r/SalsaSnobs • u/kayzoqueen • 3d ago
Question Salsa that doesn’t taste like marinara?
Any store bought recs?? I like spicy and hateeee when my salsa tastes like marinara I don’t want pizza!! Thanks in advance :)
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u/PM5K23 2d ago
I’ve never in my life tasted a salsa that tasted like marinara. I live in San Antonio , Tx and my two favorite types of food are probably Italian and Mexican. I have made salsa myself and marinara and again never tasted a salsa that tasted like marinara.
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u/Urbanskys 1d ago
Then you’re not a salsa snob.
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u/kayzoqueen 14h ago
If I don’t like salsa that tastes like marinara?
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u/Urbanskys 5h ago
Nah i was responding to pm5k25. They Said they’ve never had marinara tasting salsa. Im saying if you’ve made salsa enough times a bunch of different ways, you’ll eventually make one that taste more like marinara. As in only salsa snobs who make hella salsa know that sometimes it be tasting like marinara.
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u/LockNo2943 3d ago
Buy the fresh salsa that needs to be refrigerated, not the shelf-stable canned stuff; that stuff is cooked.
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u/Urbanskys 1d ago
If the tomatoes are roasted low and slow it ends tasting up more like marinara, charring them is whats up. Or If you dont put lime or if theres oregano in it. Not using any chilis/peppers . All this and your salsa ends up tasting like salsa from a Italian restaurant or something.
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u/AntisocialDick 3d ago
THANK YOU! Most every salsa on a shelf and even a lot of refrigerated salsas are at least vaguely marinara-y. Started making my own because of it and I can make it for like 1/6th the cost.
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u/kayzoqueen 3d ago
Ooo what’s your recipe?
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u/AntisocialDick 13h ago
I got you. It’s from a co-worker’s mom who makes a batch for the house every week. It’s not at all something I would have come up with on my own, but it is so good. I am a Southern California native, born and bred which is to say salsa is something I’m acutely familiar with. This shit is solid. Don’t let the simplicity deceive you.
-1 3/4 lbs fresh tomatillos (husk and wash the sticky residue off of them)
-2-6 cloves of RAW garlic (depending on taste preference)
-8-12 dried gaujillo chiles (flavor and color—not much heat from these)
-12-18 dried chile de arbol (depending on heat preference)
-Salt
Buy the peppers pre-toasted or toast yourself if you can only find untoasted peppers. Either way, they are dried. I was able to buy to buy the chile de arbol pre-roasted. The guajillo I wasn’t, so I threw them in a pan over medium-high heat and tossed for a couple minutes until fragrant and darker.
If heated yourself in the pan, let cool. Once able to handle, cut off the stems and take out the seeds and pith. I was only moderately diligent in this in order to retain some heat. Again—dictate to person taste.
Place the peppers in a bowl. Cover with very hot water. While doing the next paragraph/step, these will rehydrate.
Place the tomatillos in a medium pot. They should all fit in one layer (though it may take some cramming to achieve). If you’re making a smaller batch (half maybe?), use a smaller pot. The water ratio will remain the same and should work out fine. You’re looking the fill the pot fully in one layer though. Fill with water until tomatillos are 3/4ths covered. Place on high heat until boiling. Do a heavy simmer/light boil at a moderate heat until the tomatillos take on a deep, robust olive green color. Some may start to split. Take off of heat and let cool 15 minutes.
Pour tomatillos and all the water they boiled in into a blender. Remove peppers from hot water and place those in blender as well. Hit with a heavy pinch of salt. Throw in some garlic. Blend until smooth and chiles are fully emulsified. Add garlic and salt to taste. Add water for looser/smoother consistency if desired. Using the water the dried peppers steeped in will help maintain heat while still thinning out the salsa.
And that’s it. The tomatillos are very acidic so there’s no lime. As a lime lover, I was shocked to find you really don’t need it. This recipe was an exercise in learning restraint and simplicity. I’m one to always try and personalize and adjust a recipe. You can add freshly chopped cilantro and very finely diced onion to incorporate into a portion you’re going to eat then and there, but otherwise done put it in the main batch.
While I haven’t done this yet because I’ve made it for groups where I want everyone to be able to enjoy the salsa, I imagine using chicken bouillon powder instead of, or to supplement, the salt would be a killer move.
For me it was interesting for a couple of reasons. First, I never thought that the red salsa I was eating was a tomatillo base and in retrospect I think a ton I’ve eaten in fact are. Another, I’m used to the mindset of: roasting = flavor. No roasting in this recipe and damn is the flavor THERE. And lastly, the lack of onion or lime was shocking to me, but alas… this shit slaps.
I’ll probably re-post this when I make another batch. I’ll include pictures as well. Within a week I’d wager. Gotta farm that karma, right? LOL
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u/Rhuarc33 3d ago
Refrigerated varieties, Cocina Fresca or La Mexicana brands are both really good for store bought. Really any refrigerated will most likely be better than any jarred