South of the Border Salsa

Filled to the sombrero's brim with tomatoes, peppers, avocado, and more, South of the Border Salsa is full of fresh flavor. Served on the side with chips or as a topping for Mexican dishes, this versatile dip is irresistibly good!

Why We Love It

This past spring was very fulfilling for me--not because of any personal milestones necessarily, but because I got a lot of kitchen cutlery! I bought myself a much needed vegetable scraper. Then my husband bought me a beautiful Nakiri knife for my birthday (it's not strange when you know it completes a set he bought for me previously, right?).

Then I got a vegetable and fruit chopper from my littlest for Mother's Day.

It's funny, because at first I must admit I was skeptical about the chopper (boy oh boy, there's a lot of parts to clean), but that quickly changed. In fact, I've come to realize that this little thing is absolutely amazing--that is, the sort of amazing when you want to cut up tiny amounts of veggies and fruits into perfect, little uniform squares.

And what type of recipe lends itself best to tiny uniform squares? Why, homemade salsa, of course! If you've ever had homemade salsa, you know it's far superior to anything you can buy at the store. Thanks to my little chopper (what did I ever do without it???), I am now a homemade salsa connoisseur. I've come to learn that it's quite fun to chop things into tiny squares. Once you get into the groove, it's also fun to come up with your own salsa recipes!

This South of the Border Salsa has been perfected over the last few months and is one of my favorites. With avocados, tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, garlic and more, it has an amazing flavor that goes so well with tacos and many other of our Mexican meal faves, including Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas and Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup!

Plus making this salsa is always a good excuse now to use my vegetable chopper!

Why You'll Love It

Now let me be clear: you don't need a vegetable chopper to make South of the Border Salsa. You can use a food processor, or you can kick it old school and chop everything by hand.

If you've had homemade salsa in the past, then you already know how delicious it is. It's really easy to make (even if you don't have a certain, special tool) and is so much better for you!

Never had avocado in your salsa before? Well, then you're in for a delicious treat. The avocado in this salsa, along with the minced garlic, adds a hearty, creamy charm to what was already a flavorful, robust base.

Avocados are not only great in this salsa, they are the star of the show in Easy Cheesy Guacamole! Make both of these great dips to take your next party, meal, or snack to the next level!

South of the Border Salsa Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (Roma or Campari preferred)
• 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped, red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (used as a preservative)
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• dash of salt

Feeling a little extra spicy? Throw in a dash of cayenne pepper to take things up a notch!

How to make South of the Border Salsa

You'll want to gather the following equipment:

• vegetable chopper or food processor (use a chef's knife in lieu of these options)
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• medium mixing bowl
• spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• plastic wrap
• garlic mincer
• avocado kitchen tool (optional)
• citrus juicer (optional)

Make South of the Border Salsa in Just a Few Simple Steps:

Prep the ingredients. Whether you're preparing this with a chopper, food processor, or simply using a knife, it's helpful to do the following before you get started:

• Wash and slice tomatoes
• Pit avocado, remove skin and slice into wedges
• Wash jalapeño pepper, cut in half and remove stem and seeds (be mindful when handling that the pepper's spice comes from the seeds and membrane--you might want to wear gloves as a precaution)
• Slice onion and remove outer layer
• Chop the cilantro
• Mince the garlic
• Juice the lime

Dice the tomatoes, avocado, pepper and onion using a chopper, processor or chef's knife. Add these ingredients to your mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Next, add the chopped cilantro and minced garlic; stir.

Drizzle on the lime juice, add a dash of salt and stir.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: You don't need a lot of salt to bring out the flavors in this salsa. Start with just a dash. You can always add a little more later to suit your taste.

South of the Border Salsa tastes best when it sits in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. This gives a chance for the flavors to blend together!

Enjoy South of the Border Salsa with chips, in a salad, with grilled chicken, or alongside your favorite Mexican dish!

South of the Border Salsa Leftovers?

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 days.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: To prevent the avocado from quickly browning, place plastic wrap directly on top of the salsa in the container. Then place another layer of plastic wrap just under the lid before sealing. This double layer method helps to keep air out that causes an enzyme in the avocado to react when it's exposed to oxygen.