Make Your Salsa Even Tastier With A Simple Serving Tip

Nothing compares to a homemade salsa — such as a classic pico de gallo. The combination of fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, and lime juice is simple but undeniably delicious. Whether you're mixing it into a hearty breakfast burrito recipe, or adding it alongside a plate of tortilla chips before dinner, salsa is sure to please. And while the prospect of serving up a bowl of just-made salsa is definitely appealing to any home cook hoping to keep the ingredients as fresh as possible, you actually might want to let it rest before serving.

With a dish like salsa, which combines a myriad of raw ingredients, it might seem counterintuitive to let it rest. However, doing so for even just 20 minutes can help the flavors of the various ingredients to meld together. A good stint in the refrigerator allows the minced, aromatic ingredients to combine more fully so that the result tastes like more than just the sum of its ingredients and develops a distinct flavor.

Though a short time in the fridge is enough to enhance the taste, letting your salsa sit in there overnight will bring out even more of its flavors' depth and complexities. It also allows certain ingredients, such as lime, to mellow and taste a bit less acidic. So the secret to the best salsa is not just using fresh ingredients, but also having patience.

Salsa isn't the only food to improve with time. Dishes such as curries, stews, and even cold pizza, are well known for their flavors getting better after some time in the fridge. But why is this? Let's dig in. Dr. Kantha Shelke, the principal of a food science and nutrition research and regulatory affairs firm, said in an interview with Forbes that foods that tend to improve with time are those with "distinct aromatic properties." These include onion, garlic, peppers, herbs. "Aromatic ingredients tend to undergo a larger number of reactions that produce flavor and aroma compounds which in turn react with the proteins and the starches," Dr. Shelke said. "In general, as the food cools and is left to sit in the fridge, and then re-heated, some of these reactions continue to take place resulting in improved flavor."

That explains why salsa, which is comprised almost entirely of aromatic ingredients, is a prime candidate for fridge time. But although some time in the fridge is good, it's important not to let your salsa sit for too long. Due to its makeup of fresh ingredients, a salsa's shelf life is relatively short. Your fresh salsa should only be refrigerated for up to three days. After this period, it might not be safe to eat.