Homemade salsa is a game-changer. This easy salsa recipe is loaded with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno for a little kick, and it comes together quickly in a blender or food processor.
This restaurant-style salsa only requires a handful of fresh ingredients. Whether you need a topping for Taco Salad or Breakfast Tacos, or just want to munch on some tortilla chips with salsa, you’ll love this fresh salsa recipe.
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Homemade Salsa
This salsa reminds me of the appetizer salsas at restaurants that always have me wishing they’d just bring a bigger bowl! It’s actually really easy to make a restaurant-style salsa – it comes together in minutes and it keeps well in the refrigerator.
The fresh tomatoes make the salsa taste vibrant and fresh while adding canned diced tomatoes gives it a great depth of flavor just like the irresistible salsa appetizers that are served at Mexican restaurants.
- Flavor: The perfect salsa is a little spicy, tangy, and savory. If you prefer a spicy salsa, you can adjust the level of spice to your liking by simply adding more jalapenos.
- Texture: A nice, restaurant-quality table salsa is fine in texture. Unlike chunky Pico de Gallo, you want this salsa to come out a bit saucier. This is why using a blender or food processor is an absolute must. This makes it perfect for chip dipping or smothering over a burrito, taco, or some grilled meat.
- Quick: All you have to do is toss your ingredients into the food processor and let your salsa marinate for a couple of hours before serving. Once the flavors meld, it tastes even better.
How to Make Homemade Salsa
In just two simple steps, you’ll have a homemade salsa that is perfect for any occasion. Follow the simple steps below and you’ll be dipping in no time.
- Blend – Place ingredients into a food processor or blender. Pulse in two-second bursts, or until all the ingredients are chopped and combined.
- Rest – Place in the refrigerator to marinate for a couple of hours or overnight.
Pro Tip: Do not over-blend your salsa. If you pulse it too much, it will turn into soup. You still want it to maintain some texture. Just a couple of pulses in a food processor will do the trick.
Tips for the Best Homemade Salsa
Even though making this salsa is simple, but here are some tips to ensure your fresh salsa turns out perfect every time:
- Adjust the spice – Use as many or as few jalapenos as you prefer. Note: Jalapenos with vertical lines on the outside indicate that the peppers have been aging for some time. The more lines, the spicier they are.
- Don’t over-blend – Only blend the salsa just until it’s incorporated. You want a nice, fine texture where you can still see all the colors of the ingredients (see the picture above for reference).
- Let the salsa rest – Letting your salsa marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator will yield the best flavors. Don’t skip this step!
- Pick the right canned tomatoes – Petite diced is the best cut for this recipe. Also, take note if you are using a can with seasoning or added salt, you will need to add salt to taste.
To Serve
Homemade salsa is so versatile and isn’t just an appetizer. The possibilities for serving are endless, but here are some of our favorite ways to serve homemade salsa:
- Appetizer dip: scoop up the salsa with your tortilla chips, Cheese Sticks, or Baked Nachos.
- Topping: Use the salsa as a topping for Tostadas, Mexican Stuffed Peppers and Street Tacos.
- Breakfast: Salsa is also great for breakfast or brunch, especially with Breakfast Quesadillas or Breakfast Burritos. This salsa will make your breakfasts more exciting.
Common Questions
This salsa is not intended for canning since it isn’t a ‘cooked’ salsa, nor does it have the correct proportion of acid for canning so we do not recommend canning this salsa. If you are looking for a salsa that keeps longer, our favorite is Roasted Salsa which tastes just like fresh once it’s thawed.
If you omit the canned tomatoes, you will essentially have a Pico de Gallo, which has a different flavor profile.
You can safely keep homemade salsa for up to a week in the refrigerator. See storage tips below.
Storing Fresh Homemade Salsa
- Refrigerating: Pour your salsa into an airtight container or Mason Jar and pop it in the refrigerator for up to a week. The longer the salsa marinates in the refrigerator, the better it tastes.
- Freezing: Fresh tomato salsa does not freeze well because it has fresh vegetables which can turn mushy and watery when thawed. If you’re looking for a freezer-friendly salsa, try our Roasted Tomato Salsa.
