Ready in only 5 minutes, this quick and easy homemade salsa recipe is better than store-bought or restaurant-style versions. You only need 6 simple ingredients and plenty of tortilla chips to enjoy this sweet, spicy, and citrusy fresh salsa.
Chips and salsa are my ultimate weakness. If I have chips and salsa in front of me, I am guaranteed to keep eating until they’re gone or until I have to physically move them away. They’re just a match made in heaven!
What makes me keep coming back for more is the perfect balance of sweet, spice, and citrus like in this homemade salsa recipe. Here’s why I love it:
- Simple ingredients: This fresh salsa uses only 6 budget-friendly ingredients, like tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and limes.
- Ready in minutes: This recipe is ready to eat in 5 minutes, making it perfect for whipping up for your taco night or BBQ.
- It’s versatile: I love to use this fresh salsa as a dip but also as a garnish on top of my taco recipes or enchilada recipes.
Picking Your Produce
When making simple and fresh dishes like this fresh salsa recipe, using ripe and quality produce is key to getting the best flavor. Here are a few tips for picking the best ingredients:
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes make up the bulk of the salsa recipe, so choosing plump, firm, and ripe tomatoes is key. I like to use Roma tomatoes best for salsas and garnishes since they are mostly firm and have a mild flavor that works well with other ingredients. Make sure the tomatoes are deep red and have a shiny skin.
- Peppers: I use jalapeño peppers with ribs and seeds removed for this recipe. As a general rule of thumb, remove the ribs and seeds of your peppers to tone down the spice level, or leave them in to make your salsa more spicy. Pick jalapeños that are a deep green color.
- Onions: I use white onion for this recipe since they have a mild flavor and are slightly sweet. They’re great served raw for salsas and garnishes. For an extra kick, you can use red onion instead.
- Cilantro: I love cilantro and always have it stocked in my fridge. Look for bright and crisp cilantro leaves and avoid any wilting or browning.
- Limes: To pick the juiciest lime, make sure it has a shiny and smooth peel and is plump.
Ingredients in Homemade Salsa
- Roma tomatoes: I used one pound of Roma tomatoes for this salsa, which is about 5-6, depending on their size.
- White onion: This is commonly used in many Mexican salsa recipes, guacamole, and garnishes. Using only half a medium white onion gives you a great taste without it being overpowering.
- Jalapeno pepper: Jalapeno is a great pepper as a base for this recipe. I removed the ribs and seeds to leave it mild but keep the jalapeno flavor.
- Garlic: I used two medium-sized garlic cloves for a hint of garlic flavor. Any more than that, I found it to leave too much of an aftertaste.
- Cilantro: Adds a great herb flavor and freshness to the salsa, but you can leave it out if you’re not a fan.
- Lime juice: I used the juice of 2 medium limes for a hint of citrus flavor.
- Kosher salt: I added kosher salt at the end to taste. I like to add salt one teaspoon at a time until it’s to my liking.
How to Make Homemade Salsa
Add all ingredients into a food processor or blender.
Pulse until it reaches your desired consistency – extra chunky, chunky, or smooth.
Taste and season with more salt if needed. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- The longer this salsa sits, the better it tastes! The juices carry the flavor into all the ingredients, which makes it great to prep ahead of time.
- Chop the vegetables. I roughly chopped all the vegetables to make sure the ingredients were pulsed to roughly the same size, and there were no big chunks.
- Use short pulses to avoid accidentally over-blending. The beauty of making your own salsa at home is that you can get the consistency exactly how you like it. I prefer my salsa somewhere in the middle – not too smooth, not too chunky. The trick to getting the consistency right the first time is to pulse it a few times, open up the blender and food processor, and check to see if it’s blended enough. If it’s still too chunky, keep pulsing it until it’s perfect. If you accidentally overblend it and make it too smooth for your taste, simply strain out some of the liquid.
- Adjust the spice. To make this salsa even more mild, use bell peppers. To make it spicier, use serrano peppers.
- Swap the onions. For an extra kick and bright flavor, use red onion instead of white onion.
- Don’t have a food processor? You can use a blender; just pulse for shorter periods of time, making sure to stop and stir the ingredients before each pulse so it doesn’t get pureed too quickly.
Serving Suggestions
This fresh salsa is great as an appetizer, side, or even garnish with all your favorite Mexican meals. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Serve as an appetizer with homemade tortilla chips, baked tortilla chips, or air fryer tortilla chips.
- Serve with carne asada tacos, sheet pan chicken fajitas, or black bean quesadillas.
- Make a salsa trio by pairing it with black bean and corn salsa and cucumber salsa.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homemade salsa last?
Homemade salsa can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze homemade salsa?
Yes. Homemade salsa can be frozen for up to 3 months. I like freezing it flat in a freezer-safe storage bag to save storage space.
More Salsa Recipes
If you tried this Homemade Salsa Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound Roma tomatoes (about 5-6), quartered
- ½ medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup packed cilantro
- 4 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse until the salsa is blended to your liking – chunky, a little chunky, or smooth.
- Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- The longer this salsa sits, the better it tastes! The juices carry the flavor into all the ingredients, which makes it great to prep ahead of time.
- Chop the vegetables. I roughly chopped all the vegetables to make sure the ingredients were pulsed to roughly the same size, and there were no big chunks.
- Use short pulses to avoid accidentally over-blending. The beauty of making your own salsa at home is that you can get the consistency exactly how you like it. I prefer my salsa somewhere in the middle – not too smooth, not too chunky. The trick to getting the consistency right the first time is to pulse it a few times, open up the blender and food processor, and check to see if it’s blended enough. If it’s still too chunky, keep pulsing it until it’s perfect. If you accidentally overblend it and make it too smooth for your taste, simply strain out some of the liquid.
- Adjust the spice. To make this salsa even more mild, use bell peppers. To make it spicier, use serrano peppers. Swap the onions. For an extra kick and bright flavor, use red onion instead of white onion.
- Don’t have a food processor? You can use a blender; just pulse for shorter periods of time, making sure to stop and stir the ingredients before each pulse so it doesn’t get pureed too quickly.
Nutrition Information
This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
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