How to Make Fermented Salsa – Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners
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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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.
Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
You’ll want to store your fermented condiments in your refrigerator, which is part of your Four Corners Pantry. And your Four Corners Pantry consists of your:
- Working Pantry
- Refrigerator
- Freezer
- Extended Pantry (or Prepper Pantry)
To help you learn about all the items you store in your Four Corners Pantry, be sure to download my 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is chockfull of links to recipe videos and helpful tips.
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In the following members-only video, I talk about How to Tackle Sourdough Starter Challenges – Art of Fermentation Approach.
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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
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Fermented Food Making Supplies
- Masontops Complete Fermentation Kit (discount code below)
- Silicone Pickle Pipes
- Fermentation Glass Weights
More Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
More Kitchen Supplies with Promo Codes
Use promo code MARYSNST for a one-time 15% off Masontops and Breadsmart products on Amazon.com.
- Mockmill Grain Grinder and Whole Grains (including Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt)
Use my Mockmill affiliate link for a special one-time 5% discount on Mockmill Stone Grain Mill products, including Ancient Grains, like Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt. (The Mockmill discount will appear when you checkout.)
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Recommended Reading
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.
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
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
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
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 green chiles instead of jalapeños?
Hi Ann, Definitely! 🙂 Customize this salsa with whatever you like. 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
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
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
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