Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

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This Salsa Recipe makes the best salsa in just minutes! It’s restaurant-style, full of fresh flavor and so easy to make. Serve it with tortilla chips or spoon over enchiladas, tacos and more.

When Mexican food is on the menu, salsa is an essential. This easy salsa recipe is so good, once you try it you’ll have a hard time buying store-bought salsa again. It’s fresh, spicy and totally addicting!

Just like my Guacamole Recipe, this salsa recipe is made with simple ingredients. It’s easy to adjust the flavors to your tastes, and you can make it more or less spicy. Serve it with your favorite Mexican recipes, including Chicken Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas and Taco Salad.

Why You’ll Love this Salsa Recipe

Quick & Easy: It takes only 10 minutes to make.
Delicious: This restaurant style salsa tastes fresh and flavorful, and you can make it in the comfort of your own home.
Adaptable: You can adjust the spice level, texture and flavors to suit your tastes.

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Salsa Recipe Ingredients

Onion and Garlic:You’ll give the onions and garlic a quick coarse chop and then your food processor will do the rest.
Jalapeño: Most of the heat in a jalapeno is in the seeds and ribs. I recommend removing the seeds and ribs or the heat could overwhelm the other flavors in your salsa. I use half a jalapeño in this salsa recipe for medium spicy salsa.
Tomatoes: I recommend using canned fire roasted diced tomatoes as well as a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (for spice). You can use regular canned diced tomatoes, but the fire roasted tomatoes will give your salsa a rich, roasted tomato flavor. It is so good!
Sugar:Just a small pinch of sugar will balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
Salt: Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients in your salsa.
Cumin:Ground cumin adds a subtle smoky flavor.
Cilantro:You can adjust the amount of fresh cilantro to your tastes. I believe cilantro is essential to a good salsa, but if you don’t enjoy the flavor, leave it out.
Lime Juice:Start with a small squeeze of fresh lime juice. You can always add more.

Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

How to Make Salsa

Making this homemade salsa is as simple as putting the ingredients in your food processor (or blender) and pulsing until the salsa is blended to your desired consistency. You can make it thinner or chunkier – however you like it!

You’ll add the ingredients to the food processor in two batches. Start with the onion, garlic and jalapeño and pulse a few times to chop. Adding these ingredients first ensures that they are finely chopped and allows you to then pulse the tomatoes to your desired consistency.

When adding the canned tomatoes, drain off and discard the liquid from the diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add the juices from the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes to the food processor. Pulse a few times until the salsa is your desired consistency. You can serve the salsa right away, but for the best flavor chill it in the fridge for about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

I always taste my salsa on a tortilla chip to see if the flavors are right against the salty chip. You can add a little more lime juice, salt and pepper or sugar if needed to make the flavor of your salsa just perfect!

What Tomatoes Are Best for Salsa?

While I am all for using fresh ingredients whenever possible, I use canned tomatoes in this salsa recipe. Canned tomatoes are available year-round and make this recipe come together quickly. Fresh tomatoes can be too juicy to make a good salsa, and, unless you roast them a bit, could make a less flavorful salsa. (Save those fresh tomatoes to make Pico de Gallo!)

If you have ripe, fresh tomatoes and want to use them in this salsa recipe, I recommend using a combination of fresh and canned. Make sure your fresh tomatoes are firm and a deep red color. Adding canned tomatoes will add depth of flavor to your salsa, especially if you use fire roasted tomatoes – which I highly recommend!

Salsa Recipe Tips

This salsa recipe makes medium-spicy salsa. For mild salsa, substitute a can of regular diced tomatoes for the diced tomatoes with green chilies. For spicy salsa, use a whole jalapeño pepper or add in some of the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Be careful not to go overboard with the ribs and seeds – that is where most of the spice is.
Use a fresh onion in this recipe. I once made this salsa with half of a leftover onion that I had in my refrigerator for a few days and the pungent onion flavor was overwhelming.
Be sure to drain off the liquid from the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. You’ll add the liquid from the other can of diced tomatoes, but using the liquid from both cans will make your salsa too watery.
Don’t add too much lime juice at first. You can always add more, and too much lime can overpower the other flavors.

Storage Instructions

This salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days.

More Mexican Food Favorites

Vegetarian Enchiladas
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Taco Seasoning
Homemade Tortillas
Carnitas
Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ground Beef Tacos

5 from 22 ratings

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

This Salsa Recipe makes the best salsa in just minutes! It's fresh and flavorful, and much better than store-bought. Serve it with tortilla chips or spoon over enchiladas, taco salad and more.

