Snacking on Homemade Salsa with crispy tortilla chips is the best! This bright, fresh, flavorful dip tastes absolutely incredible. It’s easy to make right in your food processor in less than 5 minutes!

homemade salsa served in a small white bowl with a spoon

Prepare for the best homemade salsa of your life! Not a day goes by that my husband isn’t snacking on tortilla chips and salsa dip. There are a few store-bought brands he’ll eat, but nothing quite compares to the deliciousness of his homemade salsa recipe. It’s so easy to make and one of the most popular recipes on this site, with good reason!

My husband loves this homemade salsa SO much that every year he plants a full garden to support his snack obsession. Ha! He plants the onions, jalapeños and, of course, the tomatoes. Garden fresh tomatoes are so amazing and they really take this dip to the next level.

Why this recipe works

There are tons of homemade salsa recipes, so why should you choose this one to make?

  • Practice makes perfect: My husband has been perfecting this recipe for years and we’ve been told by everyone that tastes it, that it’s the best salsa they’ve ever tried
  • It’s also the ultimate condiment! It’s quick to whip up, loaded with veggies, and packed with flavor.
  • Versatile: This is delicious on tacos, perfect on a piece of grilled chicken and I really love it on eggs!
  • So tasty! This homemade salsa recipe is a classic that never gets old. It’s fresh, tasty and very easy to make. It also tastes WAY better than any pre-packaged salsa you’ll find at the grocery store.

Ingredients needed

This salsa recipe has all the classic ingredients you would expect to find. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it at home:

Fresh cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic.
  • Tomatoes: Garden tomatoes are the star of the show in this salsa, but if you’re not lucky enough to have a garden full of tomatoes, I suggest buying your tomatoes from a farmer’s market. You’ll be surprised what a difference in flavor it makes. If you’re looking for a roasted flavor, try my Roasted Salsa Recipe and if you only have cherry tomatoes on hand, you’ll love this Fire Roasted Salsa Recipe.
  • Jalapeños: Use as many or as few as you like. Want more spice? Leave the seeds in your jalapeños.
  • Onion: I used red onions, here, but actually we typically use white onions. Either way, your salsa will be delicious!
  • Garlic: A must in homemade salsa! If you don’t have fresh, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder with good results.
  • Cilantro: We personally LOVE cilantro, but I know some people think it tastes like soap. If you’re unlucky enough to not like cilantro, simply leave it out. This recipe will work just fine without it.
  • Lemon or lime juice: My husband prefers lemon juice in this recipe (it has a more mild flavor), but I know many people favor fresh lime juice in their salsa – either works great.
  • Cumin: We love the warm and earthy flavor cumin adds.
  • Salt: Add a bit of salt and then taste. Continue to add more as needed. Salt really brings all of the flavors together.

Substitutions and variations

The best thing about homemade salsa is that you can customize it and make it your own. The ingredients and measurements are just a guide – add more or less of the specific ingredients as you prefer.

  • Canned tomatoes: If you must use canned tomatoes, I would suggest substituting about 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes for the 6 whole tomatoes. Drain off about half of the tomato juice from each can (about ⅓ cup for each) and discard it. We like Muir Glen brand fire-roasted tomatoes best. They’re organic, come in BPA-free cans, and offer the best flavor I’ve found in canned tomatoes. You can use regular diced tomatoes, but your salsa won’t have the same depth of flavor as using fire-roasted.
  • Change the spice level: Leave out jalapeño seeds, if you’re sensitive to spice and add more jalapeño to add more kick to this recipe.
  • Use lemon or lime: We usually use whichever we have on hand and love both. Start off with a small amount and add more later until the salsa has the flavor you like best.
  • Seasonings: I like to keep it simple with just salt and cumin. Start with a small amount of each and add more to your preferred taste. If you’d like to mix in black pepper or another spice, feel free.

How to make this recipe

Making homemade salsa is super easy with the use of a blender or food processor. I always use a food processor, so that the ingredients are more evenly dispersed, but a blender will do the trick, too. 

  1. Add ingredients: Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. I like to add in the jalapeños, onion and garlic first and then the cilantro and tomatoes, so the tomatoes do not get too liquid-y.
  2. Pulse ingredients: Pulse about 10 or so times and until all ingredients are combined and diced, but be sure to stop before the salsa becomes too watery. However, you can pulse longer if you do like your salsa with more liquid.
  3. Taste: After you taste with a chip, you can add more cumin, salt and lemon/lime juice, as needed. I would advise stirring in the extra ingredients, not pulsing in the food processor. The salsa will become too watery, quickly.
  4. Serve: Transfer to a bowl and enjoy or to a mason jar with a lid or another airtight container and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Helpful tips

Here are a few quick tips for making this easy salsa recipe perfect every single time:

