I’ve had many salsas in my day but this is one of the first times I make a Spicy Green Olive Cilantro Salsa. While this salsa does use green peppers, it does not include tomatoes or onions like you typically find in most salsa recipes.

Even without those 2 ingredients, this olive salsa is delicious. The combination of the green olives and the serrano peppers makes this a salty yet spicy salsa. Spicy is the operative word here. This is a VERY hot salsa. You have been warned!

Do you ever wonder where Salsa comes from? I mean we all probably figure it’s from Mexico but…? I found this article on the origins of Salsa that explains it all.

If you are a salsa lover like I am, you need to check out my collection of Salsa Recipes. My Spicy Peanut Garlic Salsa, my Classic Spicy Salsa, my Spicy Apple Salsa and my Fresh Pineapple Salsa are some of my favorites.

How Hot are Serrano Peppers

They are hot. Hotter than Jalapeño peppers. Check out this great article that compares both peppers. If you can’t handle that much heat I would suggest using Jalapeño peppers instead. Or to really take the heat down a notch, a Poblano pepper should do the trick.

How Long Does Salsa Last

While several factors come into play, homemade salsa will last 4 to 6 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze salsa in an airtight container or bag for up to 4 months.

How to Handle Hot Peppers

The capsaicin in hot peppers is what makes peppers hot. If you handle hot peppers gloveless, it’s a guarantee that you’re in for a nasty case of chili burn, both on your fingers and anywhere you rub. Like your face. Ouch!
Even if you wear disposable gloves, be careful about what you touch. The gloves are going to protect your fingers, but touching any part of your body with the gloves after you’ve handled hot peppers can lead to severe chili burn.
Resist the temptation to rub your eyes. Wait until you’ve removed your gloves and washed your hands thoroughly with soap.

How Hot Are the Peppers

The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.

Pepper Type	Scoville Rating (Heat)
Bell Pepper	0-0
Banana Pepper	0-500
Poblano Pepper	1000-1500
Jalapeño Pepper	2500-8000
Serrano Peppers	10,000-25,000
Manzano Pepper	12,000-30,000
Tabasco & Cayenne	30,000-50,000
Habanero Pepper	100,000-300,000
Ghost Pepper	855,000-1,000,000
Carolina Reaper	1,500,000-2,300,000

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Gather your Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make this Spicy Green Olive Cilantro salsa recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Green Olives, Garlic Cloves, Serrano Peppers, Fresh Cilantro, Olive Oil and Lemon Zest.

How to Make Spicy Green Olive Cilantro Salsa

In a food processor, mince the olives, garlic, serrano peppers, and cilantro.
Stir in the olive oil and lemon zest. Serve right away or refrigerate and use within 1 week.

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