Summertime is for snacking with salsa! Okay, it’s great to eat any time of the year. But I eat a lot more of this tomato-based condiment during summer, especially the fruit-flavored kinds!
The word “salsa” translates literally to “sauce,” and, according to the Association for Dressings and Sauces, its roots can be traced back to ancient Aztec civilizations. While typically salsa refers to a sauce made of tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices, there are so many different types these days!
What’s Your Style?
Traditional salsa is made from tomatoes, onions, peppers, cilantro, garlic and other spices. Sometimes the sauce is cooked and the tomatoes are roasted. Many people enjoy fresh salsa or pico de gallo, which is made with raw fresh ingredients.
Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try new ingredients! One of my favorite dips lately is a pineapple salsa. Other fruits like mango, peach and even watermelon also add fun flavors to this condiment. If you enjoy fruit salsas, you can find a few unique, delicious recipes here.
It’s common to pair salsa with tortilla chips, but you can add this flavorful sauce to almost anything. Try it for breakfast with scrambled eggs or burritos, or use it as salad dressing. You can even dip your vegetables in it!
Salsa Sales are Strong
If you search the internet for popular condiments, you’ll find plenty of news articles indicating that salsa started outselling ketchup years ago. And if you ever watched Seinfeld, the popular 1990s sitcom about nothing, you probably remember George Costanza telling Jerry Seinfeld that fact.
All the way back in 1992, the New York Times reported that salsa had dethroned ketchup as the king of condiments the previous year- outselling it by $40 million in retail stores. More recently, in 2016, research from iRI (now known as Circana), indicated that salsa sales were beating ketchup sales 2-1.
Have you ever tried salsa on a burger instead of ketchup? Spoiler: it’s delicious!
Salsa All Summer Long
The biggest reason I eat more salsa in the summer: fresh tomatoes from the garden. Every year I plant several tomato plants, and my family enjoys eating them in a variety of ways. We use sliced tomatoes on sandwiches, chop them up and add them to salads and other foods, and even eat small tomatoes for snacks. But the all-time favorite use for tomatoes in our household is for salsa.
It’s so easy to chop up a few tomatoes and peppers, add some spices, and voila! We have a quick dip for chips or vegetables that’s healthy and fresh. Here’s an easy recipe for homemade salsa. It’s a great dish to take along to summer gatherings, too. Just grab a bag of chips to pair with it, and you most likely won’t be bringing any food back home.
Do you ever make salsa at home, or do you prefer to buy it? Whether you buy it pre-made or purchase the ingredients to make your own, don’t forget to scan the items and report them to us. If you have a favorite salsa recipe, or something you love to pair with it, let us know in the comments- we always appreciate hearing from panel members!
Regards,
Taylor
I tried this Salsa recipe and everybody loved it. I plan on trying different kinds. Thank you.
I sure wouldn’t mind trying out the fruit salsas they sure do sound good.
I prefer to buy my salsa. But I have made it from scratch in the past. Both are very good.