Is this salsa? Sorta…but not in the traditional sense. This salsa includes cheese and, wait for it…Italian dressing! See what I mean? Not traditional, but not not good either. A close family friend introduced me to this when I was a kid… a kid who despised tomatoes! I tried it because my mom was giving me the “don’t be rude, just try it” look. I’m pretty sure that turned into a “don’t be rude, stop eating it all!” look pretty quickly.
One thing I love about this recipe is the versatility. For example, I really, really don’t like black olives, so I simply don’t use them. Want it hotter? Throw in some jalapenos! Want to try some new diced tomato mixes (such as a Mexican style diced tomato blend)? Go for it! Everything in this dip is served raw, making it easy to taste as you go and try a bite with a new ingredient to see if you like the flavor profile it creates.
This recipe makes a pretty big batch, but I’ve rarely had leftovers unless I’m just making it for my little household of two. This recipe is difficult to halve without wasting ingredients. If you don’t need a full batch, mix everything together except the cheese, dressing, and green onions. Separate half into a container and freeze it. With the remaining half, add half the amount of dressing and only one bag of cheese, then toss in your diced green onions to taste.
Southern Salsa Dip
Ingredients
- 2 Cans Diced Tomatoes 14.5 oz, each
- 1 Can Rotel Diced Tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 1 Can Chopped Green Chiles 4 oz
- 2 Bags Mexican-Blend Shredded Cheese 8 oz, each or 1 16 oz bag
- 1 Bottle Zesty Italian Dressing 8 oz
- 1 Bunch Green Onions, diced
- 1 Can Black Olives Optional, to taste
- 1 Lime Optional, to taste
- Adobo Seasoning Optional, to taste
- Tortilla Chips For serving
Instructions
- Strain one can of diced tomatoes, Rotel diced tomatoes, chopped green chiles, and black olives (if using)
- Combine strained ingredients with remaining can of tomatoes, cheese, Italian dressing, and black olives (if using)
- Stir in Adobo seasoning, to taste
- Mix in diced green onion, whites included
- Squeeze in lime juice to taste*
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in air tight container until ready to serve
Notes
- The optional ingredients are completely up to your preference
- Adobo is a salty seasoning which you may not have on hand. No need to make an extra store run to obtain it if not. You can simply season with a touch of salt and garlic powder if you want a little extra zang.
- Feel free to use mild, medium, or hot green chiles based on your heat preference. This is a small amount, and I find that even hot chiles don’t bring a lot of heat to the overall dip.
- If you’re making this for a smaller group, mix everything except the cheese, dressing, and green onions. Separate half into a container and freeze. Finish the remaining half by adding one bag of cheese, half the dressing (4 oz) and green onions, to taste. When ready for the other half, simply thaw and add 1 bag of cheese, 4 oz dressing, and green onions.