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20 Minute Cooked Spicy Salsa
Greta

Quick & Easy Spicy Cooked Salsa

Deep, smoky homemade salsa made in just 20 minutes. Better than anything from a jar.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ medium yellow onion diced small
  • 1 medium green bell pepper diced small
  • 1 medium jalapeño finely chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • ½ t. dried Mexican oregano
  • ¼ t. smoked paprika
  • ¼ –½ t. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ c. water
  • 2½ T. fresh lime juice
  • 2 –3 T. fresh cilantro finely chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and water. Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for another 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the salsa right in the pan, leaving it slightly chunky, or transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times. Don’t overblend; you want texture.
  4. Stir in the fresh lime juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or heat as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Mexican oregano is earthier and more citrusy than Italian oregano. It's worth tracking down, but regular oregano works in a pinch. Seeding the tomatoes keeps the salsa from getting watery.