It’s officially pool party season and chips and salsa are our go-to favorites for backyard barbeques. If you’re looking for some fun new salsas to try, I’ve got some delicious options. The first is one of my favorite recipes for stand-out Salsa Fresca. It uses ingredients found in many diced tomato-based salsas, but you can heat it up or tone it down anyway you like. The second option is a Roasted Eggplant Salsa which was rescued out of my own recipe box—the one I’ve had for years stuffed with recipe clippings, potluck favorites and scribbles on scratch paper. It’s perfect if you’re looking to add something a little different to your salsa spread. Now, all you have to do is grab a chip and dive right in!

Print Recipe

My Favorite Salsa's

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:

Rate this recipe!

Servings

Ingredients

Salsa Fresca

• 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, or 7-8 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsly chopped
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced or chopped fine
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion, diced fine
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Grilled Eggplant Salsa

• 6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 4 large, whole shallots, unpeeled
• 3 large Asian eggplants or 1 large eggplant
• 1 poblano chile
• 1-2 fresh Thai chiles (bird chiles) or large jalapeno, minced
• 1 poblano chile
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 level tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for greasing baking sheet
• pita chips, crackers or crustini toast

Servings Ingredients Salsa Fresca 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, or 7-8 Roma tomatoes, diced 1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsly chopped 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced or chopped fine 1/4 cup chopped red onion, diced fine 1/2 cup green onion, chopped fine 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar juice of one lime 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pepper Grilled Eggplant Salsa 6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled 4 large, whole shallots, unpeeled 3 large Asian eggplants or 1 large eggplant 1 poblano chile 1-2 fresh Thai chiles (bird chiles) or large jalapeno, minced 1 poblano chile 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 level tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine salt and pepper to taste olive oil for greasing baking sheet pita chips, crackers or crustini toast

Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Salsa Fresca

1. In a bowl, combine above ingredients. (Or use a food processor, pulsing a few times until desired consistency.) Don’t over pulse. Serve with tortilla chips. Note: Salsa is best when refrigerated for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Store in an airtight container.

Grilled Eggplant Salsa

1. Preheat oven broiler to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place unpeeled garlic, whole shallots, eggplants and poblano chile on baking sheet and place under broiler about 4-5 inches from broiler. Turn vegetables often to brown and soften on all sides. Remove vegetables as they soften. (Garlic and shallots will soften first, then poblano chile and finally eggplant.) Eggplant will take about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel garlic, shallots and poblano chile and place in a food processor. Pulse several times but leave chunky. Scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin into the food processor. Pulse once or twice to combine. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in minced chile, fish sauce and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita chips, crackers or crustini.

Recipe Notes

Share this Recipe