I tend to utilize what I have growing to make my own fresh salsa and not limit it to just paste type tomatoes. I would like to grow more types of tomatoes geared towards salsa and sauces and would love to hear of some favorites of fellow ATP members.

Following along... I'm starting to plan my garden for next year and thinking about different tomato varieties.

Last year I did make a pico de gallo with some "blueberry" cherry tomatoes and Pink Vernissage tomatoes. They aren't the best flavored tomatoes, but they were beautiful and tasty as a pico de gallo.

I'm a beginner sauce maker, but my first homemade pasta sauce recipe this summer I used a yellow brandywine and it was delicious! Probably not acidic enough to can, but wonderful fresh

My very favorit is San Marzano Redorta





They get a bit big, but are very versatile Great for sauce, thick juice, salsa, or fresh eating. These are pictures from last year, I didn't have any this year, as I killed my seedlings Long story, but I really missed them.

Not new to this site but 1st time here on V&F forum, plus I like putting my 2 cents in, even though that tends to get me on the s%#t list at work. My wife ( who doesn't garden and seems to REALLY dislike my 2 cents most of the time ) likes the sweet 100 variety if they're picked, washed and cooled ( which doesn't happen often ) and if you're familiar with this tomato, it's very prolific, so when I end up with more than can be eaten in salads or given away I'll puree them and use that as a base. They are actually very good in salsa and their sweetness makes a nice contrast to the heat.

tveguy3 said:My very favorit is San Marzano Redorta

• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'San Marzano Redorta')
• Uploaded by tveguy3

• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'San Marzano Redorta')
• Uploaded by tveguy3

• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'San Marzano Redorta')
• Uploaded by tveguy3

• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'San Marzano Redorta')
• Uploaded by tveguy3

They get a bit big, but are very versatile Great for sauce, thick juice, salsa, or fresh eating. These are pictures from last year, I didn't have any this year, as I killed my seedlings Long story, but I really missed them.

Your San Marzano Retortas are gorgeous!!

Last year I had the plain San Marzano, this year the SMR. There is no comparison. The common San Marzanos are small and dry. These San Marzano Retortas are large and lovely and taste great. I sure do 2nd the recommendation. These have made onto the favorites list already for this year.

Another I just have fallen in love with this year for adding into salads and making salsa are ones called Ivory Egg. They are more of a pear shape than egg shaped but the size of a large egg or larger. I want to call them a yellow tomato but they are actually a very pale color so fit into the white tomato class. Will post a picture of them later.

deleted because it was not the topic

@TsFlowers, your recipe makes me hungry. I copied it and added it to my recipe book. Thanks for sharing.

San Marzanos are nice but we make salsa from whatever is ripe when the ambition hits to make salsa. Since our garden has around thirty or thirty-five varieties and none are specifically salsa tomatoes it is interesting what flavors and colors we come up with. It seems like we get better salsa without a specific variety.

Oops, I apologize everyone. I thought the topic was post your "favorite salsa recipe". I guess my brain is hot!

Hey, we love the salsa recipe.

Here are those Ivory Egg tomatoes I was recommending.

TS: put the recipe back up. It fits in and sounded good and I didn't get it copied yet.

Here is San Marzano Retorta and also for comparison one of those Ivory egg tomatoes I was also raving about for a nice salsa tomato. Ivory egg, size of a large egg. SMR, really large. Fantastic flavor and great eating or cooking or salsa tomatoes.

I have used many different types of tomato for salsa. When I make a regular red or green hot sauce I like to use a dryer tomato like one of the paste types. When I make the chunky salsa for dipping chips I use whatever I have. For the Green sauce I use Tomatillos.

Love green sauce. I used to make Salsa Verde from the green tomatillos when I grew them years ago.

It depends on what else I am putting in my salsa and how I will use it, but I like roasted 'Black Prince'. It is so dark it looks black from a distance, and the flavor is as intense as the color; and I sometime like roasting tomatoes which enhances their flavor because of the caramelization. If I use cilantro this tomato helps tone it down a little. If there are other things I want to come out in the salsa besides tomato then I like almost any plumb tomato since they tend to be mellower in flavor.

Of course flavors are like artwork, music, ball teams, etc... one person loves one while another says "blah!" Also, what the salsa goes with/on will make a difference. If it's for dipping chips I like this tomato; if it garnishes a dish it can either overpower other things, or if it added before baking it might be softened enough that the flavors are muted (which could be good or not depending on what you're going for).

(edited for this addition:)

BTW I have only grown 'Black Prince' - I have never seen it in a grocery store (haven't thought to look at our farmer's market). I believe it is an heirloom but please don't hold me to that since I can't remember for sure. It has always been a good producer for me; I try to go with heirlooms since I like the flavors better than most hybrids... but maybe that opinion needs to be in alt.religion rather than here. ;-)

DigginDirt said:It depends on what else I am putting in my salsa and how I will use it, but I like roasted 'Black Prince'. It is so dark it looks black from a distance, and the flavor is as intense as the color; and I sometime like roasting tomatoes which enhances their flavor because of the caramelization. If I use cilantro this tomato helps tone it down a little. If there are other things I want to come out in the salsa besides tomato then I like almost any plumb tomato since they tend to be mellower in flavor.

Of course flavors are like artwork, music, ball teams, etc... one person loves one while another says "blah!" Also, what the salsa goes with/on will make a difference. If it's for dipping chips I like this tomato; if it garnishes a dish it can either overpower other things, or if it added before baking it might be softened enough that the flavors are muted (which could be good or not depending on what you're going for).

(edited for this addition:)

BTW I have only grown 'Black Prince' - I have never seen it in a grocery store (haven't thought to look at our farmer's market). I believe it is an heirloom but please don't hold me to that since I can't remember for sure. It has always been a good producer for me; I try to go with heirlooms since I like the flavors better than most hybrids... but maybe that opinion needs to be in alt.religion rather than here. ;-)

Black Prince is an heirloom. I can't imagine how anyone could get them unless you grew your own. Or knew someone like me that grows them and is willing to share some. Yup, they sure do taste good.

I very much like the chocolate or black tomato flavor. I find it even more intense than that of the "purples" like Cherokee Purple.

I have one besides Black Prince I am growing called Amazon Chocolate but that is a large beefsteak type slicer. The Black Prince is not so large. Large enough for a slicer but not much prone to cracking as many of the heirloom beefsteak types are.

Yup, Black Prince is a great tomato.

If your wanting something really small I might suggest these Chocolate Pear tomatoes. Not very big as you can see from the quarter there for scale. But they are very tasty, go great in salsa or salad. Or make nice snacks.



Again, these have that nice dark tomato flavor.

Thanks, Rita. I didn't put in a vegetable garden this yard - too busy getting the raised beds in the front yard put together, so the heat was here before I was able to deal with veggies (nice break this year). I thought the 'Black Prince' was heirloom but couldn't remember - thanks!

I've grown several yellow and red/yellow striped varieties that I liked in picos because they paired nicely with other veggies. I haven't try them in salsas by themselves (I've thrown one in a couple times with various red ones) because of their sweetness but I would think they would bring interesting undertones to the party.

Reading your post, Rita, reminded me I have a friend from Latin America who makes a salsa with chocolate sometimes. I don't know what all she puts in it but it has habaneros, (and sometimes jalapenos) and the chocolate enhances the hot very nicely. I know she just throws in any kind of tomato she has on hand since the tomato is more of a base ingredient rather than a specific flavor. Excellent but it doesn't last long at parties so we have to get in line early!

Never heard of salsa with real chocolate in it before this.