A garden fresh banana salsa sounds good, doesn't it? Have you ever tried using banana peppers in your salsa recipes before? They offer a new and interesting ingredient to traditional salsas.
It's the secret ingredient your guests will be asking about. Questions like, "Why is this banana pepper salsa recipe so freaking wonderful?" #bananapeppers
Why This Banana Salsa Is A Must-Try
- 🌶️ Unique Twist with Banana Peppers: Their mild, tangy flavor adds a delightful twist to your traditional salsa, making it a conversation starter at any gathering.
- 🌞 Seasonal Freshness: Use the bounty of the season! This recipe is all about using what's fresh and available, ensuring each bite is packed with nature's freshest flavors.
- 🌱 Versatile and Vibrant: Whether it's a family BBQ or a solo snack time, this salsa fits right in, adding a splash of color and a burst of flavor to any occasion.
⬇️ Table of Contents
What Are Banana Peppers?
The banana pepper (also known as the yellow wax pepper or banana chili) is a medium-sized member of the chili pepper family that has a mild, tangy taste. While typically bright yellow, it is possible for them to change to green, red, or orange as they ripen.
It is often pickled, stuffed, or used as a raw ingredient in foods. It is a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum. Its flavor is not very hot (0-500 Scoville units), and, as is the case with most peppers, its heat depends on the maturity of the pepper, with the ripest being sweeter than younger ones.
Chef Tip: Chile peppers with curved stems are hotter than peppers that have straight stems
🥘 Ingredients
- 🌶️ Banana Peppers: Mild, tangy peppers that add a unique flavor twist to the salsa.
- Jalapenos: Medium-spicy chili peppers that bring a balanced heat to the dish.
- 🍅 Cherry Tomatoes: Sweet and juicy, these tomatoes add a fresh, vibrant taste.
- Hatch Chiles: Known for its earthy and slightly smoky flavor, it enhances the salsa's depth.
- Bell Peppers: Crunchy and mildly sweet, contributing to the salsa's texture and color variety.
Uncle Bobby's Garden Fresh Banana Pepper Salsa
In all fairness to my Uncle Bobby, this post is an interpretation of his salsa.
One of the coolest things about garden fresh salsa is the creativity and all the possibilities. You do not need to have a garden to cook with garden-fresh ingredients.
The trick is to work with seasonal ingredients to maximize the flavor. Lucky for us, grocery stores are awesome nowadays. Shop seasonal...
At the time of writing this article, it is mid-summer, and grocery produce is pumping out some of the best stuff of the year.
Uncle Bobby Working In The Garden
Watch Our How-To Video Below
Uncle Bobby in the kitchen with the freshest of fresh ingredients for today's garden fresh salsa.
Fresh Garden ingredients my mother posted on Instagram the other day.
📖 Quick History of Salsa
The term "salsa" was indeed coined by the Spanish; the condiment known as "salsa" has been around long before the Spanish were exposed to it. Going as far back as 3000 BC, the Aztecs took chilies with tomatoes or tomatillos and combined them to produce salsa.
When Was the Spanish introduced to Salsa?
After they conquered the Aztecs (1519-1521), the Spanish only then came to know and love salsa.
Some say it was the conquistadores who first called it salsa.
Others say it was a Spanish priest and missionary named Alonso de Molina who named it in 1571.
💭 Faqs
The best time of year in the USA is in the latter part of the year. Other world regions have a slightly different growing season.
Learn all about tomatoes. Check out our article on 45 Types Of Tomatoes
Hatch chile season begins in late July and runs until early October on a long season.
Learn about the Hatch Chile season
Banana pepper is five times milder than jalapeno peppers
📖 Recipe
Garden Fresh Banana Pepper Salsa 🌶️
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
The Peppers
- 2 whole Banana Peppers
- 1 whole Hatch Peppers sliced thin
- 1 whole Fresno Peppers sliced thin / remove the seed and rib
- 2 whole Jalapenos sliced thin / remove the seed and rib
- 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
Salsa Ingredients
- ½ medium Red Onion
- 6 medium Greenhouse Tomatoes / Roma tomatoes work well
- 12 Cherry Tomatoes
- 4 cloves Fresh Garlic
- 1 whole Limes taste, season & adjust
- 1 ½ tablespoon Cilantro
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- To create an excellent salsa with multiple textures, take half of the peppers, tomatoes, and onion and give them a few chops with a knife. Next, put them in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients 3, 4, and 5 times. Make sure you do not over-chop or puree. We want the texture.
- If you over-pulse the salsa, it will turn pink.
