Recipe

This Key Lime Salsa Is Perfect for Summer

By Emily Chaisson at University of Massachusetts

As a young cherub of 15 years old, I had just started expanding my food horizons and started trying new things. In the year 2010, my family and I went on a cruise where one of the stops was Key West, Florida. We did a tour of the city and visited this cute little pie shop called Kermit’s Key Lime Shop. They had key lime flavored everything, and my eyes were drawn to the Key Lime Cilantro Salsa.

Every Christmas and birthday since 2010, my family has bought me a case of about 12 jars of salsa and it’s all gone within 2-3 months (that’s 4-6 jars a month, guys). This past summer I started trying to make my own copycat recipes and decided to make a copycat Kermit’s Key Lime Cilantro Salsa. It may taste different than the one from the actual shop, but family and friends have begged me to share the recipe, so here it is.

Key Lime Salsa

  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Servings: 32 servings
  • Medium
Ingredients
  • 8 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 habanero pepper (seedless)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper (seedless)
  • 2 jalapeno peppers (seedless)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (1 clove garlic)
  • 1 bunch of cilantro, stemless
  • 2-3 tablespoon Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice
  • 2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 1

Dice those tomatoes and add to a bowl.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 2

Chop onion (try not to cry).

#SpoonTip: Light a candle while chopping the onion to reduce tears.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 3

Spoon and chop the red bell pepper.

#SpoonTip: Wear gloves when cutting peppers so your hands don’t burn.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 4

Spoon and chop them spicy jalapeno peppers.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 5

Spoon and chop that hot hot habanero pepper.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 6

Rinse and chop the bunch of cilantro finely.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 7

Add the key lime juice.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 8

Add garlic.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 9

Add salt.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 10

Add pepper.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 11

Add cider vinegar.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 12

Mix together.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 13

Process it all in a food processor.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Step 14

Pour into bowl and enjoy.

Photo by Emily Chaisson

Want more salsa in your life? Check out these articles: