Kyl Haselbauer has 20 years of experience working in fine-dining and modernist kitchens, including Bar Cotto and Anchovies &amp; Olives in Seattle. He is also the owner of Bright Spot, a café and coffee shop in Seattle.

Kyl Haselbauer

Ask someone to describe the quintessential Mexican salsa, and odds are that they will list the following ingredients: tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and fresh chiles. These are the key components of salsa Mexicana, the iconic condiment commonly served at restaurants alongside a bowl of crispy totopos to tide you over while you decide on drink orders. If this sounds a lot like pico de gallo, you’re right on the money, as they’re essentially one and the same: a mild salsa that balances the sweet acidity of fresh tomatoes with the pungent bite of raw onion and fresh chiles.For pico de gallo, the ingredients are cut into a small dice, perfect for scooping up with a chip. For this version of salsa Mexicana, I quickly blend everything together to create a smoother, saucier salsa that’s better suited for chip-dipping, and drizzling over tacos. It’s everything you love about pico de gallo, with none of the required knife work, and it comes together in less than a minute. Sounds pretty great, right?

Salsa Mexicana