Stock-Up: Six Saucy Ways To Use Salsa
If you happen to catch a salsa sale or fundraiser, stock up. There are a lot of ways to use salsa that make it a kitchen staple that you should keep on hand.
Stock up on jars of salsa when shopping — and try them in the following six ways:
1. Braised Meats
Did you know that you can braise meat in salsa? It is true; the acidity tenderizes the meat when cooking, so the result is soft, tender, and flavorful. The spicy components of the salsa mellow during extended cooking times but lend a nice depth of flavor to the finished dish. To use, simply replace some or all the braising liquid with salsa, thinning it with a bit of broth or water if it seems too thick.
2. Soup Base
Salsa is a fresh start to a tasty tomato soup. Use a jar of prepared salsa as a tomato soup base instead of crushed or whole tomatoes. Cook down, season to taste, and add a splash of cream at the end. To serve, sprinkle with cheese and cilantro for a delicious detour from ordinary tomato soup. To make it a meal, serve alongside a grilled pepper-jack cheese sandwich.
3. Mac & Cheese
Whether made from scratch or not, salsa makes an excellent and tasty mac and cheese stir-in. After preparing a box of mac and cheese, add a couple of tablespoons of salsa and combine; if making a baked mac and cheese, add to the noodle mixture before baking. Either way, it is a nice change of pace at mealtimes.
4. Hot Noodles
Want an easy and cheap weeknight meal? Prepare your favorite dried pasta or noodles, and after cooking and draining, add a jar of salsa. Stir and season as you wish, add a knob of butter, and serve. The flavor of salsa over hot noodles is delicious, a spicy twist on tomato sauce or marinara.
5. Shrimp Dip
Change things up by pureeing salsa to use as a dip for grilled cocktail shrimp instead of cocktail or tartar sauces. Complement the dip by using lots of Cajun or cayenne on the shrimp when grilling or cooking.
6. Bloody Mary
When mixing cocktails for your brunch, add salsa to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe instead of tomato juice. It thins out when you add other liquids and liquor to the drink but mix well and taste for seasoning before serving. This is delicious paired with eggs habanero, or scrambled eggs and salsa, too!
Stock up on salsa and consider these six saucy ways to use it. Check out salsa fundraisers and salsa sales online to always keep this condiment in the pantry.