There is no better time to get fresh fruits and veggies than when they are in season, so make the most of it! This Homemade Chunky Salsa is fun to make. And when you can it, you’ll have summery salsa all year long. (Well, as long as it lasts, anyway!)
Homemade Chunky Salsa
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Every year, John and I go overboard when we plant our garden. Every year we say that we will learn, and we won’t go as crazy next year. But we never learn. Every single year. And then we do something crazy like add 1/10 of an acre of sweet corn to our garden. Seriously… when will we learn?
John plays it off as “Well, I buy this many plants, but I don’t really expect them to live. So I’m just buying backups.” Twenty-five tomato plants later… They all lived.
Every last one of them.
The good news is – this means I get to make salsa! I love a good chunky salsa, and it’s even better when the tomatoes come out of your own garden!
I will completely admit that we use a pre-packaged mix to make this salsa. We use Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix. And I am not ashamed to tell you that. It just makes salsa-making so much easier! For the most part, I just follow the directions on the package, with one alteration, and sometimes a couple of additions (depending on what I’ve remembered to pick up at the grocery store or what else is ready in our garden).
Instead of using distilled white vinegar, we use apple cider vinegar. I think it gives the salsa a richer flavor. I also will toss in a bunch of chopped onions. And if I have them handy, I’ll also throw in chopped bell peppers. Anything to add some more veggies and yummy bits to the salsa!
If you don’t love chunky salsa, I highly recommend investing in a Norpro Sauce Master with a Salsa Screen. We use this to make tomato juice, and it a life saver! (And a time saver!) The best thing about the Sauce Master is that you don’t have to blanch the tomatoes first. Just cut them into quarters, toss them in, and crank the handle. The screen it comes with is great for tomato juice, and the Salsa Screen will give you a thicker consistency for salsa or sauces.
Canning is a great way to get the most use out of your fresh summer produce – whether you grow it yourself or stock up at a local farmer’s market or even your grocery store! There are a few precautions you should make when you are canning. The Ball Canning & Preserving website is a great resource for all your canning questions. Also check out this short series of posts about canning preparation and safety tips. And if you can a lot, like we do, you’ll want to check out this post about how we can 14 quarts or 16 pints at once!
So far this season, John and I have canned about 150 pounds of tomatoes! We’ve done salsa, pasta sauce (also from a seasoning mix), whole Roma tomatoes, diced Roma tomatoes, and tomato juice. I personally am not a big fan of tomato juice, but John likes to drink it on his way to work every morning. And with this many tomatoes, making juice is a great way to use them up!
What is your favorite summer produce?
Enjoy!
How to Store Fresh Produce
Wonder how to keep those tomatoes fresh until you’re ready to make your salsa? Check out this post and grab your free printable.
3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of This Recipe
- Summer Fruits & Vegetables in Season
- How to Can a Lot in a Hurry
- Canning: Food Safety During Kitchen Prep
3 More Recipes to Try
Printable Recipe Card for Homemade Chunky Salsa
Homemade Chunky Salsa
Ingredients
- 6 pounds fresh tomatoes about 18 medium
- 1 package Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- Chopped onion to taste
- Chopped bell pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blanch whole tomatoes in boiling water for 2-4 minutes, until skins crack and are easy to remove.
- Immediately transfer hot tomatoes into ice water, and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Peel tomatoes (skins should easily slip off), cut out cores, and chop to the desired size.
- In a large non-reactive stock pot, combine chopped tomatoes, salsa mix, vinegar, onion, and bell pepper.
- Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully transfer hot salsa to prepared canning jars.
- Refrigerate and serve cold. Or can according to manufacturer recommendations.
I love homemade salsa’s! This recipe is amazing – thank you for sharing!
Homemade salsa is SO yummy!
This would be perfect for a game day appetizer!