Today, I am sharing how to make Fermented Salsa with step-by-step instructions. Salsa is a popular condiment that so many of us keep in our fridge, and we probably reach for salsa as much as we reach for ketchup.
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Table of Contents
Salsa as a Probiotic-Rich Condiment
Unfortunately, the salsa we buy in the store has been cooked and, in many ways, has lost some of its nutrition. But when you make your own salsa at home, you can lacto-ferment it to make a wonderful probiotic-rich fermented food that is not only delicious but is excellent for good gut health too. It’s the best of all worlds!
More Tex-Mex Recipes
You may already know that I grew up in New York and moved to Texas, where I met my husband. I have always enjoyed working in my Hill Country Kitchen to make meals for my family, and along the way, I learned about Texas, Tex-Mex, and Southwestern cuisines. Here are some Tex-Mex recipes that you and your family will enjoy.
More Probiotic-Rich Condiment Recipes
Making fermented salsa is fun, but what if you could make more fermented condiments? You can! And in the following videos, I’ll show you how to make fermented hot sauce, ketchup, and mustard.
More Fermentation Recipes
If you’re new to fermenting, making homemade sauerkraut is the first recipe you should try. It’s easy to make, and once you master this recipe, you’ll have the confidence and experience to tackle different types of ferments.
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Homemade Fermented Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 cups Tomatoes, chopped Chop into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium Onion, chopped Chop into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 handful Parsley, finely chopped
- 1-2 Jalapeño peppers, minced* Seeds and membrane can be removed for less "heat."
- 1 Lime, juiced You can also add the zest, if you want.
- 1 tablespoon Coarse ground Celtic sea salt If using fine ground sea salt, reduce to 1/2 tablespoon
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together, except the salt.
- Pack into a quart-sized jar. Pack down the mixture as you are adding it to the jar. Add salt and stir slightly to distribute. (See video.)
- Place weight on top of the mixture. Put a lid on the jar.
- If using a lid (other than those made specifically for fermenting), be sure to "burp" the jar each day by loosening the lid and then retightening it.
- After two days, you should begin to see bubbles forming in the jar. Check the taste. If you are happy with the taste, refrigerate the salsa. Does it have some "fizz"? Have the vegetables softened a bit but still have a bit of crunch? If not, allow it to ferment further. Generally in warm weather you will need only 2-3 days for proper fermentation. In cooler weather, the fermentation process may take up to 7 days.
Video
Notes
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Favorite Fermented Food Making Supplies
- Masontops Complete Fermentation Kit (discount code below)
- Silicone Pickle Pipes
- Fermentation Glass Weights
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Recommended Reading
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- Nourishing Traditions
- Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods (2nd edition)
- The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World
- Fermented Vegetables, 10th Anniversary Edition: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 72 Vegetables, Fruits, & Herbs in Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Kimchis, Krauts, Pastes & Relishes
- The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting: Crafting Live-Cultured Foods and Drinks with 100 Recipes from Kimchi to Kombucha
- Traditionally Fermented Foods: Innovative Recipes and Old-Fashioned Techniques for Sustainable Eating
If I have left over juice from a previous ferment, should I add some to the new ferment to speed up the fermentation?
Hi Kristina,
Yes! That’s perfect. You can use the liquid from a previous ferment to jumpstart a new one.
You’re making great progress on your traditional foods journey! 🙂
Love and God bless,
Mary
Hi Mary,
Can I use fine pink Himalayan salt? If so, how much?
Hi Niki, Yes, you can definitely use pink Himalayan salt. If you are using the fine ground salt then you will want to reduce the amount of salt in your ferment to 1 tablespoon. Love, Mary
Someone posted your recipe in a fermenting group and I tried it for the first time and it got RAVE reviews from the kids and my bf. We just went to use the last bit of it and the 12 year old grabbed it outta his hands and said “no we’re saving this for pulled pork tacos this week, it’s too good for just chips!” 😂 now I have work to do in making more! 🤣
Hi Stephanie, Oh my goodness!! I am so happy to hear this!! Glad you are enjoying it…and so happy you and your family are joining me on this Traditional Foods Journey! Love, Mary
Good day ma’am,
I am new to your channel but very much interested in expanding and exploring different recipes and diets. I am definitely new to this salsa recipe. As weird as this might sound, how do you use Salsa please. Do you eat it directly once the flavor has been cultured from storage in the fridge or is it added to a side dish, or used in cooking. I will definitely like to read your response or perhaps watch a video from you on how it is used. Thank you. Am looking forward to your response and feedback.
Hi Eunice, Thank you so much for your comment. Salsa is a condiment so you use it in small amounts as a topping on tacos, etc. Or you can serve it in a bowl as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Love, Mary
Can I use green chiles instead of jalapeños?
Hi Ann, Definitely! 🙂 Customize this salsa with whatever you like. Love, Mary
Hi Mary,
Can I use canned tomatoes? Red Gold has petite diced tomatoes with green chilis, lime and cilantro, it also has salt but not sure what type of salt, it does not specify. I have 2 dozen of these cans in my extended pantry and felt I maybe able to use them to make salsa since my family loves salsa on everything. How important is it to use fresh ingredients over canned? I thought to experiment to see if this could work but would like your expertise.
Thank You!
Sharon 🙂
Hi Sharon, That is a great question! I have not tried it but it is definitely worth experimenting with. It might just work. Love, Mary
Can I use Kosher salt instead of sea salt?
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. You should be able to substitute kosher salt. However, you’ll want to make sure the only ingredient in your brand of kosher salt is “salt.” As long as there are no other chemicals or anti-caking agents, you should be fine.
Thanks for being a subscriber and for being a sweet friend!
Love and God bless,
Mary
Hey Mary,
I think I messed up on my salsa. I added cumin spice. Will that mess up the ferment. I don’t see any bubbles in it at all. I just add that automatically. I did not even think until on my 2nd day. Well if I did I can always do it over. I don’t give up.
Thank you so much for all your help.
Shirley
Hi Shirley, Don’t worry – the cumin will not mess it up at all. And also don’t worry if you don’t see any bubbles. Sometimes with the thickness of salsa it can take a few extra days before you see anything – or you may not see anything at all. Just refrigerate it after a few days. It will continue to ferment in your fridge – just much slower – and will be ready to enjoy after about 2 weeks. Love, Mary
Hi Mary,
Love your recipes and videos. Just wondering how the recipe would change if you wanted to preserve the salsa for a longer period of time. Would you then have to heat the tomato mixture before adding it to the jars or could you process the raw mixture in a hot water bath? I’m guessing you could do either as long as the inside boils? Not sure about times. I am a newbie. Thank you!
Hi Kait, Thank you for the kind words. If you want to make a salsa that you would be able to water bath can, I would check with one of the ball canning books/website or check the National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/ Hope this helps. Love, Mary