My fresh and easy homemade salsa is perfect on tacos, burritos, and as a healthy game day or party appetizer! It pairs best with my Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and next to my homemade guacamole, is one of my favorite toppings on my veggie quesadillas, tofu tacos, and enchilada pie recipes! Zesty and flavorful, it’s completely refreshing, crunchy, and smooth all at the same time! This salsa recipe reminds me so much of one of my favorite restaurants growing up and while living in southern California, which is El Torito. El Torito always gives you chips and salsa when you sit down and they have the freshest, most delicious salsa I’ve EVER TASTED and this tastes just like their recipe so I’ll be making it repeatedly from hereon out! All the good Mexican restaurants are in socal! If you like this recipe, then you'll love my insanely delicious (not to mention SUPER EASY and HEALTHY) pico de gallo recipe!
When your neighbors bring you bags upon bags of their heirloom and regular tomatoes, the best thing to do is to make salsa, right? What better way to end the summer – with a lot of canned salsa stored in Mason jars in the fridge. Be careful – the more aged the jalapeño, the hotter and spicier they are. I used some week-old jalapeños and even without the seeds, this was one zesty salsa!
My recipe contains fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, lime, salt, chili powder, freshly cracked black pepper, and cayenne, and takes about 10 minutes to make! If you like easy homemade salsa recipes, then you'll drool over my super quick corn cucumber avocado salsa - super simple, healthy, and SO DELICIOUS!
I love this recipe because it’s suitable for so many different types of diets, including:
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Low Carb
- Paleo
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Weight Watchers
- Whole 30
How to tell if a jalapeño is spicy (by looking at it)
Some jalapeños are a lot hotter or spicier than others. Want to know when they’re spiciest? Well, according to Delishably News' post, all you need to do is look at the outside of the jalapeño. If it’s smooth with no stripes or lines, then it’s probably bland. A jalapeño with marks and stitches shows signs of a spicy, hot pepper! You can always add the jalapeño seeds in if you want more heat and spice.
I've also heard that the older the jalapeño, the spicier it will taste. These jalapeños were a week old and had some kick!
Benefits of Tomatoes
According to Healthline’s article, tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been related to numerous health benefits. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Tomatoes contain lycopene, beta carotene, naringenin, and chlorogenic acid, which are antioxidants that have shown to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and provide additional benefits.
Lycopene is found in the highest concentrations in the skin of tomatoes. Tomoates contain much higher levels of lycopene than do tomato products such as tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup. Consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products, including tomato sauce and ketchup, have been linked to improved skin health and a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
Ingredients in Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe
Tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes provide the best flavor in this salsa recipe.
Diced tomatoes. One can of diced tomatoes with juices are needed in this recipe.
Onion. Use any type of onion you like – we like white or red onions best.
Jalapeño Make sure to remove the jalapeño seeds unless you want a spicy salsa; in that case, leave a few seeds in!
Cilantro. Fresh cilantro adds nutrition, flavor, and a lot of taste.
Garlic. Garlic provides nutrients, aroma, and seasoning.
Lime. You must use fresh lime juice in this salsa recipe.
Salt. Salt is needed to season the salsa and juices.
Chili powder. Chili powder packs a lot of seasoning and adds a kick to the salsa.
Pepper. Use high quality freshly cracked black pepper for the best taste.
Cayenne. Just a dash of cayenne adds flavor and spice.
How to make the best Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe
STEP 1: Add the fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, fresh lime juice, salt, chili powder, pepper, and cayenne to a blender or food processor. Pulse 1-2 seconds at a time until the desired consistency is reached. I like mine chunky so I pulse it about 2 seconds on high before checking the texture and then mixing on low for 1-2 seconds.
STEP 2: Pour the salsa into a lidded Mason jar (or 2) or airtight container and chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge. If you refrigerate it overnight (for 6-8 hours), the juices will have ample time to absorb, bringing all the flavors together to create the best taste.
STEP 3: If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Variations
You can always add more and reduce amounts of ingredients based on preferences. For instance, not a fan of garlic? Don’t use it! On the contrary, if you love garlic, then add 1-2 additional cloves for a more fragrant aromatic salsa. Love lime? Use double the amount! Hate onion but love salsa? Then, leave out the onion!
Best pairs with this salsa recipe!
- Easy Veggie Burritos
- Veggie Quesadillas
- Shrimp Tacos
- Enchilada Pie
- Egg and Veggie Breakfast Muffins
- Tofu Tacos
- Cauliflower Tacos
- Easy Baked Beef Tacos
- Cheesy Mexican Street Corn Enchilada Bake
- Salmon Tacos
Recommended items to make this recipe
- Blender. I love this blender.
- Cutting board. This cutting board is amazing!
- Mason jars. We love these Mason jars.
More recipes you’ll love!
Cheesy Mexican Street Corn Enchilada Bake
Cheese on a Stick (Hot Dog on a Stick Copycat Recipe)
Egg and Veggie Breakfast Muffins
Sizzler Cheese Toast Copycat Recipe
Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make these Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always try my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium tomatoes stems removed
- 1 (14.5-oz. can) diced tomatoes in juice
- ½ onion roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and roughly chopped (leave a few seeds in for spicy)
- ½ head cilantro
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tsp salt I use pink Himalayan; any kind will work
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp freshly cracked pepper
- pinch cayenne
Instructions
- Add the fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt, chili powder, pepper, and cayenne to a blender or food processor. Pulse 1-2 seconds at a time until the desired consistency is reached. I like mine chunky so I pulse it about 2 seconds on high before checking the texture and then mixing on low for 1-2 seconds.
- Pour the salsa into a lidded Mason jar (or 2) or airtight container and chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge. If you refrigerate it overnight (for 6-8 hours), the juices will have ample time to absorb, bringing all the flavors together to create the best taste.
- If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Notes
Nutrition (per serving)
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