This homemade salsa is fresh, chunky, and ready in 10 minutes with no cooking required. Way better than anything from a jar, and it comes together with a knife or a food processor.
Jarred salsa always tastes like it's missing something, usually because it is. Real tomatoes, real onion, and fresh lime juice make a difference that no amount of added sugar or preservatives can fake. Once I started making my own, buying a jar started to feel like a downgrade instead of a shortcut.
This isn't a cooked salsa, which means there's no simmering, no canning, nothing that takes more than the time it takes to chop everything up or pulse it a few times in a food processor. Tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice, seasoned with salt, and that's genuinely the whole thing.
I make a batch of this most weeks during tomato season and go through it fast, on chips, on eggs, on tacos, spooned over just about anything that could use a little brightness.
➡️ You should try this recipe next: Ground Turkey Skillet Recipe (One Pan, 25 Minutes)
Tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are a solid choice since they have less water than other varieties, which keeps the salsa from turning watery. Vine-ripened or beefsteak tomatoes work too, just remove some of the seeds and juice if they seem especially watery.
White or red onion. White onion has a sharper bite that's more traditional in salsa, while red onion is slightly milder and adds a bit of color. Either works well.
Jalapeño. Adjust the amount based on how spicy you want the salsa. Remove the seeds and ribs for a milder result, or leave some in if you want more heat. Taste a small piece first, since jalapeños vary a lot in spiciness.
Garlic. A small amount goes a long way. Fresh garlic gives a much better flavor than garlic powder here, since the salsa isn't cooked and needs that raw, sharp bite.
Fresh cilantro. Adds a lot of the classic salsa flavor. If you're someone who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, which is a real genetic thing, feel free to leave it out or use fresh parsley instead.
Lime juice. Brightens everything up and ties the whole salsa together. Fresh lime juice makes a noticeable difference over bottled, so it's worth squeezing a couple of limes if you have them.
Salt. Salsa needs more salt than you'd expect to taste balanced. Season, taste, and adjust rather than guessing at the amount upfront.
Cumin. Optional, but a small pinch adds a little warmth and depth that rounds out the freshness of the tomatoes and lime.
For serving. Tortilla chips, obviously, but also good over tacos, eggs, grilled chicken, or stirred into rice.
Dice the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño into small, even pieces. Mince the garlic finely so it distributes through the salsa instead of clumping in one spot.
Roughly chop the cilantro, including some of the tender stems, which have plenty of flavor and don't need to be picked off.
Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cilantro in a bowl. Add lime juice, salt, and cumin if using.
Stir everything together and taste. Adjust salt, lime juice, or jalapeño depending on what it needs.
Let the salsa sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, if you can, to give the flavors time to come together. It's fine to eat right away too, it'll just taste even better after a short rest.
If you prefer a smoother salsa, pulse everything in a food processor a few times instead of hand chopping, being careful not to over-process it into a puree.
This is a good one to have on hand alongside the ground turkey skillet if you're building out a taco night or want something to spoon over a simple dinner. It also keeps well enough to make ahead if you're hosting and want one less thing to think about the day of.
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Let it rest before serving. Fresh salsa tastes noticeably better after sitting for at least 10 minutes, and even better after an hour or two in the fridge. The flavors need a little time to blend together.
Remove excess tomato seeds and juice if they're very watery. This keeps the salsa from turning thin and soupy, especially if you're using a juicier tomato variety instead of Romas.
Taste and adjust as you go. Salsa needs enough salt and lime to taste balanced, and it's easy to underseason it the first time around. Add a little, taste, and keep adjusting until it tastes right to you.
Don't over-process if using a food processor. A few short pulses gets you a nice chunky texture. Running it too long turns the salsa into more of a sauce, which isn't bad, just different from the classic chunky texture.
Taste your jalapeño before adding it all. Heat levels vary a lot between peppers, even from the same batch at the store. Add a little, taste the salsa, and add more if it needs it.
Make it a roasted salsa. Char the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic under the broiler or on a grill before chopping for a deeper, smokier flavor.
Add fruit. Diced mango or pineapple adds sweetness that pairs really well with the heat from the jalapeño, especially good over grilled fish or chicken.
Make it a corn salsa. Stir in a cup of corn, fresh or grilled, for a heartier, slightly sweeter version that works well as a topping for tacos or bowls.
Turn it into a avocado salsa. Fold in diced avocado right before serving for a creamier version that's closer to a chunky guacamole-salsa hybrid.
Make it extra spicy. Add a serrano pepper in addition to or instead of the jalapeño, or leave in all the seeds and ribs for more heat.
Roma tomatoes can be replaced with any ripe tomato, seeding and draining excess juice if they're especially watery.
Jalapeño can be replaced with serrano pepper for more heat, or left out entirely for a mild, kid-friendly version.
White onion can be replaced with red onion or shallot for a milder flavor.
Fresh cilantro can be replaced with fresh parsley if you're not a fan of cilantro, or left out entirely.
Lime juice can be replaced with lemon juice in a pinch, though lime is more traditional and gives a slightly different, brighter flavor.
Store salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavor actually improves over the first day or two as everything sits together, so this is a good one to make slightly ahead if you're planning for a party or gathering.
This salsa doesn't freeze particularly well, since the tomatoes and onion lose their texture once thawed and turn watery and limp. It's best made in a batch size you'll actually finish within the week.
Why is my salsa watery?
This usually comes from using very juicy tomatoes without removing some of the seeds and liquid first. Roma tomatoes have less water than other varieties and are a good choice if you want a thicker, chunkier salsa.
How spicy is this salsa?
It depends entirely on how much jalapeño you use and whether you keep the seeds and ribs in. One jalapeño with the seeds removed gives a mild to medium salsa. For more heat, add a second jalapeño or leave some seeds in.
Can I make this salsa ahead of time?
Yes, and it's actually better after sitting for a few hours or overnight in the fridge, since the flavors have time to blend together. Just give it a stir and taste before serving in case it needs an extra squeeze of lime or a pinch of salt.
Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh?
You can, especially outside of tomato season when fresh tomatoes aren't at their best. Drain canned diced tomatoes well before using so the salsa doesn't turn out too watery.
What's the difference between this and pico de gallo?
They're very similar. Pico de gallo is typically a very chunky, hand-diced salsa with minimal or no liquid added, while this version can be made either chunky by hand or smoother in a food processor, depending on your preference.
This homemade salsa is fresh, chunky, and ready in 10 minutes with no cooking required. Way better than anything from a jar, and it comes together with a knife or a food processor.
Servings 6
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Let the salsa rest before serving. The flavor improves noticeably after even a short amount of time.
Use Roma tomatoes or remove excess seeds and juice from other varieties to avoid a watery salsa.
Taste your jalapeño first, since heat levels vary a lot between peppers.
