I learned how to make an easy salsa recipe from my mom. With her Mexican roots, she knows her way around the kitchen, and the proof is in this perfectly zesty, slightly spicy homemade garden salsa. She taught me that the best homemade salsa recipe uses simple ingredients that are fresh and flavorful- if you start with good ingredients, the finished salsa will have the best flavor. I promise this recipe will rival your favorite Mexican restaurant’s salsa!
This versatile condiment adds a burst of flavor to a wide variety of dishes, from appetizers to main courses. Serve salsa as a classic dip with crispy tortilla chips as a starter for parties or gatherings. It also makes a tasty topping for your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes or an addition to rice bowls, eggs, soups, or salads. For more dip recipes, try my queso dip, salsa verde, or guacamole.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Fresh tomatoes – fresh Roma tomatoes are essential to making the best salsa recipe. Romas are generally more flavorful than large salad tomatoes. Alternatively, you can use cherry or grape tomatoes, my go-to’s if making fresh salsa in the winter months when tomatoes aren’t in season locally.
Canned tomatoes – you will also need canned whole or diced tomatoes to enhance the texture and consistency and make the best salsa recipe. Be sure to drain the liquid before adding so it’s not too watery.
Jalapeños – these are optional but add a delicious kick if you want some heat. You can add as much or as little as you want!
Cilantro – fresh cilantro leaves add a citrusy, slightly peppery flavor that brings this restaurant style salsa to life. Though you can omit this for anyone who does not like the flavor of cilantro, it is otherwise a must-add ingredient for me!
Lime juice – I highly recommend squeezing juice from fresh limes for the freshest, zestiest flavor rather than using store-bought.
Seasonings – a warming combination of ground cumin, black pepper, salt, and optional chili powder for extra spice. Fresh garlic and onion also add a deep savory flavor.
How to Make Salsa Recipe
1. Peel the garlic cloves and cut the fresh tomatoes and onion into quarters.
2. Carefully deseed the jalapeno peppers, if using, by cutting them in half lengthwise and cutting away the seeds.
3. Place the whole tomatoes and drained canned tomatoes in the food processor.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor.
5. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped or until the salsa has your desired consistency. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
6. Transfer the salsa to a bowl or jar and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it or for up to 5 days. The salsa tastes best after a few hours in the fridge, so the flavors have time to meld.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use the freshest ingredients possible. It makes a huge difference in the flavor of this homemade salsa to use the best tomatoes; ripe tomatoes have much more flavor. You will know the tomatoes are ripe when they are a deep red color and are heavy for their size.
- Add more heat. If you go for the extra spicy salsa at Mexican restaurants, up the heat in this recipe by adding one 4-ounce can of green chiles or ½-1 teaspoon of spicy chili powder. You can also substitute the jalapeños for the chilis or chili powder if you don’t have peppers on hand.
- Adjust the texture to your taste. If you prefer a smoother salsa, pulse the ingredients in the food processor a few additional times, reserving enough of the texture so that it is still dippable! For a chunky salsa texture, pulse the food processor just a few times until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Chill before serving. Allow the salsa to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours if you have the time before eating. This gives the flavors time to infuse. For this reason, it’s even better to enjoy the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions
This easy homemade salsa recipe will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing it, as the texture is compromised when thawed and becomes very qatery and thin. If you have more leftovers than you will eat in 5 days, you can add the salsa to chicken tortilla soup to add depth and flavor or replace the tomatoes in taco casserole with and equal amount of salsa.
Homemade salsa is a delicious addition to your favorite Mexican dishes like nachos, tacos, enchiladas, or taco salad. You can also serve it as an appetizer with a colorful vegetable platter instead of chips. This zesty condiment is a great topping for virtually any dish that’s savory, meaty, salty, or even slightly sweet.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also make this easy salsa recipe in the blender! Just pulse the ingredients and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed until it reaches your desired texture. If you don’t have a blender, you can finely chop up the ingredients and mix them together in a bowl. Or try this simple no-blend pico de gallo recipe instead.
Your best bet for ripe tomatoes is to buy them from a local farmers market or farm stands as they’ll have what’s in season. If you’re buying from the grocery store, look for tomatoes that have a vibrant red hue and are firm but give slightly to gentle pressure. You’ll also want them to have a sweet earthy aroma near the stem. If your Roma tomatoes are not in season or they are not the best quality, you may need to adjust the flavor by adding a little sugar or honey to help replace any lost sweetness and flavor. Or, use sweet cherry or grape tomatoes instead.
There are endless ways to alter this recipe to make it your own. You can experiment with different types of tomatoes, switch up the peppers by swapping the jalapeños with serranos or habaneros, or use yellow, white, or green onion instead of red. You can also swap the cilantro for parsley or include additional ingredients for different flavors and textures from fruit like peaches, mango, or pineapple to crunchy veggies likes roasted corn or diced jicama.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this authentic Salsa Recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Salsa
Video
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes (Roma or small tomatoes, see notes)
- 1 (14.5 ounce/411g) can whole or diced tomatoes drained
- ½ red onion quartered
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers halved and seeded (optional)
- ⅓ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 large cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt and
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor.
- Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped, or the salsa is your desired consistency. Taste and add more more seasonings if needed.
- Transfer to a bowl or jar and refrigerate until ready to use or up to 5 days. The salsa tastes best after a few hours in the fridge, so the flavors have time to meld.
Notes
- Use the freshest ingredients possible. It makes a huge difference in the flavor of this homemade salsa to use the best tomatoes; ripe tomatoes have much more flavor. You will know the tomatoes are ripe when they are a deep red color and are heavy for their size.
- Add more heat. If you go for the extra spicy salsa at Mexican restaurants, up the heat in this recipe by adding one 4-ounce can of green chiles or ½-1 teaspoon of spicy chili powder. You can also substitute the jalapeños for the chilis or chili powder if you don’t have peppers on hand.
- Adjust the texture to your taste. If you prefer a smoother salsa, pulse the ingredients in the food processor a few additional times, reserving enough of the texture so that it is still dippable! For a chunky salsa texture, pulse the food processor just a few times until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Chill before serving. Allow the salsa to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours if you have the time before eating. This gives the flavors time to infuse. For this reason, it’s even better to enjoy the next day!
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