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Ingredients

▢ ½ cup white onion, roughly chopped
▢ 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
▢ ½ jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
▢ 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
▢ 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
▢ pinch of sugar, optional, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
▢ ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
▢ juice from ½ of a lime, start with a small squeeze and add more, to taste

Instructions

Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to chop until the onion pieces are about ¼-inch size.
Drain off the liquid from the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies and discard the liquid. Add the tomatoes and chilies from the can to the food processor.
Add the fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juices from the can to the food processor, along with the remaining salsa ingredients.
Pulse until the salsa reaches your desired consistency.
Taste salsa on a chip and adjust the lime juice, salt, or sugar as needed.

Notes

This salsa recipe makes medium-spicy salsa. For mild salsa, substitute a can of regular diced tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes with green chiles. For spicier salsa, use a whole jalapeño pepper or add in some of the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. Be careful not to go overboard with the ribs and seeds, as that is where most of the spice is.
Homemade salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days.

Serving: 1/4 cup, Calories: 15kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Sodium: 104mg, Potassium: 57mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 215IU, Vitamin C: 4.3mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: Mexican

Course: Appetizer

Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!

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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on May 5, 2022 (last updated Mar 13, 2023)

57 comments Leave a comment »

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57 comments on “Best Homemade Salsa Recipe”

