Quick and Flavorful Blender Salsa (Using The Ninja Chef Duo Blender) |

Anyone who is close to me knows I like to process and can fresh, garden vegetables into delicious, shelf-stable and ready to eat foods – one of which being salsa. Depending on what and how much we have in our garden from year to year determines what assortment of food I preserve. I have tended to cycle through: Salsa, Sofrito, spaghetti sauce, and Heirloom Tomato Basil Soup for variety in our tomato products, but usually end up making more batches of salsa because we use it the most.

My current dilemma is multi-faceted. First, I pulled my last jar of salsa off the shelf a couple of weeks ago. Sure, I could easily purchase jarred salsa from the store…which I still do from time to time…but it isn’t the same or as good as homemade. True story.

Second, we didn’t plant a garden this year. It began when I didn’t get plants started from seed early enough, which then led into an extremely wet and rainy spring and early summer, making the ground unsuitable for planting. Because of this I don’t have any fresh tomatoes for fresh-from-the-garden salsa. Sad story.

Last week when we had taco salad for dinner one night I wanted some fresher tasting salsa. I pulled out a couple cans of fire roasted tomatoes to use as the base for a quick and easy blender salsa. By adding a fresh onion, garlic cloves, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice to the canned tomatoes it livened and brightened them up making a restaurant worthy salsa!

This recipe will make a bit more than a quart of salsa…meaning enough to fill a quart jar, and THEN have myself a small bowl leftover as a tester. Quality control, you know? It’s a must.

If you don’t need an entire quart jar, you can easily halve the recipe. Or, you can make the entire batch and keep it in the fridge to use up within about a week. I like salsa and avocado to accompany my eggs in the mornings…super yum. Chips and salsa are always a great go-to snack as well. My point is…it doesn’t take long to use up a quart of salsa if you try just a little. Enjoy!

-Shelley.

Here’s the printable recipe…

Quick & Flavorful Blender Salsa

Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

This recipe makes a bit more than a quart
Can easily be halved
Store any extra in the fridge to be used within about a week
For a spicier version don’t de-seed jalapeño pepper, use more than one, or use a spicier hot pepper variety
The directions state to use the “Auto IQ” setting on the Ninja Chef Duo Blender. If you are using another type of blender, pulse ingredients on medium to high speed (depending on the power of your blender) until chopped/blended to your liking

Ingredients

2 – 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium white or yellow onion, quartered
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1-2 large jalapeño peppers (de-seeded and veins removed if desired) – more or less to taste
1/2 bunch of cilantro (about 2 large handfuls)
1/2 teaspoon – 1 teaspoon ground cumin (to taste)

Directions

Open cans of fire roasted tomatoes. Peel garlic cloves. Peel and quarter onion. Juice 1/2 of a lime. Wash and de-seed jalapeño. Wash cilantro.
To the blender pitcher add all ingredients.
Secure pitcher lid and lock pitcher into blender base and turn the power on.
On the Ninja Chef “Auto IQ” setting, turn to the “DIP/SALSA” mode. Press start. (If you are using another type of blender, pulse ingredients on medium speed until chopped/blended to your liking).
When the preset timer has ended, remove pitcher from base and pour salsa into serving bowl or quart jar.
Refrigerate any leftovers and use within about a week.