This fresh garden salsa recipe is so easy to make with only six fresh ingredients. And, the best part is that you can put this salsa together in minutes!
Once you make your own salsa, you will never go back to store-bought again! It tastes great with chips, tacos and so much more.
Here is what you will need
This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe; scroll down for a printable recipe card with exact measurements and instructions.
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Salsa Ingredients
- Garden Fresh Tomatoes
- Jalapeno Pepper
- Onion
- Fresh Cilantro
- Garlic
- Fresh Lime Juice
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Paring knife
Why you will love this recipe
- It's customizable, you can adjust the flavor to your taste.
- It's a simple recipe to make, and full of flavor!
How to make this fresh salsa recipe
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients
Rough chop the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and garlic. Trim the stalks off of the cilantro.
Step 2. Place ingredients into a blender
Place the prepped ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Step 3. Blend
Secure the lid on the food processor or blender and pulse the ingredients into a texture that you like.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
The complete list of ingredients to make this recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients, along with ideas for substitutes.
Tomatoes are the star of this recipe, and when it is tomato season, the best tomatoes to use are garden tomatoes preferably plum or fresh roma tomatoes. They have a lower water content, which will prevent watery salsa.
You can use any type of tomato that you have on hand. A mix of cherry tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes also work well in salsa recipes. They have a variety of colors.
Onion - Any type of onion can be used to make salsa, yellow onion or red onion is my preference, mainly because I always have them in my kitchen.
Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves taste so good in salsa, but if you don't have fresh garlic on hand, you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Jalapeno Peppers - If you are sensitive to heat, you can use half the amount of jalapeno and remove the jalapeno seeds for a milder salsa.
You can also use a milder poblano pepper or you can leave the hot pepper out completely and use ¼ cup diced green bell pepper.
Variations
There are so many varieties of salsa, here are a few suggestions for changing up this recipe.
- Garden salsa with corn - stir in ¼ cup of cooked corn into the salsa after it has been blended.
- Chili spice salsa - stir in ¼ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon chili powder after the salsa has been blended.
- Salsa with black beans - store ¼ cup of black beans after blending the salsa.
Serving suggestions
Serve garden fresh salsa garnished with green onions with your favorite tortilla chips, mix it with shredded chicken, and vegetarian tacos, and top a salad with it or add it to deconstructed stuffed peppers for a spicy version of stuffed peppers or as a dip for jalapeno poppers.
You can also add fresh garden salsa to Greek yogurt to make Mexican Macaroni Salad or Salsa Chicken.
How to store leftover salsa
Store leftover salsa in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container or mason jar. Freeze salsa for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Defrost it in the refrigerator. Note that the salsa texture and color may be different after the salsa has thawed out.
Recipe tips
- Wear disposable gloves when chopping the jalapeno pepper to prevent your hands from burning from the heat of the pepper.
- This is a taste-as-you-go recipe. If you aren't sure about heat, add a little bit of jalapeno and adjust it to your taste.
- If your hands burn after chopping the jalapeno pepper, squeeze lemon juice on them and rub it in to stop the burn.
Yes, you can easily make this salsa with a sharp knife, which is great for chunky salsa or pico de gallo. Dice all of the ingredients and combine them in a bowl.
Yes, this salsa is made with only plants, there are no added sugars that you might find in store-bought salsa.
It is not necessary to peel the tomatoes before making salsa. The blender or food processor purees the ingredients nicely.
You can substitute canned for fresh, but the salsa will not have the same fresh flavor. I like to use canned San Marzano or Muir Glen diced tomatoes.
You might also enjoy these simple homemade salsa recipes
- Grilled Chicken Breasts with Strawberry Salsa
- Cucumber Watermelon Salsa
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Spicy Mango Salsa with Strawberries
📖 Recipe
Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Ingredients
- 4 fresh Roma tomatoes or firm fresh tomatoes 2 cups when chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice ½ to 1 lime depending on how juicy the lime is
- ½ medium red onion
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Rough chop 3 to 4 tomatoes to make 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- Rough chop the garlic and onions
- Remove the stem, seeds and membranes from the jalapeno pepper and cut it into quarters
- Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from a fresh lime
- Remove the tough stems from the cilantro
- Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor
- Process until salsa reaches your desired consistency
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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Jenni LeBaron says
What a great, simple and fresh salsa recipe. I would definitely polish off a bowl of this easily. Also a great way to use up the tomatoes from my garden right now!
shobee says
yeah, I will not bother buying my salsa. I 'd prefer making them, so I can adjust the taste to my liking.
Veena Azmanov says
Nothing beats homemade fresh salsa. This looks so good. I love the color. My kids love to eat pita chips with their salsa. I must try this one. Sounds yum.
Amy Treasure says
I just love chips and salsa! I can see how easy it would be to make a big batch of this for our next party. Thanks, I'll try it
Nicoletta Sugarlovespices says
We have so many tomatoes in our garden! This will be perfect to use some up for something so delicious as a homemade salsa!
Anna says
Homemade salsa is just the best! So much better and healthier than a shop-bought version, and fraction of the price! Delicious!
jagruti says
Homemade salsa is the best, fresh and without any nasty additives.
Karyl Henry says
I'm loving the deep and vibrant color of this salsa! And what a great way to use all those fresh summer tomatoes in the garden
Nicole says
I absolutely love salsa and this looks so easy to make. I love how fresh this is!
Tessa Simpson says
I have SO many tomatoes in my garden now....what a great way to use some up! So tasty spread over my eggs this morning!
Daniela says
I love how simple and wonderful this is! Nothing quite like home made salsa!
ChihYu says
This salsa is so easy and excellent! Goes well with everything!
Jean Choi says
Homemade salsa is seriously the BEST! This looks so refreshing and perfect.
paleoglutenfreeguy says
Buying salsa in a jar is so easy but you've inspired me! There's a ton of great tomatoes at farmers markets right now and this is the perfect recipe to use them up!
Megan Stevens says
Delicious with the red onion and lime juice!! Thank you!
Raia Todd says
So easy and delicious! Love the hint of lime.
anne says
Thanks Raia!
jennifer says
I really love to make my own salsa too -- not just because it's fresher and tastes better, but so I can control the heat -- I like very mild . . and my hubby likes very spicy. So I just divide the batch before adding peppers!
anne says
That's a great idea Jennifer! We all like spicy and hot.
Hope says
Homemade salsa is always so much better than store bought, loved this spice in this and how fresh it was!
anne says
Thanks hope, I hope you enjoy!
Erin says
Homemade is so much better! Love that you can adjust all the spices to your liking.
heather says
Since moving to the SouthWest, I have learned that salsa is a food group, and needs to be on everything! This is a great example of salsa that needs to be in the fridge ready to go at all times!!