This is one of those recipes that once I learned I will never forget. I actually got this recipe when I was working in a little Mexican restaurant. For the short period that I worked there I picked up a few really great recipes. Well, I never actually got the recipes. I figured them out by watching the cook 😀 This red salsa is so easy and tastes so much better than anything you’d ever get in a jar.
Chips and salsa is a staple of game day foods. We can easily eat a whole batch of this Red Tomato Salsa during one game. If you’re going serve a lot of people, a double batch is a must.
A little oregano is my secret ingredient in this salsa. It is not a common ingredient in salsa, but I think it adds another delicious dimension of flavor to the salsa. This is one recipe people will begging you to give them 😀
Have you heard of functional foods? These are foods that provide health benefits beyond their nutritional content when consumed. Tomatoes are one of these because they contain lycopene. Lycopene has long studied for its ability to reduce the risk of both cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Lycopene works as an antioxidant to protect our cells from free radicals (cause cell, tissue damage, and aging effects) and the formation of LDL fats.
Cooking tomatoes actually increases their health benefits. While fresh tomatoes contain some lycopene, cooked tomatoes contain more because the heat from cooking breaks down cell walls in tomatoes to release lycopene.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and A, potassium, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and soluble fiber.
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- ¼ cup sweet onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, and jalapeño into a food processor and pulse until salsa is chunky.
- Add oregano, sugar, black pepper and salt to salsa. Pulse a few times to blend.
- Lastly, add cilantro and pulse just until salsa is slightly chunky.
This is a salsa you can make year round since you don’t need to wait for ripe tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are one thing I always have on hand. Even though the tomatoes are canned they give this salsa a very fresh flavor. These delicious tomatoes combined with fresh cilantro, sweet onion, jalapeño, and seasoning is sure to keep you going back for more.
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Here are a few of my favorite salsas…