Karen — May 25, 2011 @ 12:13 pm Reply
I love this salsa recipe. And I agree, it is so much better than jarred salsa!
Melissa — July 9, 2019 @ 9:37 am Reply
This is delicious! I followed the recipe as is. Except I used bottled lime juice. I forgot to get a lime. I used a whole jalapeno. Thanks for the easy recipe. I’ll make it again for sure. I’ll probably have to make the less spicy version for the family that doesn’t like spice. I bet it will still be wonderful!
- Kristine — July 9, 2019 @ 2:55 pm Reply
  I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Isn’t it so addicting? 😉
Mary Jo — July 28, 2019 @ 5:58 pm Reply
This is so good! I made it 3 times this week for my extended family, and shared the recipe with them. One question – have you tried to freeze it?
- Kristine — August 5, 2019 @ 9:04 pm Reply
  Hi Mary Jo, I’m so happy to hear that! I haven’t tried to freeze it. My guess is that it would freeze ok, I’m just not sure if the raw onions would become too strong after freezing and thawing. Let me know if you try it!
Marilynn hass — August 21, 2019 @ 2:16 pm Reply
What out canning
- Kristine — August 21, 2019 @ 2:21 pm Reply
  I am not sure – I don’t have experience with canning.
Aubrey — September 14, 2019 @ 7:23 pm Reply
Will it get spicier after sitting in the ice box over night?
- Kristine — September 15, 2019 @ 2:34 pm Reply
  Hi Aubrey,
  It may get a little spicier in the refrigerator overnight.
Sherrydobbs — October 13, 2019 @ 9:34 am Reply
Been looking for a good salsa recipe, i wont look any further, just made this moments ago, o my gosh, taste just like my restuarant serves, love it, love it, love it.This is the best salsa ever, thanks for sharing.
- Kristine — October 13, 2019 @ 2:20 pm Reply
  I’m so glad you love this recipe as much as I do! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Amanda — November 16, 2019 @ 5:32 am Reply
Made this for a mexican night with friends and everyone loved it! I added extra salt but that was it. Really really good and doesnt make a huge bowl so I wont be storing a ton of salsa.
Sarah — November 24, 2019 @ 1:00 pm Reply
A little ashamed that at 50 years old I have never attempted to make salsa. This year we are boycotting traditional Thanksgiving turkey this year and doing tacos 5 ways with all the trimming. I did a trial run of this salsa today and it is really easy to make and tastes fabulous. Will be making it again at thanksgiving
- Kristine — November 24, 2019 @ 1:43 pm Reply
  Your Thanksgiving plan sounds so delicious! I’m glad that this salsa recipe will be part of your holiday meal. 🙂
Shane — December 3, 2019 @ 5:44 pm Reply
Pretty good, made it super GREAT when I added two of my homegrown ghost peppers in it. Mmm spicaaayyy.
See Also
The Best Texas Style Chili Recipe (No Beans)
MGB — January 26, 2020 @ 3:02 pm Reply
Awesome! Made it for my daughter – she loved it.
It’s definitely a keeper. Thanks!!
Barb — February 26, 2020 @ 4:32 pm Reply
Hi, haven’t tried making it yet, but wondered if sweet Vidalia or Mayan onions are also okay in this recipe.
- Kristine — February 27, 2020 @ 1:41 pm Reply
  I haven’t tried the salsa with either of those, but they would probably work fine. Enjoy!
Latoya — April 15, 2020 @ 6:01 pm Reply
Can I used jarred minced garlic if I don’t have whole garlic?
- Kristine — April 16, 2020 @ 12:23 pm Reply
  That should work well. Enjoy!
Carole Cornell — June 14, 2020 @ 11:48 am Reply
Very easy and tasty AND I had all ingredients on hand when I needed salsa in a hurry! Thank you for the recipe.
Carol — June 23, 2020 @ 10:54 am Reply
The best salsa ever!!! So easy and delicious!! Thank you!!
Cheryl — September 4, 2020 @ 4:54 pm Reply
Love making salsa. I use ripe tomatoes (from garden when I have to many). I freeze them and then let thaw in colander to drain juice. I also use canned tomatoes and al the other stuff in recipe.
Delani Perera — February 14, 2021 @ 7:52 pm Reply
How long it can keep in refrigerator with n without using preservatives?
- Kristine — February 16, 2021 @ 6:51 am Reply
  Hi Delani,
  I usually refrigerate 2-3 days but it will last for a week. Be sure to spoon from the refrigerated container into a new container for use so that the original container is not left out unrefrigerated repeatedly.
Laurie — March 15, 2021 @ 3:00 pm Reply
OMG this was amazing!!!! I didn’t add the sugar, or garlic (I’m allergic) but OMG I’m never buying salsa again. Thank you so much for this recipe. Hope your having a great day. Also, draining the tomatoes helped greatly. The
Kristy — March 24, 2021 @ 12:08 pm Reply
This is such a good salsa recipe, I’ve made it several times and it’s always a hit. This most recent time instead of using jalapeños (I was out), I used the hot Rotel diced tomatoes with habaneros and it turned out really good.
Debbie — August 8, 2021 @ 5:47 am Reply
My favorite salsa. I omit the jalapeño and instead of small can tomatoes with green chilies I use small can tomatoes with habanero. Perfect amount heat!!
Caitlin — September 19, 2021 @ 8:55 am Reply
How long does the salsa last? I was going to put it into jars
- Kristine — September 23, 2021 @ 6:04 am Reply
  You can store the salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days.
Judi Shevlin — October 10, 2021 @ 5:07 pm Reply
The kids kept asking for salsa from the store, decided to try this recipe. It is fantastic! Maybe next time I’ll use fresh tomatoes, but this is outstanding! The heat was perfect with 1/2 jalapeno! Thanks!!
- Debby — June 21, 2022 @ 3:45 pm Reply
  Great idea to try fresh tomatoes.
Julie — April 6, 2022 @ 12:01 pm Reply
This is better than store bought and better than restaurant salsa!
Susie — April 7, 2022 @ 12:53 pm Reply
Made this salsa today……. Loved it !!! Can’t wait to have margaritas, chips and salsa outside around the fire table this spring if we ever get “spring” in Wisconsin ?
Mollyb — June 15, 2022 @ 5:58 am Reply
I’ve been making this salsa for a couple of years now and it always gets rave reviews! I laugh because it tastes so fresh, yet it calls for canned items.
Debby — June 21, 2022 @ 3:43 pm Reply
Love this recipe. Have made it a few times.
tina — September 7, 2022 @ 9:37 pm Reply
AWESOME SALSA! Easy to make. This is my favorite. Love the fire roasted tomatoes! Wow, wow, wow!
Jeff — October 1, 2022 @ 8:58 am Reply
Excellent. The fire roasted tomato is the ticket. I added bell pepper, smaller amount of jalapeno (if it were just me I would have put ghost pepper and probably 2 but my wife…) added a tad more salt. It’s very addicting.
Bev — December 28, 2022 @ 1:21 pm Reply
Just made this salsa. So fresh and yummy!!!!! For me the spice was just right. Next time I will add all the Jalapeño to meet the others in my family that like Spicy. Also so easy to make. Thank you
Stacy Justice — February 16, 2023 @ 5:50 pm Reply
Is this recipe good for canning?
- Kristine Rosenblatt — February 17, 2023 @ 6:00 am Reply
  I don’t have experience with canning so I can’t advise.
Molly Gordon — May 6, 2023 @ 6:21 pm Reply
I just made this and it was so easy and GOOD!
SusanH — June 6, 2023 @ 4:49 pm Reply
No kidding. Made once and now I always have these ingredients on hand. Always bought jarred salsa or paid premium prices for refrigerated salsa. NO MORE! So easy, fool-proof and the best tasting of all! Thanks Kristine!
Laurel — July 29, 2023 @ 1:54 pm Reply
Loved it and I am super picky about salsa, great basic recipe that can be tailored to taste!
Diana Meehl — August 6, 2023 @ 6:41 pm Reply
This is seriously the best salsa I’ve ever made. This is my second time making it and it is a hit with my family.
Peggy E. — August 10, 2023 @ 11:33 am Reply
Are we able to can this recipe using a water bath?
- Kristine Rosenblatt — August 11, 2023 @ 11:36 am Reply
  Hi Peggy,
  I haven’t tried canning this recipe.
K. MCCARTHY — August 10, 2023 @ 12:56 pm Reply
I was amazed that I could make something this great
Jessica Brutcher — August 13, 2023 @ 9:08 am Reply
I love Christine’s salsa! Thanks for providing this delicious recipe. I am a salsa junkie and must have tacos and salsa all the time.
Taylor — August 16, 2023 @ 3:31 pm Reply
My husband and I are obsessed with this recipe to say the least. I’m super picky about my salsa and the grocery store salsa jars just haven’t been cutting it. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t so sure about the canned tomatoes, but i hate dicing fresh tomato, so I trusted the process and yum! 🤤 I made it for him to put on his breakfast burritos in the morning, but after tasting it, I know we’ll be putting it on everything we can 😌 I also love the EASE. thanks for sharing!
Gunnar Carlson — September 3, 2023 @ 10:23 am Reply
Easy to make. Mine was not spicy next time I’ll just throw the whole jalapeño in
Amber Rouse — September 14, 2023 @ 12:28 pm Reply
Could this be done with fresh tomatoes and one can of fire roasted?
- Kristine Rosenblatt — September 15, 2023 @ 5:59 am Reply
  I haven’t tried that but I think it should work fine. Enjoy!
Lainy — December 24, 2023 @ 11:24 am Reply
Super delicious and easy to make! Thanks for the great recipe!
Deborah — January 14, 2024 @ 1:06 pm Reply
Love this salsa!
Rhnea — February 24, 2024 @ 3:36 pm Reply
My family loves this recipe. We don’t like a lot of spice, so I leave out the jalapeño, but it is the best salsa.
Marie — March 12, 2024 @ 1:19 pm Reply
Just made this salsa for a second time. I have pepper plants so I made it spicy. So good and it freezes very well so you always have when you need it.

