Fermenting makes homemade salsa an easy zero-waste swap for store-bought. Simply mix all the ingredients together, pack them in a jar, and a few days later your salsa is ready!

This barbecued corn salsa is another family favourite. I usually cook the corn when we’re having a barbecue dinner, so it’s ready to use in the salsa the next day.

1 QUART (1 L)

1 corn cob in the husk (or 1/2 cup/125 mL frozen corn kernels)

2 cups (500 mL) chopped Roma tomatoes (4 tomatoes)

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced yellow onion (1 medium onion)

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced green bell pepper (1/2 pepper)

1 hot chili pepper with seeds (optional)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1-1/2 tsp non-iodized salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp pineapple vinegar 

Gently open the husk of the corn and remove as much silk as you can. Close the husk back around the corn again and soak the cob in water for 5 minutes. Grill on medium heat until cooked, 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Mix the tomatoes, onions, green peppers, chili pepper, and garlic in a bowl. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and cumin. Slice the corn kernels off the cob and add them to the salsa. (If you’re using frozen corn, add it now.) Pack the salsa into a jar for fermenting, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace.

Stir in the vinegar. There should be enough liquid from the tomatoes to fully submerge the vegetables, but if not, add a few tablespoons of water. Use a weight to keep the vegetables submerged in the liquid and cap with a lid. Put the jar in a cupboard to ferment for 2–3 days.

Store in the fridge and use within 1 month.

TIP: If you haven’t made pineapple vinegar (which you should—it’s easy and delicious!), use raw apple cider vinegar instead.

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Learn more about Fermenting Made Simple: 

Shortlisted for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Looking to improve your gut health in a fun and flavourful way? This collection of 80+ recipes is a friendly, no-fuss primer on the joys of fermented foods.

In this down-to-earth, no-fuss primer on fermented foods, Emillie Parrish introduces home cooks to deliciously easy DIY cultured foods and the principles of probiotics for health and well-being.

Organized into chapters on fermented vegetables; nuts, seeds, and beans; grains; dairy; sourdough; and beverages (plus ideas for adding your ferments to snacks and meals) the book’s 80+ recipes emphasize simplicity over specialized ingredients or equipment. The book is entirely vegetarian and includes a number of recipes specifically for gluten-free or vegan diets. From kimchi, pickles, and salsa to ginger bug, yogurt, and spreads, you'll soon have a kitchen full of tasty fermented foods.

With beautiful photography, thorough guidelines on sanitizing, advice on mould (it’s not all bad!), and best practices for storing your ferments for the short- and long-term, Fermenting Made Simple will teach you how to make affordable, no-cook and zero-waste pickles, condiments, snacks, and treats. All of your meals will burst with flavour!

Recipe by Emillie Parrish from Fermenting Made Simple, copyright © 2022 by Emillie Parrish. Reprinted with permission of TouchWood Editions.