- Remove from the food processor and place in a strainer, over a bowl to drain off excess water.
- Chop the other half of the ingredients to a nice mouthfeel size for salsa.
Cooking Salsa
- Yes, cooking the salsa, but only a small bit of it. You certainly could cook all of it. IE the food processed ingredients.
- Take half of the food processed chop mix from the strainer and add to a small pot turn on the heat to med-high and cook for 4 to 6 minutes. Watch for the water to cook out a bit and tighten up. This develops the sugars in the peppers and tomatoes and creates a deeper, richer flavor profile.
- Combine all the ingredients together, then add in your salt, pepper, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. Add in a pinch of cumin and chili powder has been a hit in the past.
- Serve with tortilla chips. Best experience, cut and fry your own tortilla chips from corn tortillas. You get to control the size of the chips by cutting them into size. Fry on medium to medium-high heat.
Notes
Additional Ingredients To Consider
-
Serranos:
- Flavor Profile: Serrano peppers are hotter than jalapenos but offer a crisp, bright flavor.
- Use: Perfect for those who enjoy an extra kick in their salsa. Dice finely to distribute heat evenly.
-
Mangos:
- Flavor Profile: Sweet and tropical, mangos add a fruity contrast to the salsa.
- Use: Dice into small cubes and mix in for a sweet, juicy burst that complements the heat of the peppers.
-
Pineapple:
- Flavor Profile: Pineapple brings a tangy sweetness and a bit of acidity.
- Use: Chop into small pieces for a tropical twist. Its acidity balances the richness of the peppers.
Garnish Suggestions
-
Cubed Avocado:
- Preparation Tip: For a refreshing coolness, place avocados in the freezer briefly before plating/serving.
- Use: Adds a creamy texture and a subtle, buttery flavor that contrasts beautifully with the salsa's zest.
-
Fresh Cilantro:
- Flavor Profile: Cilantro offers a fresh, citrusy note.
- Use: Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the salsa just before serving for an added layer of freshness.
-
Lime Wedges:
- Flavor Profile: Lime provides a zesty, tangy flavor.
- Use: Serve with lime wedges on the side, allowing guests to add an extra splash of citrus to their portion.
-
Crumbled Queso Fresco:
- Flavor Profile: This soft, mild cheese adds a creamy, slightly salty touch.
- Use: Sprinkle over the top of the salsa for a delightful contrast in textures and flavors.
-
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas):
- Flavor Profile: Nutty and crunchy, adding a delightful texture.
- Use: Sprinkle toasted pepitas over the salsa for a nutty crunch.
Shawn Neubauer says
Can you can this without vinegar? Is there enough acid?
Steven Pennington says
You could easily skip the "Lime" if you like. The addition of Lime brings a touch of extra freshness/acid. If you don't like Lime you could try orange juice, or really any fresh juice that has acid. Hope you enjoy!
Sarah L Pelkey says
This recipe sounds great! I have all the fresh ingredients from my garden. I want to make this salsa. Is it ok to freeze or can this, I plan on making a large amount?
Steven Pennington says
Great question | Yes, freeze away. The trick to freezing for a few months is having enough fat to (encapsulate/preserve). Otherwise> the longer freeze times> you'll get freezer burn. (Overly frosty ice crystals) I would suggest making the salsa, puree the salsa, bag the salsa (ZipLock((-fill-pretty full) (2nd, using a larger(freeze bag) place the salsa in the larger bag and fill the remaining bag with water. Then into the freezer. The water will freeze and create a stronger protection environment around the garden salsa for longer storage.
jack burton says
Try pineapple juice. I would suggest you hold a small batch back without vinegar or other citrus, and then add the pineapple juice. No need to waste a whole batch if you don't like it. For us, though, it gives a great balance between the hot/spicy and the sweet. Like being in the Caribbean Islands. I'd start with a table spoon of juice to about one cup of salsa and see where you go from there.
Arlene says
How much cilantro? The recipe doesn't say.
Steven Pennington says
Thank you for the information. Sorry about that. I suggest using 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons. The idea with the Cilantro is to add a pop of additional freshness. Enjoy!
Janet says
Have you ever canned it for use later
If so how long in pressure canner
Steven Pennington says
Cannot say I've tried that. I do know the texture would be much softer. There would be a small amount of fermentation in flavor development. Overall, canning would be creating a new product. Not salsa. I'm interested. If you do give it a go, please come back and share your findings/experiment.
Jennifer Cook says
Thanks for the suggestion of cooking down the "juice". I'll try it. We have the ingredients coming in from the garden now.