. Straining some or all of the liquid will help solve this problem.
• Too sour? Balance it out by adding a 1/2 teaspoon of honey.
• Not enough flavour? Add more salt (we often don’t salt our food very enough, ask Gordon Ramsay!), lime juice, or spices to punch up the taste.
• Too spicy? This is tricky but you can add other ingredients to tone down the heat. Consider more green tomatoes, ripe tomatoes, or herbs. Diced avocado can also help! But the shelf-life will obviously decrease a lot.

Salsa-making is all about finding the right balance. Don’t be afraid to tweak things to your liking!

Delicious Ways to Use this Fresh Salsa with Green Tomatoes

This green tomato salsa isn’t just a dip: it’s a multitasking flavour booster!

Here are some delicious ways to use this salsa with your meals:

• Tacos and burritos: Drizzle it over grilled chicken, beef, or veggie tacos for a tangy kick.
• Eggs: Spoon it over scrambled eggs, omelets, or a breakfast burrito to start your day with a zesty twist.
• Grilled fish or chicken: This is one of my personal favourite ways to use it. Use it as a topping or even a marinade for a fresh flavour.
• Nachos: Swap your store-bought salsa for this green tomato salsa, paired with melty cheese and all your favourite toppings.
• Salad dressing: Thin it out with a bit more olive oil and lime juice to create a unique vinaigrette for greens or roasted veggies.
• Avocado toast: Spread your avocado toast with a layer of green tomato salsa for a gourmet touch.

No matter how you use it, this versatile fresh salsa will brighten your plate and taste buds.

Storage Tips

Want your green tomato salsa to last longer? You can:

• refrigerate it. Store your salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavours will intensify over time!
• freeze it. Surprisingly, this salsa freezes well! Transfer the salsa to freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving space for it to expand. Aim to eat this salsa within 3 months.

Pro Tip: Always use a clean spoon when scooping out salsa to avoid introducing bacteria that could shorten its shelf life.

This fresh salsa with green tomatoes recipe might give a traditional salsa verde a run for its money. What do you think?

Do you ever make homemade salsa? What do you love to eat it with? Let me know below.

Life is a plate… Eat up!

Ashleigh