This is the time of the year when many gardeners in my neck of the woods start scrambling to harvest their tomatoes before frost gets to them. And that often leaves us with many green tomatoes of all sizes and shapes, and a search for ways to use them all!
Green Tomato Salsa Verde (click on any image to enlarge)
As much as I like ripe tomatoes, I really like the green ones too. I love them fried, pickled, and even made into Green Tomato Bread. And they make tasty relishes and chutneys. But my new favorite thing to do with green tomatoes is to make them into salsa. The tart green sauce is great with tacos, burritos, casseroles – anywhere you might use a red salsa.
green tomatoes for salsa
This is my take on a green salsa that is often made with tomatillos. The tart, firm green tomatoes are combined with mild and hot green peppers plus onions and garlic to make a delicious and versatile salsa.
jars of finished salsa
Use a food processor to make a chunky salsa, or process in a blender to make a smooth version. Either way you do it, this is a great way to use those green tomatoes and capture a little bit of summer in a jar.
Green Tomato Salsa Verde
adapted from several recipes
4 lbs firm, green tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup chopped cilantro(optional)
1. Combine the green tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, salt, cumin and water in large pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften.
2. Add lime juice, honey and cilantro(if using). Let mixture cool before processing.
3. Ladle mixture into food processor or blender and process until the salsa has the consistency you prefer. Process in batches if necessary.
4. Makes about 5 pints of salsa, which should be stored in refrigerator for about a week or frozen for up to 12 months.
Servings: 40 (serving size 1/4 cup)
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 12 calories, <1 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 229.4mg sodium, 65.8mg potassium, 2.9g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, <1g sugar, <1g protein, 11.7mg calcium, <1g saturated fat.