Easy Homemade Salsa

This no cook, easy salsa recipe is a hit at any party! 5 minutes and lots of crispy tortilla chips are all you need!

Homemade Salsa

What is your favorite Mexican food? Are you excited to see that basket of crispy salty chips and the bowl of salsa set on the table when you go to the local taqueria?

I know I am! But I always fill up on them before my real food arrives. I can make a meal out of chips and salsa, and as much as I eat, I started making it at home to cut down on cost.

You too can make it with just a few ingredients that you probably already have at home. And sometimes kicking back at home and making your own beats going out. Think margaritas in your pajamas!

Making traditional Mexican salsa takes only a few minutes. For the few ingredients it has, there couldn’t be more flavor. It is always greater than the sum of its parts.

Tomatoes, onions, chilies, cilantro, lime juice, and a bit of salt. Super easy! If you want to add some more flavor, add a a bit of garlic, vinegar, and cumin.

Favorite Salsa Recipes

• Home made salsa verde
• Cranberry salsa
• Apple pie salsa
• Pineapple mango salsa
• Fruit salsa

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The basic building blocks of salsa are tomatoes for flavor, onion for bite, cilantro for spice, jalapeño for heat, and lime juice for the acidity.

Garlic is good too, but I don’t recommend more than 3 cloves or it can overpower the delicate tomatoes. 

What is Homemade Salsa made of?

The ingredients for simple homemade salsa are pretty straightforward. However, there are so lots of choices you can make with each of those ingredients which makes each recipe unique.

• tomatoes
• onion
• fresh cilantro
• green chilies
• spices
• garlic clove
• vinegar

Tomatoes – Tomatoes are the most prominent ingredient so you need to pick good ones. When I make sauce I always choose diced or chopped San Marzano tomatoes as they are stronger in flavor and tend to be less acidic.

Onion – I suggest to use white onion for this recipe. If you like red onions, feel free to use them. They are great in my authentic pico de gallo recipe.

Garlic – Whole garlic cloves are best as they will have a great flavor when processed.

Is Salsa cooked or raw?

That might seem like a trick question. The answer is typically raw, but it can have cooked elements. This recipe is a good example of this. It uses fresh onion, jalapeno, lime, and cilantro, but cooked tomatoes and green chilies.

You can use fresh tomatoes but they vary so much during the seasons and the different types, it’s easier to keep consistent with canned tomatoes.

Green chiles are the other canned ingredient I like to use. They add a hint of sweetness without being too hot, and they are always available in the store.

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How to make Homemade Salsa

First: Rough chop the onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in the food processor until chopped small.

Second: Drain the tomatoes and add to the food processor along with the green chilies. Pulse until it starts to come together.

Third: Add the lime juice, salt, cumin, and vinegar. Pulse a few more times and remove to a serving bowl. Enjoy with chips!

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What can I add to salsa to make it better?

If your salsa seems a little flat or one note, add a pinch of salt and a tablespoon or two of distilled vinegar. A little extra lime can help too.

Salt and acidity bring out the natural flavors of food and can help! They also help preserve the salsa and make it last longer.

If you need to kick up the heat, feel free to add an extra jalapeño or two!

This is so much better than store bought salsa and is made with minimal ingredients in less than 5 minutes!

How long does homemade salsa last in a mason jar?

The great thing about salsa is it acts as its own preservative. The acidic lime and tomato juices prevent bacteria and so does the salt. So it keeps just fine for up to a week in the fridge with no problem.

Can you freeze salsa?

If necessary, you can freeze it as well. Frozen, homemade salsa will keep up to six months in an airtight container freezer-safe container. If you are planning on freezing it I wouldn’t chop the ingredients as small as they tend to break down a bit when frozen and then thawed.

In case you are wondering, this great recipe is pretty darn healthy too. It is low fat, high in vitamins and minerals, and high fiber. Good thing it tastes great on just about everything!

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• Using a food processor is best! You can chop everything by hand, but that can be time consuming. Using a blender to make the salsa will chop the ingredients too small and make it more like a sauce.
• Roughly chop the fresh ingredients into smaller pieces and process them first. If you add everything at once, the tomatoes will be liquid before the onion is chopped.
• Feel free to use any kind of canned tomatoes that you prefer, and even try the fire-roasted ones! Mexican restaurants use those all the time and everyone always want more chips and salsa, right? Drain your diced tomatoes. Tomatoes are full of water so you want to drain the diced tomatoes before adding to the food processor or your salsa will be thin and watery.
• Fresh Roma tomatoes are a great option if you have a bunch of fresh ones and prefer to use those instead.
• Want spicy salsa? Add jalapeno or serrano peppers. Just be sure to remove the jalapeno seeds or you might get it too spicy.
• Great on a taco salad!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

The best homemade salsa recipe is quick and easy and ready in just minutes. With simple ingredients you get the best flavor.

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