FAQs

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.

Read The Full Story ›

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 to make salsa Martha Stewart? ›

Chop tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces; transfer to a medium bowl. Add onion, chile, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice; season generously with salt. Mix to combine. Let stand 15 minutes to develop flavor.

Explore More ›

Is homemade salsa healthier than store bought? ›

You'll save money by making your own salsa, especially if you can pull the vegetables from your own garden. It can be much cheaper to make salsa yourself, and homemade salsa is generally healthier than most of the sugary varieties you'll find in stores.

Read On ›

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

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What kind of salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›

Most Mexican restaurants use a table salsa or a salsa roja or salsa de mesa. Restaurants serve fresh salsa and warm fried tortilla chips to every table while they wait for their meal to be made.

Show Me More ›

Do you have to peel tomatoes for salsa? ›

Deciding on keeping tomato skins on or off is really a matter of taste — and how much time you've got on your hands. You don't need to peel them. After all, tomato skins are edible. However, if you're making a chunky salsa, leaving skins on is fine – as long as the texture doesn't bother you.

Find Out More ›

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 I put in a gallon of salsa? ›

on jars during processing, add ¼ cup vinegar per gallon of water used in the canner. Select tomatoes, peppers, spices, and onions. Always use fresh, firm, ripe tomatoes.

What thickens homemade salsa? ›

If you prefer a really thick salsa, drain the liquid in the can of whole tomatoes (personally I would drain it into a container, rather than down the drain). Then process the salsa as directed and add back some of the liquid from the can, a little at a time, until you have the consistency you're looking for.

Discover More ›

How long does homemade salsa last in Mason jar? ›

How long can I keep home-canned salsa? Angela Fraser of North Carolina State recommends a year, to a year and a half, for home canned salsa: If canned and stored properly, its shelf life is about 12 to 18 months. Salsa older than this is safe to eat if the jar is in good condition and the seal is intact.

Discover More ›

Why is restaurant salsa so much better? ›

Recipe developers for restaurants have plenty of time to experiment with salsa recipes, testing them and perfecting them before they even reach the menu. Salsa recipes have specific spice and ingredient proportions executed in an almost formulaic manner.

Know More ›

Why is restaurant salsa better? ›

Restaurant salsa is essentially small-batch, freshly made salsa. These establishments have access to high-quality ingredients and equipment to ensure a consistent product.

Discover More Details ›

Should I 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.

View Details ›

Is Mexican restaurant salsa healthy? ›

While salsa is unquestionably healthy, there is one potential drawback to the food - many commercially-made varieties are high in sodium. The suggested daily limit of sodium sits at 2300 mg by the FDA, and prepared salsas generally contain between 90-270 mg per two-tablespoon serving, which can add up pretty quickly.

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What is the difference between restaurant-style 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.