Easy “Dump” Salsa (Blender Salsa)

 

 

 

It seems like every time I buy cilantro for a recipe, some of it goes to waste. Don’t get me wrong, I love cilantro, but a little bit can go a long way.

 

I used to wish the bunches came half their size … that was until I told my friend, Betsy that, and she said, “just make salsa!”

 

Well, I LOVE to make Homemade Pico de Gallo in the summer when all of the veggies are fresh from my garden, but this particular day it was blustery and cold.

 

She raved about a recipe that she made in a food processor, and reminded me that I had even had it at her house one time.

 

The best part? I had all of the ingredients on hand. So, because my most popular recipes seem to be the easiest ones, I knew I had to pass this one on to you, my friends!

 

 

 

Betsy uses her food processor when she prepares her version of this salsa.  I have to admit, I love my little Kitchenaid food chopper, but dragging my food processor out always seems like a pain to me.  So instead of the food processor, I decided to use my blender.  It worked great!

 

Simply dump everything into your blender.

 

 

 

Don’t blend it though, use the pulse setting and whir it a few times until bigger ingredients are incorporated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

… and Ta-Da! Grab your chips, because you have SALSA!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is The Difference Between Salsa And Pico de Gallo?

Well, in all actuality, pico de gallo is simply a type of salsa. Any Mexican restaurant or even food truck worth its chile peppers will typically have a wide variety of salsa. “Dump” salsa might not be as fancy a name as “pico de gallo” but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste great, too!

So if you thought “dump” was some sort of fancy Spanish word for a special salsa, then guess again. “Dump” is a good word for the method of making this recipe, but it also works to describe how easy it is to work with a wide variety of ingredients. 

The core ingredients of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and cumin can be the foundation for a wide variety of salsas. 

 

Variations On Dump Salsa

If you want to do a green salsa, then substitute lightly parboiled tomatillos for the tomatoes. Tomatillos look like little green tomatoes but they actually are not tomatoes. They have a bit of tartness to them. 

Green salsas are wonderful on poultry and pork. 

Want a salsa with a bit more heat to it? Then use the hotter habanero chilies. Those will get the temperature up but make sure you warn folks first. Nothing worse than someone finding out too late the salsa is too hot. 

Seriously, people lose friendships over stuff like that. 

If you want a dark and smoky salsa then throw in some chile negro or chipotle chiles. Chile negro are those black chiles you will find dried and bagged on the Mexican food aisle. 

Chipotle peppers can also be pretty hot so make sure you keep that in check if necessary. 

Storing Dump Salsa

Properly stored, your dump salsa will actually keep for about one week. The lemon juice, salt, acidic Rotel tomatoes, and chile peppers all inhibit bacteria growth. 

So, as long as you store it in a good airtight container it will keep really well. You can freeze it as well, but I bet you finish using it before that even becomes a consideration. Especially because it always tastes better the next day! 

 

Rotel Tomatoes

Rotel tomatoes are seasoned tomatoes. They have a hint of spiciness because they are seasoned with chiles. They definitely are not too hot so no need to worry.

However, some people are super sensitive to any sort of spice. If that is the case, then feel free to substitute a different style of canned tomato. You can add a small can of mild green chiles to a can of diced tomatoes for a milder salsa.  

 

What To Serve Your Salsa With

Salsa is great with so many dishes. There is a good reason it is served at the table with every single Mexican dish you can possibly imagine. It is more versatile and tasty than ketchup! 

For that reason, salsa doesn’t just have to go with plain tortilla chips or even just hot out of the oven nachos. 

I have many Hispanic inspired dishes that I can personally suggest trying so you have a place to “dump” your salsa on!

 

 

 

Mexican Recipes that go great with Dump Salsa:

• Taco Loaded Baked Potatoes
• Not your average Mexican Bean Dip
• Mexican Taco Bell Copycat Pizza
• Slow cooker smothered burritos
• Dorothy’s Taco Salads
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Guacamole Egg Rolls
• Mom’s Taco Casserole
• Baked Shredded Beef Tacos
• Taco Tot Casserole
• Taco Meatloaf
• Baked Chicken Taquitos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check those pantries! Let’s make dump salsa!