Salad Nachos with Homemade Zesty Salsa

This homemade salsa is zesty, spicy and made to keep. You cook it once, seal it in jars and have salsa on hand for months. It’s packed with tomatoes, peppers, onion and chillies, sharpened with cider vinegar, so it tastes nothing like the shop-bought kind. To show it off, I pile it onto salad nachos: crisp corn chips, melted cheddar, salsa and a heap of crunchy salad on top. It’s the kind of supper everyone dives straight into.

Why Make Your Own Homemade Salsa

Shop-bought salsa is often sweet and one-note. Homemade tastes fresher and brighter, and you control the heat. Better still, one batch fills several jars. That means you always have a quick supper, a dip or a gift ready to go.

Choosing Your Chillies for Homemade Salsa

Chillies vary wildly in heat, so taste one before you chop the lot. I used about a cup of medium-heat Serrano chillies, and the salsa came out properly spicy. For a milder salsa, use jalapeños or Hungarian wax peppers and remove every seed. You can swap one type of chilli or pepper for another. Just keep the total amount the same, because that matters for safe preserving.

Salad Nachos

This is the fun way to use your salsa. Layer corn chips in an ovenproof dish, top with salsa and grated cheddar, then bake at 180°C (350°F) until the cheese bubbles and the edges of the chips start to brown. Pile the salad on top and serve straight away.

• Corn chips (multigrain if you can find them)
• Homemade zesty salsa
• Grated cheddar
• Crunchy lettuce, shredded
• Cooked corn kernels
• Avocado, diced
• Red onion, finely sliced
• Spring onion, sliced
• Red pepper, diced
• Fresh coriander
• Lime wedges, to serve

How to Preserve This for Longer (Water Bath Preserving)

Water bath preserving seals your jars so they keep in the cupboard for up to a year. It only works for high-acid recipes, like jams, fruit preserves, and pickles or salsas made with plenty of vinegar. Don’t use it for curds, caramel sauce or anything with dairy, eggs, meat or vegetables without added acid. Those need a pressure canner or the fridge.

You’ll need glass preserving jars with new two-piece lids, a large, deep pot, a rack that fits the bottom of the pot, and a jar lifter or sturdy tongs. The rack matters, because jars sitting directly on the base of the pot can crack.

1. Check your jars for chips or cracks. Then wash the jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
2. Fill your pot with enough water to cover the jars by 2.5 cm (1 inch). Put the empty jars on the rack and bring the water to a gentle simmer, about 82°C (180°F). Keep the jars hot until you’re ready to fill them, because hot jars are less likely to crack.
3. Ladle the hot salsa into a hot jar. Leave 1 cm (½ inch) of space at the top for salsa and chutney, or 5 mm (¼ inch) for jam.
4. Run a clean plastic or wooden skewer around the inside of the jar to release any air bubbles. Top up if needed.
5. Wipe the rim clean, centre the lid and screw on the band until it’s fingertip tight. Don’t force it, because air needs to escape while the jar processes.
6. Lower the jars into the simmering water with a jar lifter. Make sure they’re covered by at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water. Put the lid on the pot and bring it to a full, rolling boil.
7. Start timing once the water is boiling hard. Process for the time given in the recipe. For this salsa, that’s 15 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat, take the lid off the pot and leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.
9. Lift the jars straight out without tilting them and set them on a folded tea towel. Then leave them alone for 12 to 24 hours. You’ll hear the lids pop as they seal.
10. Press the centre of each lid. If it doesn’t flex, the jar has sealed. Remove the bands, wipe the jars, label them with the date and store them in a cool, dark cupboard. Use within a year for the best flavour.

If a lid still flexes, that jar hasn’t sealed. Keep it in the fridge and use it within a week.

If you live at altitude

Water boils at a lower temperature the higher you go, so you need to process for longer. Above 300 m (1,000 ft), add 5 minutes. Above 900 m (3,000 ft), add 10 minutes. Above 1,800 m (6,000 ft), add 15 minutes. Johannesburg and Pretoria both sit between 1,300 and 1,800 m, so add 10 minutes there.

Homemade Salsa FAQs

Can I use less vinegar?

No. The vinegar is what makes the salsa safe to store at room temperature. You can add a little more, but never less. Use a cider vinegar with at least 5% acidity.

Can I change the vegetables?

You can swap one type of chilli or pepper for another, as long as the total amount stays the same. Don’t add extra onion, peppers or other vegetables, because that lowers the acidity.

How long does homemade salsa last?

Sealed jars keep in a cool, dark cupboard for up to a year. Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge and finish it within a week.

Can I freeze salsa instead?

Yes. Freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months. The texture softens a little once thawed, but it’s still perfect for nachos or cooking.

Homemade Zesty Salsa Recipe

A zesty, spicy homemade salsa you can preserve in jars and keep for up to a year. Perfect for nachos, eggs and everything in between.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 5 cups chopped, cored and peeled tomatoes (about 13 medium or 7 large)
• 2½ cups chopped, seeded green peppers (about 2 large)
• 2½ cups chopped onion 3 to 4 medium
• 1¼ cups chopped, seeded chillies, such as jalapeño, Serrano or Hungarian wax (about 7 medium)
• ¾ cup cider vinegar 5% acidity
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp hot pepper sauce optional

Instructions

• PREPARE boiling water canner (a large stockpot will do). Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
• COMBINE tomatoes, green peppers, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, salt, and hot pepper sauce, if using, in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened about 10 minutes.
• LADLE hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding hot salsa. Wipe rim. Centre lid on jar. Apply the band until the fit is fingertip-tight * do not over-tighten the jar
• PROCESS the jars in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude). Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. The lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed.

Notes

Chillies vary in heat, so taste one first. I used about a cup of medium-heat Serrano chillies.

Sealed jars keep in a cool, dark cupboard for up to a year. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within a week. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate it and use within a week.

You can warm the salsa through in a small pan before serving. Nachos don’t reheat well once the salad is on top, so only assemble what you’ll eatMakes about 1.5 litres, enough for 3 × 500 ml jars or 6 × 250 ml jars.

 

Servings: 16

Author: Sam Linsell

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