This spicy salsa is what I like to call the Harvest Special .

If you planned it mighty this summertime — andstarted those first seedslast decline , however early that may seem — everything that goes into this salsa can come direct from your garden right about now , from thegarlicto thetomatoes .

Related : feel First and Last Frost Dates Accurately with This Custom Planting Calendar

Bowl of fermented salsa mixed with a wooden spoon

But why ferment salsa ? Why not normal salsa like you ’ve always made ?

I ’ve used this same recipe for non - fermented salsa and it ’s fine . Great , in reality . But fermentation pushes it over the line to fantastic .

The same bacterium and yeasts that givekrautandkimchitheir distinctive flavors also give this salsa a lustrous and tangy line . It ’s lively on the taste bud without being too sour or too salty .

Salsa ingredients sitting on a cutting board

But savor by , fermentation actually makes this salsagoodfor you ( and good for your gut ) by turn it into a probiotic - laced collation nutrient you may relish guiltlessly or “ sneak ” to picky feeder .

That ’s because fermented salsa undergoes the same process of lacto - tempestuousness as sauerkraut . Simply by letting your salsa sit out for a few days on the counter at elbow room temperature , you boost all sort of good bacterium to multiply — the ones you actually want in your food for thought .

Make this next : Fermented Hot Chile Sauce

Salsa ingredients being prepped and diced on cutting boards

While many recipe for fermented salsa call for the gain of whey or starter culture , this one allow the live bacteria ( that are already present in all your sweet produce ) do the work . It may take a mean solar day or two longer to sour , but the ease of grooming is worth the low wait .

Since you want to assist all that good bacteria thrive , I recommend using the best ripe , constitutional Lycopersicon esculentum if you ’re not growing them yourself .

Spicy Fermented Salsa

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes , diced1/2 flushed onion plant , diced1/2   to 1 jalapeño pepper , moderate ( depending on hotness preference)1/2 serrano common pepper , minced5 clove garlic , minced1/2 loving cup chopped fresh cilantro1/2 teaspoonful priming cumin1 teaspoonful pickling common salt or sea saltJuice from 1 limeExtra - virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a average bowl , mix the first nine ingredients together ( including the seeds and juices from your love apple ) .

teem the salsa into a quart - sized jolt and run a chopstick around the jar to release any trapped air house of cards .

tally a 1/2 - inch layer of olive oil on top . The olive oil colour serves two purposes here : one , it keep the vegetable from rise above the water and growing mold on the airfoil , and two , it adds richness to the salsa once you blend it in .

All ingredients mixed together in a metal bowl

broadly seal off the jar with a lid and leave it out of direct sunshine for a few 24-hour interval . ( I spin the chapeau only a couplet times — enough to keep out dust and pantry pestilence , but loose enough to let ferment accelerator escape . )

The warmer your way temperature is , the faster your salsa will ferment . Within a day or two , you ’ll pop out to see fizzies in the juice as the lactic acid bacteria turn and flourish .

In my very strong kitchen this summer , it took four days for all the ingredients to meld and prepare a bold , tangy feeling . You could leave it for up to a week for the tang to intensify ; the longer you let it ferment , the longer the salsa will keep . ( Not that it would ever last that long in this household ! )

Olive oil pouring into a jar of salsa

Once the salsa ’s to your liking , refrigerate the jar to slow down the ferment process ( and keep the salsa from mother too sour ) .

The olive oil will congeal in the cold temperature , but is perfectly safe to eat . Just mix it in with a spoonful before you use the salsa , or permit the jar rest at elbow room temp before process .

How do you take a salsa that ’s already great and push it over the bound to fantastic ? With ferment ! sour salsa brings all the health benefits of dependable bacterium to the ripe and gamy summer tomatoes you already love . And , it could n’t be easier to make !

Close-up of olive oil layer in a jar of fermented salsa

Notes

Once refrigerate , the European olive tree oil will congeal in the frigid temperature , but is perfectly safe to eat . Just shuffle it in with a spoonful before you use the salsa , or let the jar perch at room temp before serving .

alimentation information is n’t always accurate .

Did you make this recipe?

This post updated from an article that in the beginning appeared on September 19 , 2013 .

View the Web Story onhow to make fermented salsa .

Jar of fermented salsa on a kitchen counter

Spicy Fermented Salsa: Take Tomatoes to the Next Level