Fresh tomatoes, green peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, and garlic simmered just enough to meld the flavours while keeping that chunky texture. Makes a big batch — eats like Costco's best, but homemade.
Peeling tomatoes: Score an X on the bottom of each tomato, blanch in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. The skins slip right off. This is the one step you shouldn't skip — unpeeled tomatoes leave tough bits in the salsa.
Heat level: 4 jalapeños gives a medium kick. For milder, use 2 and remove the seeds. For more fire, leave the seeds in or add a habanero.
Green peppers: Any bell pepper colour works. Green is classic and slightly bitter, red or yellow adds sweetness.
The vinegar: White vinegar is essential if you're canning — it provides the acidity needed for safe preservation. For fridge-only salsa, you can reduce it or swap in lime juice.
Chunky vs smooth: For chunkier salsa, chop everything by hand and simmer less. For smoother, pulse in a food processor before cooking.
Quick fridge version: Skip the canning entirely. Simmer 10 minutes, let cool, and refrigerate. Keeps for 2 weeks. Perfect for weeknight use.
Kirkland comparison: This is close to the Costco Kirkland organic salsa profile — tomato-forward, cilantro-heavy, medium heat. Adjust garlic and cilantro to taste.
Canning is optional: The canning instructions are included for big batches. If you're just making salsa for the week, skip straight to the cooking step.