  • Adding the ingredients to the food processor: Coarsely chop ingredients before adding them to the food processor. I suggest adding the garlic, jalapeño and onion first. This ensures that they will all get chopped up evenly and the tomatoes won’t get too watery.
  • Drain tomatoes: I’ve never had this problem but some will say, fresh tomatoes can make your salsa too watery because of the high water content. To avoid this, coarsely chop your tomatoes, and before adding them to the food processor, let them sit in a colander for about 10 minutes to drain any excess liquid.
  • Allow it to sit: Fresh salsa tastes best if you let it sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes and up to a day before you plan to serve it, so that the flavors can come together and intensify.
  • My tools: I’ve had this Cuisinart food processor for years and even after many batches of nut butter grinding, it’s still going strong. Here is a budget-friendly food processor with great reviews.

Frequently asked questions

What is traditional salsa made of?

Traditional salsa is typically made with fresh tomatoes, jalapeno other veggies and spices

What are the best tomatoes for homemade salsa?

There is no better tomato than one picked fresh from the garden! If you know, you know! I highly recommend using either garden tomatoes or tomatoes from a farmer’s market or tomato stand. You truly do not know good salsa until you’ve tasted fresh tomato salsa. No need to peel the tomatoes!

What thickens homemade salsa?

If you feel the the salsa is too watery add a bit of tomato paste a little at a time to thicken the salsa.

Serving suggestions

This is true restaurant-style salsa and you’re going to LOVE it! Of course, we enjoy with our favorite tortilla chips for the perfect appetizer or savory snack. My husband eats this as a snack every day after work! 🙂

It’s also incredible with:

Storage recommendations

Homemade salsa is great for storing and enjoying later with your favorite chips! Here’s how to keep it tasting fresh and full of flavor!

  • In the fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • In the freezer: You can also freeze the salsa for up to 4 months. Store it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a couple of hours at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy it!
  • Canning option: Looking for a salsa recipe for canning? This one works great for canning! Last summer, my husband canned a bunch of jars and we had fresh garden tomato salsa all through the fall. We bought this canning kit and these large glass jars from Amazon and he watched several YouTube videos for instructions. He kept the recipe the same other than the canning part. In the comments, below, you’ll see that readers have also had success with canning this recipe.
salsa recipe served in a bowl with tortilla chips

This easy homemade salsa recipe makes a great dip for tortilla chips and is the perfect topping for tacos and burritos! It takes just minutes to make and tastes so much better than the store-bought kind.

If you try this, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Best Homemade Salsa Ever!

This homemade salsa recipe is absolutely irresistible! It’s loaded with delicious, vibrant flavor and it comes together in less than 5 minutes. 
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 4 small jalapeño peppers*, (leave the seeds in for an extra kick)
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/4-1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 6 tomatoes of varying sizes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, (about 1/2 lemon, juiced)

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. I like to add in the jalapeños, onion and garlic first and then the cilantro and tomatoes, so the tomatoes do not get too liquid-y. Pulse about 10 or so times and until all ingredients are combined and diced, but be sure to stop before the salsa becomes too watery. However, you can pulse longer if you do like your salsa with more liquid.
  • Taste the salsa and add more ingredients as desired. I would advise stirring in the extra ingredients, not pulsing in the food processor. The salsa will become too watery, quickly.
  • Transfer to a bowl and enjoy!
  • I prefer to refrigerate salsa for 1 day prior to serving to allow the flavors to intensify. Salsa will keep for about 1 week in an airtight container or jar in the fridge; however, it's never lasted that long in this household.

Notes

*4 jalapeños may be too much for some. Consider adding fewer, if you are sensitive to heat.
**I strongly suggest garden tomatoes or tomatoes from a farmer’s market to really make this salsa the best! The Early Girl variety of tomatoes are our favorites. We also like the 1015Y Texas Super Sweet Onions.
***The salsa in the photos looks a lot like Pico de Gallo. Our salsa typically looks more like what you see in the video – slightly more pulsed than how it appears in the photos.
Using canned tomatoes:
If you must use canned tomatoes, I would suggest substituting the 6 tomatoes for about 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Drain off about half of the tomato juice from each can (about ⅓ cup for each) and discard it.
I like Muir Glen brand fire-roasted tomatoes best. They’re organic, come in BPA-free cans, and offer the best flavor I’ve found in canned tomatoes. You can use regular diced tomatoes, but your salsa won’t have the same depth of flavor.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 50kcal, Carbohydrates: 10.4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 0.3g, Sodium: 501.8mg, Potassium: 83.4mg, Fiber: 2.1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1370IU, Vitamin C: 67.8mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Did you make this recipe?

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This post was originally published June 2015. It was republished July 2021 with new content.