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This homemade salsa recipe is restaurant quality and uses just 6 fresh ingredients! It’s so simple and easy that you’ll never buy the jarred stuff again!
Of course we love to go classic and serve it with tortilla chips, you can serve this homemade salsa with some of our favorite Mexican recipes, like Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas, Chicken Tacos or Taquitos.
Fresh Homemade Salsa Recipe
I have been making homemade salsa for as long as I can remember. I have a few different recipes that I like to make, but this classic version is the most simple and it’s also easily customizable.
What is the best tomato for salsa?
I only use Roma tomatoes for my salsa recipe. They are nice and meaty with very few seeds. Other good options are heirloom tomatoes. Cherry or grape tomatoes are great for a sweeter, chunkier salsa.
What is the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo, also referred to as salsa freco, is a fresh, chunky Mexican condiment made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice and salt. Each of the ingredients are clearly visible. Traditional salsa includes the same ingredients, but is a thinner consistency with more liquid.
How to make fresh homemade salsa
- Gather your ingredients – Roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeno, limes, cilantro, garlic and salt.
- Seed the tomatoes and cut them into large chunks.
- Seed and chop the jalapeno.
- Chop the onion into large chunks.
- Chop cilantro.
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and add lime juice and a half teaspoon of salt. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. You may need to stop and open the processor to free any large chunks.
- Taste and add more salt or lime juice as desired until your optimal flavor is reached.
- Homemade salsa has a shelf life of about 4-6 days if properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The best homemade salsa tips and tricks
- Should you seed the tomatoes? Yes, remove all of the seeds from the tomatoes before you dice them. As the salsa sits, the tomatoes break down and the seeds will make your salsa extra watery.
- Sometimes the tomatoes you select at the grocery store aren’t as ripe as you would like, and don’t have much flavor. To add more tomato flavor to your salsa, add some canned tomato sauce.
- Some like it hot! Jalapenos add heat and flavor to the mix, but if you want to regulate the heat remove the seeds from the jalapenos. For a medium heat, add half of the seeds and for muy caliente, add them all.
- If your salsa is just too spicy, add more tomatoes, tomato sauce or citrus (lemon, lime) or even a splash of vinegar. The acid will tame the heat a bit, hopefully making it more edible. You could also serve with some avocado or a scoop of sour cream.
- If you want a more mild flavor, use anaheim chiles, banana peppers or canned diced green peppers. These add a ton of flavor without the heat.
Some more Mexican recipes you’ll love:
- Best Guacamole Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Authentic Sopes
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Chicken Enchiladas
Fresh Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 8-9 ripe roma tomatoes
- 2 jalapenos some or all seeds removed
- 1 small white onion
- 2 cloves garlic inced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 limes
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Remove seeds and pulp from the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Remove seeds from the jalapenos (if desired) and chop. Roughly chop the onions and cilantro.
- Place first tomatoes, jalapenos, onions and cilantro into a food processor. Pulse several times until the vegetables finely chopped and combined. If you prefer a chunkier salsa, you can forego the food processor and chop all the ingredients to your desired size.
- Place the chopped ingredients into a small bowl and stir in juice from 1 lime. Add a couple pinches of salt. Taste and add more lime and salt as desired.
- Serve with chips, tacos, burritos and more!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