Pro Tip: Airtight storage containers keep food fresh longer and look so organized in your fridge.
More Salsa Recipes
These salsa recipes are some of our favorite summer appetizers and they are a great way to use up garden-grown vegetables and even fruit.
Fresh Homemade Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Roma tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 12 oz canned petite diced tomatoes, with their juice
- 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped, seeded
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp lime juice, from 1/2 fresh lime
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse in 2 second bursts until all ingredients are chopped and combined. Note: Don’t over blend your salsa. You want a fine texture, but not a puree.
- Leave salsa covered and refrigerated for a couple of hours before you are ready to serve. This will bring all the flavors together.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natalya Drozhzhin
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Really, really delicious. We can’t stop eating it! I didn’t use a can of tomatoes because we have so many cherry tomatoes so I used a bunch of them. Turned out perfectly. Definitely will be in the rotation every summer!
Hi there!
I’m wondering if I could use cherry tomatoes for this recipe.
I have a boatload of those.
Thank you!
Hi Sandi! Yes, you can use other tomatoes too, but since they may contain more seeds/liquid, you’ll have a runnier salsa.
You may try to strain some of the juices if it’s too much.
I have made this salsa 10 or more times, and I have tweaked it a little as Natasha mentioned. I have a salsa garden so all my ingredients are off the vine fresh. I have had so so many people loving this salsa, I use a blender but a 11cup food processor is coming as I think it will work better just my input, thank you Natasha for this easy recipe….Gordon
This is truly the best with garden fresh ingredients. I’m so glad you loved it, Gordon!
This was my first time ever making salsa (crazy considering how often I make from scratch foods)…it was so tasty and fresh and was a complete hit at our event. I accidentally doubled the lime and it was a welcomed mistake. I was, however, SO disappointed in my jalapeno- I found a wonderfully, vertically-lined jalapeno, added the whole thing and ZERO spice. I did remove the seeds though, big mistake. Next time, I’ll sample the jalapeno first and go from there (save the seeds!!). Thanks for the simple yet delicious recipe.
Made this for the first time. After researching many recipes, the only change I made was to chop the onions & peppers first before adding the tomatoes. This helped lessen the chance of pureeing the salsa.
It was a hit!!!
Hi Nitza! That’s wonderful. I’m so glad it was a hit.
So easy and delicious! Best salsa I’ve made! I never thought about how I was overblending before, so doing it in the food processor in short little bursts made this perfect, thank you!
You’re so welcome! We’re happy to hear that you loved it!
I have made the fresh salsa for years and now have no one around that likes the spicy foods. I want to know if I can cook it now to taste more like the roasted? (I am going to try it, but want your opinion first).
Hi Ada! I would use my Roasted tomato salsa recipe for that.
My salsa came out so bland! I’m not sure where I went wrong! No matter what I added, I tasted like nothing even with all of those fresh ingredients. What can I do?
Hi Alisha! Did you make any substitutions or alterations to the recipe? It could be the tomatoes. Some store bought tomatoes have little to almost no flavor. You can keep adding seasoning, salt, and pepper for more flavor.
I’ve tried many fresh salsas only to be disappointed. But yours has a great balance of flavor for us. So good! And easy. Finally a winner! Thank you!
Hi Cindy! That’s wonderful. Thank you for the feedback. Glad you found a keeper!
Hi Natasha. I am looking for a salsa I can use for canning. Would this be a good choice or the other one on your site. Thanks so much. Love your recipes!!!
Hi Wendy! I have not tried canning salsa. At the moment, I do not have a recipe for that.
How does this compare to Natasha’s roasted salsa recipe? I want to make this one or her roasted salsa recipe this week to have with carnitas on Sunday for Mothers Day (mom’s request). Which one should I make?!
Hi Brooke! They are both great and use the same base ingredients. You may try this one for something new, I think you’ll enjoy it. I really enjoy the fresh lime juice and spices in this.
This is a delicious, fresh salsa! The balance of flavors is perfection! I’m making breakfast taquitos and this salsa will be the perfect accompaniment. Leftover salsa and corn chips for the win! Natasha, your recipes never disappoint.
Thank you so much, Claudia! I appreciate the feedback.