This low-fat vegetable salsa for weight loss is packed with flavor, low in calories, and a great way to add a nutritious kick to any Mexican dish. The fresh veggie salsa is full of liver-cleansing vegetables, including orange pepper, cucumber, tomato, onion, and cilantro, seasoned with fresh-squeezed lime juice and a dash of salt and pepper.
The high water content of the vegetables combined with plant fiber provides satiety with minimal calories, making it a fantastic salsa for weight loss. Carbohydrates found in whole-food vegetables are also great for healthy blood sugar levels.
Some form of Mexican tacos, wraps, or bowls are on our weekly dinner menu as they are easy to make, nutritious, and are one of my partner’s favorite cuisines. Thus, I make this fresh vegetable salsa recipe or a similar version weekly!
Plus, homemade salsa stores well and is also a great appetizer or snack to enjoy with corn tortilla chips, so it won’t go to waste if you don’t use it all up right away. If you don’t like spicy foods, you can still enjoy this mild salsa made without hot peppers.
Traditional pico de gallo doesn’t contain cucumber or red pepper, but they are fantastic vegetables to include in a fresh vegetable salsa. This recipe was inspired by a fresh salsa that my sister made at a Mexican dinner that she made, and I loved the addition of cucumber and red pepper. Since then, I have been adding these vegetables to my classic veggie salsa and always enjoy it as it is one of my favorite salsa recipes.
One key tip to making this fresh vegetable salsa recipe without the overpowering onion taste is to dice the onion first and place it in the bottom of a bowl. Then, squeeze fresh lime juice over the onions and let it sit while you chop the remainder of the ingredients. Letting the onions marinate in the lime juice at the bottom of the bowl softens the bite and mellows out the strong raw onion taste.
You will love this salsa for weight loss made with fresh ingredients to boost your weight loss goals. It is low in calories and a great way to add fresh vegetables to Mexican tacos or wraps. My family enjoys this salsa served with seasoned and cooked shredded chicken, basmati rice, refried beans, and avocado in baked corn tortilla shells or warmed-up corn tortillas topped with sour cream or Greek yogurt and Mexican hot sauce for a healthy gluten-free dinner!
It’s such a yummy and healthy dinner that is easy to make lots of for dinner parties or your own family. I often make extra so we can have follow-up Mexican bowls or tacos the next day for lunch.
Fresh Vegetable Salsa Ingredients:
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
1 orange pepper, finely diced
1/2 a long English cucumber, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly squeezed lime juice
How to Make the Vegetable Salsa
Prep the Onion: Begin by finely chopping the onion and placing it at the bottom of a mixing bowl.
Add Lime Juice: Squeeze fresh lime juice over the chopped onion. Lime juice adds a zesty flavor and helps mellow the sharpness of the onion.
Chop the Vegetables: Next, add the chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, finely diced orange pepper, and English cucumber to the bowl.
Season to Perfection: Season the salsa with a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
Mix Well: Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined. Ensure that the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the salsa.
Serve and Enjoy: Once chilled, serve your delicious vegetable salsa alongside Mexican tacos, as a topping for salads or inside Mexican wraps. It’s also great as an appetizer or snack served with corn chips.
Tips and Substitutions
Feel free to customize this fresh veggie salsa recipe according to your taste preferences.
If you like a spicy salsa, add a finely diced jalapeno pepper.
I used an orange pepper, but this can be substituted for any bell pepper, such as red or green pepper. However, I enjoy the sweeter peppers more than a green pepper in this fresh salsa recipe.
For extra plant protein, I often add black beans.
For a sweet twist, try adding fresh chopped mango, which I added to this similar Baja-style fresh salsa recipe.
Canned corn is another excellent addition to this homemade salsa recipe.
I often add a dash of coconut sugar to my fresh veggie salsa to mellow out the acidity, but this is optional, and you only need a tiny bit.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, which will last a few days.
A fresh garden salsa recipe tastes best with local, in-season, and ripe ingredients. If you have access to a local farmer’s market when these vegetables are in season, you will yield the best-tasting salsa. However, the simple and easy to find ingredients can also be bought at a local grocery store, too.
Nutrient Information of the Fresh Vegetable Salsa for Weight Loss
This easy homemade salsa yields 2 servings, but depending on how much you use with your meal, it can make enough for 4 servings. According to Cronometer (a fantastic app for tracking your caloric and nutritional intake), a serving of this veggie salsa contains:
calories: 68
protein: 3g
fat: 1g
carbs: 12g
It is exceptionally high in vitamin C and contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, vitamin A, copper, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
Making your own salsa with fresh veggies is a great way to add liver cleansing vegetables to your diet that are low in fat and calories to support your weight loss goals. One of the reasons why I easily maintain a healthy weight is I focus on eating whole foods with lots of fruits and vegetables. Vegetables are among the best healthy carbohydrates for weight loss.
Plus, this salsa contains cilantro, which is among the best herbs for naturally detoxing heavy metals. I hope you enjoy this flavorful salsa for weight loss with fresh vegetables as much as I do! Healthy eating is enjoyable when you get to enjoy this guilt-free vegetable salsa, which is a flavorful addition to Mexican tacos!
For more homemade salsas you may also like the following recipes:
This fresh vegetable salsa for weight loss only takes 10 minutes or less to chop up and is full of low calorie vegetables that are great for weight loss. The vegetable salsa is a great healthy snack, appetizer or addition to Mexican dishes such as tacos of any kind!
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Total Time 10 minutesmins
Equipment
1 Chopping board
1 knife
1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
⅓cuponion
1lime (juice squeezed)
2mediumfresh tomatoes
1orange pepper
½long English Cucumber
⅓cupcilantro
dashsalt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Finely chop the onion and place in a bowl then cover with the juice from a fresh squeezed lime.
Dice the remainder of the vegetables into small chunks and place in the bowl.
Season with a dash of salt and fresh cracked pepper then stir until well combined.
Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve!
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