Fresh Chunky Tomato Salsa

• 1 ½ lb roma tomatoes, about 6, seeded and diced
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
  Swaps for kosher salt

  Instead of salt

  • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
  • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

  More for salt

• ½ medium white onion, finely diced
  Swaps for white onion

  Instead of onion

  • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
  • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
  • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

  All 4 swaps for onion

• 1 jalapeños, seeded and minced (keep seeds for more heat)
  Swaps for jalapeños

  Instead of jalapeños

  • Serrano: About half as many. Hotter and brighter.
  • Poblano or Anaheim pepper: About half a poblano for each jalapeño. Much milder and earthier.
  • Canned diced green chiles: 2 tbsp for each jalapeño. Mild and soft; no crunch.

  All 4 swaps for jalapeños

  Wear gloves or wash your hands well after cutting hot peppers, and keep them away from your eyes.

• ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
  Swaps for cilantro

  Instead of cilantro

  • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
  • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
  • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

  More for cilantro

• 2 tbsp lime juice, from 1 to 2 limes
  Swaps for lime juice

  Instead of lime juice

  • Lemon juice: The same amount. Milder aroma; still bright.
  • Bottled lime juice: The same amount. Flatter and more sour; fine in cooked dishes.
  • Rice vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sour without the citrus aroma.

  More for lime juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  Swaps for garlic

  Instead of garlic

  • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
  • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

  More for garlic

• tortilla chips, to serve

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.