ONE CAN SALSA

One Can Salsa

Salsa is one of those must-have condiments if you’re following a low sodium diet. A couple of spoonfuls can enliven plain baked or grilled chicken. The same with fish. Add some salsa and you’ve instantly created a tasty meal. Salsa does wonders for eggs too. Want fantastic scrambled eggs? Saute some salsa in oil or butter before adding beaten eggs. Or use salsa as the filling and topping for an omelet. Fix up some speedy huevos rancheros by poaching eggs in salsa and serving over corn tortillas. Top refried beans with it. Use salsa instead of tomato sauce in and on top of meatloaf. Combine salsa and mashed avocado for guacamole. Make Spanish rice with salsa and chicken broth. Use salsa instead of catsup on hamburgers. Slow cook a chuck roast or pork shoulder with salsa. Shred for burritos, tacos, or enchiladas. And, of course, who can resist salsa and tortilla chips? Uses for salsa are only limited by your imagination.

Store bought salsa, whether fresh or jarred, often contains way too much sodium. So what are some low sodium options? One alternative is to make your own homemade salsa.

During the summer, you can get delicious, garden-fresh tomatoes (either from your garden or a farmers market). But unfortunately, those wonderful summer tomatoes eventually disappear.

What’s the answer? One Can Salsa! Start with a can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, add a few other ingredients, and you can easily make a delicious low sodium salsa. And it makes less than 2 cups, so you’re not dealing with a pile of leftovers.

Here’s the recipe:  (Adapted from Happier than a Pig in Mud blog)

One Can Salsa
(Printable Recipe)

1 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained* (reserve drained tomato juice)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion (shallots or green onions are fine too)

1 clove garlic

Pinch sugar

⅛ teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro**

1 teaspoon lime juice or vinegar

¼ - ½ fresh jalapeno (I have good luck keeping cut jalapeno fresh by wrapping the leftover portion in aluminum foil)

Blend all ingredients in a small food processor. Add spoonfuls of reserved tomato juice if too thick. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (one hour would be better). Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts to your own tastes.

* For a hotter version, use 1 can of no-salt-added Rotel

**CILANTRO: Fresh cilantro adds a unique flavor to salsa. However, once you use a few sprigs, storing the rest of the bunch becomes a problem. There are plenty of ideas online about how to keep cilantro from going bad. I’ve tried several methods and finally zeroed in on freezing. After using leaves from a fresh bunch, I cut off the stems (plop the bunch on the cutting board and whack off the thicker stems in one fell swoop), wash the remaining leaves and tender stems, and run them through my salad spinner a few times to dry. Then I transfer the leaves to a clean tea towel, roll it up, and let it dry some more in my fridge. Finally I place the leaves in a freezer bag and freeze. Whenever I need some cilantro, I just break off a chunk of frozen leaves. Relatively easy and I always have some decent tasting cilantro on hand. Not as good a fresh, but a whole lot better than dried.