✕

Old El Paso-Style Copycat Salsa

Jarred salsa has three hallmarks — slightly sweet, a tangy vinegary bite, and soft cooked veg. Raw pico de gallo will never hit that note. You have to simmer it, and you have to be honest about the sugar.

serves 6 10 mins sauce vegan quick
Old El Paso-Style Copycat Salsa

why it works

Made at home you control exactly how much sugar and salt goes in, which is where the shop-bought jars do all their damage. Half a teaspoon of honey across a whole jar's worth is nothing next to what a commercial salsa carries.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, finely blended or mashed
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste or purée
  • ⅓ cup finely diced onion
  • ⅓ cup finely diced green or red pepper
  • 1 tsp white or cider vinegar
  • ½–1 tsp sugar or honey
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • pickled jalapeños, chopped, or a dash of chilli powder

Method

  1. Splash of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry the diced onion and pepper for 3–4 minutes until soft. Soft cooked veg is one of the three things that makes jarred salsa taste jarred.

  2. Stir in the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, cumin and the jalapeños or chilli.

  3. Simmer gently on low heat for 8–10 minutes so the tomatoes break down and the flavours meld.

  4. Taste it. If it doesn't taste sufficiently jarred, another pinch of sugar and a drop more vinegar will get you there. Serve warm, or fridge it for ten minutes.

remix

  • Drop the sugar entirely and add an extra pinch of smoked paprika — you lose some of the jarred character but it's still good
  • Pickled jalapeños give a sharper heat than fresh chilli here
  • Blend it fully smooth for a taco sauce
  • Green pepper is more authentically Old El Paso; red is sweeter
  • Keeps a week in the fridge