This is the best homemade salsa recipe that’s ready in minutes using only a few fresh ingredients.

15-minute salsa is loaded with tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime, and a little oil to pull it all together.

bowl of Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Holly’s Salsa Secrets

  • Flavor: Mild or zesty, this recipe for homemade salsa is bursting with fiesta flavor!
  • Difficulty: Making a classic salsa from scratch is so simple! Just chop, stir, and serve!
  • Prep note: Pulse salsa in a food processor or blender for a smoother salsa if desired.
  • Yield: This recipe doubles (or triples!) beautifully, so it’s perfect for sharing at picnics, potlucks, and parties! Enjoy it as a dip or a topping for fish tacos or chicken quesadillas.
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Fresh Fixings

Tomatoes: Any tomatoes work, but firmer tomatoes like cherry and Roma are sweeter and will stay firmer longer.

Onions: Green onions are very mild and are a colorful addition to homemade salsa. Red, yellow, and white onions will all work, but should be finely diced so they don’t overpower the salsa.

PRO TIP: Chopped onions can be soaked in ice water for about 10 minutes to tame their bite if you want a chunky salsa.

Jalapenos: Fresh jalapenos are best in this recipe, but you can use canned or jarred (and drained) jalapenos in a pinch. The ribs (the white part, AKA pith) and the seeds are where the heat comes from in a fresh jalapeno. Remove them if you want a less spicy salsa.

Seasonings: Oregano, garlic, and cilantro marry the other ingredients together. Try using this easy DIY taco seasoning blend and have lots left over for other recipes. Stick with a mild oil like olive, avocado, or, traditionally, corn oil.

Salsa Shake Up: Add pops of color to homemade salsa with diced black olives, chopped cucumbers, zucchini, or even pineapple tidbits for a sweet-tart style. Stir in some chopped chipotle peppers in adobo for a smoky flavor.

adding ingredients to bowl to make Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Clever Salsa Shortcuts

  • Use a veggie chopper to quickly chop up all the fresh veggies!
  • Bulk up homemade salsa quickly by using a can of Rotel fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles.
  • Swap out the fresh garlic for garlic powder or omit it altogether and use cumin.
Best Homemade Salsa Recipe on a tortilla

Second Day Salsa

Salsa tastes best when it’s freshly made, but this version will keep for up to 2 days covered in the refrigerator. Stir it and zest it up with a little splash of lime juice before serving again.

More Mexican Favorites

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easy salsa served in a white bowl
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Homemade Salsa Recipe

Homemade salsa is fresh, zesty, and comes together in minutes with just a few simple ingredients.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author Catalina

Equipment

Large Bowl

Ingredients  

  • 5 cups cherry tomatoes finely chopped
  • 2 green onions finely diced
  • 2 jalapeños seeds removed, deveined and finely diced
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Add tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, lime juice and zest, oregano, garlic, cilantro, and olive oil to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with corn chips.

Notes

Homemade Salsa should be stored in the refrigerator immediately after preparing and kept for 2-3 days. If stored longer, there is a risk that the garlic, which has extremely low acidity, may produce botulism, a serious toxin. 
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Nutrition Information

Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 571IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Mexican

©The Shortcut Kitchen. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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About the author

Catalina thinks that time in the kitchen should be fun, and we should spend less time cooking and more time eating! As a successful business woman, with a busy career on Wall Street, she develops easy weeknight meals that you can make in 30 minutes or less!. Catalina lives in the NYC metro area with her husband, who is also a great cook, and their 4 year old boy, who gladly helps in the kitchen. Catalina will inspire you to experiment with flavors, try new ingredients and create easy meals with less effort. You can visit her blog Sweet & Savory Meals for more inspiration.
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    1. Hi Matshepo, to receive recipes straight to your inbox you can sign up for our newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of the post and entering in your email address. Happy cooking!

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