Fresh salsa has the sharp crisp taste of raw vegetables. And canned salsa is dominated by the flavour of the spices. Fermented salsa combines the best of both types of salsa, with a warm rich flavour that perfectly blends the spices and the fresh vegetables.

Fermented Tomato Salsa

Fermenting salsa adds a warm and tangy flavour. It perfectly blends spices and fresh vegetables, for a delicious and probiotic chip dip.

Author: Emillie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 quarts 1x
Category: Condiment
Method: Fermented
Cuisine: Mexican

Scale

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups chopped roma tomatoes (3 lbs)
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cups coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1 hot pepper w/ seeds (optional)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp salt (or 3 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp culture)

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together.
Pack into sterilized jars, leaving 3 inches of headroom, and put on a weight to keep the vegetables submerged. See notes for options.
Ferment somewhere cool and dark for 3 days.
After fermentation either stir in the liquid or drain it off for a thicker salsa. Store the salsa in the refrigerator and eat within 4 weeks.

Notes

I do all my fermenting in a fido. You could also use a mason jar with an airlock or pickle-nipple lid. Or if you want to go low tech, you can ferment in a jar with a loose lid (to allow CO2 to escape during fermentation). Regardless of the container, use a weight to keep the vegetables below the brine. I have glass weights, but a small jam jar would work as well.
Using a starter will make a softer salsa that will ferment faster. And using just salt results in a salty, crunchy salsa. I usually use kefir whey for a starter, but you could also use sauerkraut brine or a purchased starter.
If you want to make a large batch of salsa and preserve it for the winter, I recommend freezing in plastic containers or straight-sided mason jars. Leave an inch of headroom to allow for expansion.