Red Onion Salsa

This red onion salsa leans heavy on fresh herbs and sharp, sweet red onion for a condiment that’s more garden than jar. Two full cups of red onion give it a punchy bite that raw white or yellow onion just can’t match, while the combo of both cilantro and parsley delivers a double hit of green, grassy freshness.

Keep the texture chunky for chips, or pulse it in a food processor for a smoother salsa that works as a sauce over grilled chicken or fish. Either way, use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Mealy, off-season tomatoes will water down the flavor and make the whole thing taste like nothing.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. That rest time lets the salt draw out the tomato juices and mellow the raw onion bite, blending everything into something much more cohesive than what you first mixed up.

Pro Tips

• Soak the chopped red onion in ice water for 5 minutes first to tame the sharpness if you’re sensitive to raw onion
• Drain excess tomato seeds and liquid before mixing if you want a thicker, chunkier salsa
• Season to taste after resting, not before. The flavors concentrate as they sit

Variations

• Add a minced jalapeno or serrano pepper for heat
• Squeeze in fresh lime juice for a brighter, more traditional Tex-Mex flavor
• Swap half the tomatoes for diced mango or peach during summer for a fruity twist