Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published July 19, 2018. Updated January 17, 2024

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The Best Homemade Salsa Recipe! This homemade restaurant-style Salsa is one of my most frequently made recipes! It’s perfect served with tortilla chips or as a topping over your favorite Mexican food, like tacos, burritos, taquitos and so forth. Homemade salsa is the best party dish around, the perfect Super Bowl party food and a healthy after school snack!

Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

Homemade Salsa Recipe

Fact: the best salsa is made with fresh tomatoes. Okay, that’s just my opinion, but in the past I thought I could go the route of using all canned tomatoes, but using fresh tomatoes makes a world of difference! Fresh tomatoes make the best salsa, especially when you use nicely ripened in season tomatoes.

This is hands down my favorite salsa recipe, and I don’t know that I’ll ever need another one. It just has the perfect ratio and blend of everything.

It’s not too oniony or garlicy, nor too spicy for my kids, it doesn’t tasting like it came from a can and it has the perfect brightness with the fresh lime. Then it has a classic Mexican flavor with the cilantro and hint of chili powder and cumin.

The sugar I’d say is only needed if you are using store-bought tomatoes. If you grow your own or buy them at the farmers market, the quality is a bit better and they’re a bit sweeter so the sugar isn’t needed.

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Fresh Salsa Ingredients

  • Fresh Roma tomatoes – use the nice and red ones, avoid anything soft.
  • Canned tomatoes – I like to use canned in addition to fresh because it gives the salsa a better consistency.
  • Fresh cilantro – cilantro adds key flavor, don’t omit this!
  • Jalapeno – this adds a nice kick. If you don’t like heat you can replace it with 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, or omit.
  • Red onion – yellow onion can be used here as well.
  • Green onion– if you don’t want to buy both kinds of onions you can omit the green onions and add just a little more red onion.
  • Garlic– it may seem small but garlic packs a flavorful punch. Only use fresh garlic here for best flavor.
  • Lime– this really brightens up the salsa.
  • Chili powder and cumin – I don’t always add these but they’re a nice addition if you have them on hand.
  • Sugar – just a touch balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and lime.
  • Salt and pepper – the salsa would taste flat without the salt and the pepper adds a light kick.

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How to Make the Best Salsa

Making salsa at home couldn’t be easier! Here’s how you’ll make it:

  • Roughly chop the vegetables (and fruit if you want to get technical, those tomatoes).
  • Add vegetables to a food processor along with spices and lime juice.
  • Chop in quick bursts until it’s finely chopped up.

What if I Don’t Own a Food Processor?

  • This salsa can also be made in a blender.
  • Or you can finely chop up the vegetables by hand then stir everything together in a bowl.

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How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips

What to go all out? Try this with homemade tortilla chips, fried or baked. Everyone will be totally impressed! I don’t make them often, but when I do it makes the fresh salsa that much better.

How Long Will Salsa Last?

This salsa should last for up to a week if stored in a sealed container in the fridge. You can make this ahead of your game night or Super Bowl party to enjoy hosting more easily.

What Type of Canned Tomato Should I Use?

I love this salsa with canned plain tomatoes, canned tomatoes with green chilies, or canned fire roasted tomatoes. All work great, just use what you have.

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Tips for the Best Salsa

  • Use freshest ingredients.
  • Dont puree the salsa, some texture is a good thing here.
  • Let the homemade salsa chill first for an even tastier, more refreshing salsa. I just always seem to like it better the second day.

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More Salsa Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Salsa Verde (AKA Tomatillo Salsa)
  • Avocado Salsa
  • Black Eyed Pea Salsa (AKA Cowboy/Texas Caviar)
  • Fruit Salsa
  • Avocado Mango Salsa

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe - Cooking Classy (7)

4.97 from 209 votes

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Homemade Salsa

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A super easy, super fresh, super delicious salsa. You'll never need another salsa recipe again! This has been my go-to recipe for years, it's definitely a familyfavorite. We make it almost every week. It's a staple recipe.

Servings: 14 (about 4.5 cups)

Prep5 minutes minutes

Ready in: 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse in 1 second bursts until all ingredients are finely chopped.

  • Serve with tortilla chips. Note that salsa always tastes best after it's been refrigerated for a few hours, so if time allows let the flavors marinate together before serving.

  • Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

  • *Use best quality tomatoes or salsa will be lacking in flavor.
  • **Canned diced tomatoes with mild green chilis, or canned fire roasted tomatoes also work great as well.
  • ***For a slightly stronger onion flavor you can just omit green onions and use about 3/4 cup red onion (or 1/2 of a medium onion).
  • ****You can leave the seeds or use a serrano pepper for a spicy salsa. Sometimes I like to substitute a few canned chipotle peppers with some adobo sauce for the jalapeno. This is also a spicier option.
  • Another tasty addition is to include 1/2 bell pepper, or 1 poblano or Anaheim pepper.
  • For a thinner salsa, you can add in a bit of tomato juice or tomato sauce if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Salsa

Amount Per Serving

Calories 20

% Daily Value*

Sodium 41mg2%

Potassium 189mg5%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Vitamin A 480IU10%

Vitamin C 10.7mg13%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Salsa Recipe

Author: Jaclyn

Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What is the key to good salsa? ›

How to Make Fresh, Homemade Salsa & Common Mistakes to Avoid
  • Don't Choose the Wrong Tomatoes. ...
  • Always De-Seed Your Tomatoes. ...
  • Do Let It Marinate. ...
  • Don't Forget the Acid. ...
  • Don't Be Afraid to Experiment. ...
  • Choose Your Chips Wisely. ...
  • Salt Yes, Pepper No. ...
  • Save the Dried Herbs for Your Soup.
May 22, 2018

Why does Mexican restaurant salsa taste so good? ›

A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.

Is vinegar or lemon juice better for canning salsa? ›

Acidic Ingredients

Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar and has less effect on flavor. You can safely substitute an equal amount of bottled lemon juice for vinegar in salsa recipes using vinegar. However, do not substitute vinegar for lemon juice because this would reduce acidity and produce an unsafe product.

How do you make homemade salsa taste better? ›

Balance flavors; add salt, vinegar, lime juice, bottled hot sauce, and pinches of sugar, tasting frequently, until you achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy.

What can I add to my salsa for more flavor? ›

What can I add to salsa for more flavor?
  1. Lime or lemon for a zip of citrus.
  2. Cilantro for a pleasantly herbaceous tang.
  3. Onions because you know everything's better with onions.
  4. Roasted tomatoes, peppers, or garlic because roasting anything provides a smoky flavor that we love.
Jun 10, 2022

What's the difference between restaurant-style salsa and regular salsa? ›

Compared to regular ol' salsa or something like pico de gallo, restaurant-style salsa is usually smoother—just how I like it! It's blended up in a food processor so that all the pieces get minced really finely. This is no place for big chunks of tomatoes, man.

Is it better to use fresh or canned tomatoes for salsa? ›

While fresh tomatoes make great pico de gallo, you gotta go with canned tomatoes if you want that true restaurant salsa flavor.

What brand salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›

What Chefs Look For In A Jarred Salsa
  • Herdez Mild Guacamole Salsa.
  • La Costeña Medium Home Style Mexican Salsa.
  • Herdez Roasted Poblano Salsa Cremosa.
  • Tostitos Medium Salsa.
  • Mission Medium Chunky Salsa.
Sep 27, 2023

Which tomatoes best for salsa? ›

Roma Tomatoes are a popular choice for salsa-making due to their dense and meaty texture, small number of seeds, and full-of-flavor tanginess. Variations of this tomato are sometimes called “plum” or “paste” tomatoes. Red Beefsteak Tomatoes are another favorite for those who favor a juicier tomato in their salsa.

Why do you boil salsa before canning? ›

Do You Have To Cook Salsa Before Canning? Yes, otherwise, if you can raw or fresh salsa, you will have to process it for a longer time than cooked salsa. This will take much longer, so it is better to cook the salsa before canning.

How much vinegar do you put in a jar of salsa? ›

Add one of the following for acidification:Pint JarsQuart Jars
Vinegar (5 percent acidity)2 tablespoons4 tablespoons
*Add acid directly to the jars before filling with tomatoes. If desired, add up to 1 tablespoon of sugar per quart to offset acidic taste. Vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.
2 more rows
Aug 11, 2020

What do Spanish people call salsa? ›

Officially, the familiar Mexican type of salsa is called salsa picante, or "spicy sauce" in Spanish. In fact, salsa — which is rooted in the Latin salsa, "salty food" or "condiment" — means "sauce" in both Spanish and Italian.

What do Mexicans call salsa? ›

If it's fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, chile verde/jalapeño or árbol and cilantro, it's called “Pico de gallo”. If it's cooked, it's just salsa roja or casera. I'm Mexican.

What is salsa on 1 called? ›

Los Angeles style salsa (LA style) is danced "on 1" where dancers break forward on the first beat of the music, in contrast to New York style which is danced on 2.

What makes a good salsa tomato? ›

Roma Tomatoes are a popular choice for salsa-making due to their dense and meaty texture, small number of seeds, and full-of-flavor tanginess. Variations of this tomato are sometimes called “plum” or “paste” tomatoes. Red Beefsteak Tomatoes are another favorite for those who favor a juicier tomato in their salsa.

Should salsa be smooth or chunky? ›

Salsa can be smooth or chunky, but it gets most of its flavor from fresh produce and herbs like cilantro.

What is the ratio of tomatoes to onions in salsa? ›

Start by using a 2:1 weight ratio on your Tomatoes VS. Onions for a properly balanced salsa. Don't worry, you don't have to weigh ingredients every time you want to make salsa. Just know that a typical plum tomato weighs approximately 100g (3.5oz), and a largish white onion will weigh 300g (10.5 oz.)

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