Fresh Salsa

Michael Eisenwasser

Print Recipe

A bright, chunky pico-style salsa that skips the onion and garlic without skipping the punch.

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegan

Ingredients

• 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, small-diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/3 cup chives, finely chopped (or scallion greens, green tops only)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Prep the Tomatoes

1. Quarter each roma lengthwise, scrape out the seedy core with a spoon, and small-dice the flesh. Draining the cores keeps the salsa from going watery.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Mix

1. Add the chives, cilantro, and minced jalapeño to the tomatoes.
2. Squeeze in the lime juice and scatter the salt, cumin, smoked paprika (if using), and a few grinds of pepper over the top.
3. Toss gently with a spoon until everything is coated.

Rest and Serve

1. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so the salt draws out a little tomato juice and the flavors open up.
2. Taste and adjust — more lime for brightness, more salt for depth, more jalapeño for heat.
3. Serve with corn tortilla chips, spooned over eggs, or alongside grilled chicken or fish.

Tips & Substitutions

• Chives or scallion greens — not onion. Both give you the sharp allium note without the fructans in the white bulb. Use whichever you have; quantities are interchangeable.
• Romas drain better than round tomatoes. Plum varieties are meatier and less watery, which keeps the salsa chunky. Round (common) tomatoes work in a pinch — just scoop the seeds out more aggressively.
• Cherry tomatoes in the winter. When romas are mealy, swap in 2 cups halved or quartered cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are low-FODMAP in moderate serves per Monash — keep portions moderate and check the app for the current serving size.
• Taste the jalapeño first. Heat varies wildly pepper to pepper. Start with half, taste the finished salsa, then add more. Remove the seeds and ribs for a milder bite. Chili heat can be an IBS trigger even when FODMAPs are low — reduce or omit if you're spice-sensitive.
• Skip store-bought salsa. Nearly every jarred salsa lists onion and garlic in the first three ingredients. Fresh is the reliable move.
• Add a splash of garlic-infused olive oil. About a teaspoon drizzled in gives you a garlic backnote without the fructans. Use oil that's been fully strained (no garlic pieces); commercial garlic-infused oil is the simplest safe option.

Why This Works

Roma tomatoes at 1 small per serve. Monash lists plum-variety tomatoes (romas) as low-FODMAP at 1 small tomato per serve. Four romas split 6 ways keeps each portion well inside the safe range, with headroom if you go back for seconds.

Chives and scallion greens instead of onion. Onion's fructans live in the white bulb, not the green tops. Chives are entirely green, and the green parts of scallions test low at Monash's standard serves. Both deliver the sharp allium note the salsa needs without the FODMAPs.

Cilantro and lime juice are low-FODMAP in normal culinary amounts. Both sit comfortably inside the thresholds used in recipes, so you can reach for them freely for brightness.

Fresh, not jarred. Commercial salsas almost always start with onion and garlic. Making it from whole ingredients is the only reliable way to keep the base clean — and it takes ten minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The tomatoes soften and release more liquid over time, so it's best in the first 24 hours. Drain off excess liquid before serving on day two or three. Don't freeze — the tomatoes go mushy on thaw.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.