Salsa Is The Fresh Dressing Swap For A More Colorful Salad

We know salsa as a delicious dip for chips and a tasty topping for tacos and burritos, but that's not all it's good for. If you're not sure what dressing to use on top of your salad, or if your bottle is running on empty, try subbing in salsa for a fresh, yummy twist. Many simple salsa recipes are packed full of flavorful ingredients that you'd find in any bottled dressing, like green onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. But when you make it yourself, you're just getting the fresh ingredients blended together, sans any additives or preservatives.

There's a ton of variety, considering there's at least 14 different types of salsa out there. So whether you prefer salsa verde or salsa de aguacate (made with avocado blended in), you'll be able to find a type that pairs well with your salad. And unlike a basic bottled vinaigrette, you'll be adding plenty of bright, pretty colors to your dish. 

If you don't just want to pour straight salsa over your salad, there are a few ingredients you can add to turn yours into a salsa-dressing hybrid. If you're a vinaigrette fan, you can combine your freshly made recipe with olive oil and red wine or apple cider vinegar. Before you add anything, you may want to drain off any excess liquid from your salsa to avoid ending up with an overly watery dressing. For best results, blitz all the ingredients together in a blender so everything combines smoothly. Feel free to add more seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lime juice to match your preferences.

If you'd like something thicker, you can also turn your homemade salsa into a creamier dressing. Combine equal parts of your recipe with mayo, ranch, sour cream, or Greek yogurt — or a combination of any of these. You can give everything a whirl in the blender if you'd like for a more consistent texture, but even simply stirring the ingredients together will produce a delicious dressing with a little chunkiness.