My talented friend chef Douglas Rodriguez gave me the inspiration for this salsa at a fantastic party he threw. Queso blanco, a staple of Latin cuisine, is uniquely textured, simply yet assertively flavored and quite pleasant to nibble. In this recipe, the cheese balances the acidity of the orange and mango. A no-brainer with chips, queso blanco salsa is a great accompaniment to grilled chicken breasts as well. You can prepare the dressing up to a day before you assemble the salsa. And the salsa is also good a day after — assuming there is any left over.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 20 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 5 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 20 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 5 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup well-rinsed, canned black beans
- 1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions, white and light green parts only
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 3/4 cup crumbled queso blanco
- 3/4 cup diced mango
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped orange sections
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish sherry vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 cup diced ripe avocado
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped Italian parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- To make the Salsa: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the avocado in the order listed. Very gently, fold in the avocado, to avoid smashing the delicate ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- To make the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk them well. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, gently fold the dressing into the salsa. Season to taste and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 351 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 15 mg |
| Sodium | 544 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 351 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 15 mg |
| Sodium | 544 mg |
Reviews
What a great salsa! I made this for a friend’s bbq over the weekend and it was a huge hit! The only substitution I made was using balsamic vinegar instead of sherry vinegar since I couldn’t find it at my supermarket, and it was still fantastic. I’ll definitely be adding this to my list of “go-to” recipes.
This Salsa has such a fresh and light flavor. My husband can’t seem to get enough of it. I have made it four times now and it is Wonderful!
This is a wonderful salsa. So far I’ve served it with fish, chicken and pork; I know it will go well with beef as well. It has the perfect zing, and is very fresh tasting. It’s great as a side salad as well.
I have made this salsa over ten times and love it. It is good enough for entertaining and easy enough to make for yourself. To save time, I have used canned mandarin oranges. For those that do not like heat, this is still a great salsa even if you leave out the scotch bonnet.
I made this for a small dinner party recently and it was a hit! I’m making it again for a larger one this weekend. It’s a nice make ahead and has a great sweet/spicy taste that works really well.