Bell Pepper Salsa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which pepper is better for salsa? ›

For mild salsa, use banana peppers, Anaheim peppers, and/or canned diced green chile peppers. For medium salsa, add one finely chopped jalapeno to the mix. For hot salsa, add two finely chopped jalapeno peppers or the even hotter serrano peppers.

Try adding basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, cumin, curry, garlic, marjoram, or rosemary to you bell peppers when cooking for more amazing flavor combinations. Top them with cheese. Sautéed bell peppers are amazing with a little added cheese and can really elevate their flavor and presentation.

White onions truly stand out in terms of flavor, and are the best choice when it comes to making a fresh salsa or Pico de Gallo. Most Mexican salsa recipes use white raw onions, and while they might be more pungent than yellow onions, they have the perfect crunch factor that works for both- salsas and Pico de Gallo.

Charring the peppers over the gas stove or under the broiler makes this more than the sum of its parts, however, introducing a smoky sweetness and depth to the salsa. Usually when you roast peppers for use in a dish you peel them afterwards, but I don't, here — I leave the charred skins on.

Roasted tomatoes, peppers, or garlic because roasting anything provides a smoky flavor that we love. Black garlic for a complex, kinda sweet-kinda sour, mildly garlicky but finger-lickin fantastic taste. Smoked salts for a fuller flavor. Corn niblets or diced avocado for added texture and a hint of savory flavor.

Simmering the fresh peppers first takes the bite out of them, creating a much more mild salsa — or at least one that, if you're new to this, has a smaller chance of searing your tongue.

Red bell peppers are the sweetest of the bell pepper varieties while green peppers will taste more bitter because they are in their less mature and unripe forms. For this reason, slicing and snacking on raw bell peppers may be more palatable if you choose a red bell pepper, or even a yellow or orange color variety.

Vinegar, sugar, salt, and a bevy of spices—black peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice berries, and bay leaves—make a spectacular brine for bell peppers, red onions, and jalapeño.

Sour cream, yogurt, ghee, butter and milk can all neutralize the pepper flavor, depending on the dish. Mix in a small amount of a dairy and see if you taste a difference. Cream or milk helps balance out broth-heavy dishes, as well as a variety of other recipes.

What to add to bland salsa? ›

At the very least, a little fresh lime juice and some minced cilantro can wake up even the sleepiest of salsas, ushering back in the flavor of just-squeezed citrus and herbs that taste like they came from a living plant. Beyond that, a crunchy raw vegetable or two never hurts.

Using iodized salt instead of canning salt may produce metallic or bitter notes and make your salsa cloudy.

Heat level – Jalapenos and chipotles get the majority of their heat from the membranes and seeds. We like a spicy salsa so I generally leave all the seeds and membranes in, chopping the jalapeno pepper up whole. For a milder salsa, you can leave out some or all of the seeds.

To make sure your salsa isn't too watery, I recommend coring and removing the seeds from your tomatoes before adding them to your food processor. Don't over-blend. Even if you like a smoother, more blended salsa, be sure not to completely purée it as it will become soupy instead of scoop-able. Start low on the salt.

Jalapeño, Serrano, Poblano, Chipotle, Habanero, and a whole host more are popular in both their fresh and cooked forms in a large variety of Mexican dishes. Each chile serves its purpose and adds flavor and spice to the food providing different heat levels.

A chile pepper developed specifically to capitalize on the growing popularity of Mexican salsas. Fruits are 8" long by 1" across, usually picked green for salsa (they mature red), and classed as medium-hot. Peppers 2,500 to 3,000 Scovilles, get hotter in dry weather. Resists Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

Recently “Pepper X” took the crown, though you can only buy it in hot sauces. Typically any pepper which is a variation of Reaper, Scorpion, Viper, or 7 Pot will break 1M SHU.

Most of the flavor in my salsa roja recipe comes from dried mild chiles, like ancho, guajillo, and pasilla. I prefer using a blend of all three (two parts ancho to one part each of guajillo and pasilla), but the sauce will still be great with just one or two varieties.