Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Vegetables and Herbs
- 300 g roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 50 g white onion, finely diced
- 15 g jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely minced
- 10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Seasoning
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 11 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 148 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 111 mg
- Calcium
- 6 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 5 mg
- Phosphorus
- 12 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 9 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Core, seed, and dice the Roma tomatoes into uniform 6mm pieces. Finely dice the white onion and mince the jalapeño pepper. Chop the fresh cilantro.
Transfer the diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to a mixing bowl. Pour the freshly squeezed lime juice over the vegetables and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
Allow the mixture to rest at room temperature (around 20°C to 25°C / 68°F to 77°F) for 15 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always use white onion rather than yellow or red. White onion provides the authentic, sharp, clean bite required for traditional Mexican flavor profiles.
- Do not refrigerate the tomatoes before making this recipe. Cold temperatures mute the volatile flavor compounds in fresh tomatoes.
- For the best texture, ensure your chef's knife is razor sharp. A dull knife will crush the tomatoes and bruise the cilantro rather than executing clean cuts.
- If you prefer a milder salsa, ensure all white membranes (placenta) inside the jalapeño are completely removed, as this is where the highest concentration of capsaicin resides.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Tomatoes will soften and release liquid over time.
Troubleshooting
The salsa is too watery
Cause: Tomatoes were not seeded properly or were overly ripe and watery varieties.
Fix: Use a slotted spoon to serve, or gently pour off the excess liquid from the bowl.
Prevention: Always use meaty tomatoes like Romas and scoop out the seeds and excess gel before dicing.
The salsa lacks punch or tastes flat
Cause: Under-seasoning or insufficient resting time.
Fix: Add an extra pinch of salt and a splash of lime juice, stir, and wait 5 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure adequate salt is used and always allow the 15-minute maceration period.
Cultural Context
In Mexico, this preparation is frequently called Salsa Bandera, which translates to Flag Sauce. The ingredients beautifully mirror the colors of the Mexican flag: the green of the jalapeño and cilantro, the white of the onion, and the red of the tomato.
