Tomato Salsa is so easy to make at home with ingredients that you may already have in your pantry! Using canned, diced tomatoes makes this easy and the addition of fresh ingredients like red onions, garlic, lime juice and fresh cilantro gives this restaurant-style salsa a freshness that you do not get in a jarred salsa. This 10 minute tomato salsa recipe is easily put together in a food processor.
This is the best salsa for dipping a big bowl of tortilla chips into and it can also be used as a taco Tuesday topping or in quesadillas.
Tomato Salsa will only take you a few minutes to make. You simply chop the vegetables then pulse all the chopped ingredients in your food processor until you have the consistency you like. If you like a spicy salsa, you can add Jalapeno pepper until you get the heat level that you want.
You might also want to try Salsa Taquera which is another tomato version of salsa made with roasted roma tomatoes and tomatillos. Black Bean Corn Salsa is a good salsa for the summer when fresh corn is available. The combination of corn, black beans, tomatoes and red onions mixed with fresh lime juice, olive oil and fresh cilantro is very flavorful. For some other fresh salsa recipes, check out Bell Pepper Salsa, Cantaloupe Salsa, Watermelon Salsa and Creamy Salsa Verde.
You can use this salsa to make Salsa Ranch Dressing.
If you want to try some other Mexican recipes check out 35 Simple Cinco de Mayo Recipes. You might also like Creamy Salsa Verde which is a flavorful salsa made with roasted tomatillos.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Fresh lime juice is best for the bright acidity that balances the flavors of the tomato salsa. Avoid bottled lime juice, which can taste artificial.
- Jalapeño pepper is optional for heat. If you include it, you can adjust the heat level by removing or leaving the seeds and membranes—these parts contain most of the capsaicin, which gives the pepper its heat. Read How to Make a Hot Chile Pepper Less Spicy.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Food Processor: A food processor is great for quickly chopping the ingredients and blending them to your desired consistency. You can pulse the ingredients for a chunkier tomato salsa or let it run for a few seconds for a smoother texture. It is useful if you are making a large batch or prefer not to chop everything by hand.
- Knife and Cutting Board: For prepping ingredients like onions, garlic, and jalapeños, you will need a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups: To measure all your ingredients for the tomato salsa like lime juice, salt, and spices accurately, have a set of measuring spoons and cups handy. Accurate measurements help maintain the balance of flavors in your salsa.
- Citrus Juicer: To easily extract the juice from limes without the seeds, a citrus juicer can be very helpful. This tool ensures you get all the juice out and keeps the seeds from falling into your salsa.
- Spatula or Spoon: A spatula or large spoon is useful for mixing the salsa and ensuring that all ingredients are evenly distributed. It also helps in transferring the salsa to a serving dish or storage container.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If you do not have canned diced tomatoes, you can use fresh tomatoes in the tomato salsa. Choose ripe, juicy varieties like Roma or vine tomatoes. You could use canned whole peeled canned tomatoes that you chop yourself.
- In the absence of fresh garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for each garlic clove as a substitute.
- If canned green chiles are not available, fresh green chiles like Anaheim, poblano peppers or serrano pepper can be roasted, peeled, and chopped.
- If red onion is too strong or not available, you can use white onion or sweet onion as a milder alternative. Scallions or green onion can also work.
- If you are not a fan of cilantro or it is unavailable, you can use other fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley. You could also used dried cilantro.
- If fresh limes are not available, you can use an equal amount of lemon juice.
- For less heat, omit the jalapeño or use a milder pepper like Anaheim pepper. For more heat, you could substitute with serrano or habanero peppers, but be cautious with the hot pepper quantity due to their intense heat. If you prefer no heat use green bell peppers.
HOW TO STORE TOMATO SALSA:
- Properly stored, fresh homemade salsa can last for about 3-5 days. Transfer the salsa to an airtight container. Glass jars or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids work well for this purpose.
HOW TO FREEZE TOMATO SALSA:
- While tomato salsa can be frozen, the texture may change slightly due to the water content in the tomatoes and onions. Ingredients may become somewhat softer after thawing. Use a freezer-safe container or bag. Leave about half an inch of headspace at the top of the container, as the salsa will expand slightly when frozen. Frozen salsa is best used within 2 to 3 months for optimal quality.
- For the best results transfer the frozen salsa from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
Place the tomatoes, green chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Pulse the tomato salsa 3-4 times and check the consistency. For a chunky salsa this may be enough. If you want a smoother salsa, pulse a couple more times and check again.
Tomato Salsa
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Ingredients
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles
- ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- jalapeno pepper optional
Instructions
Place the tomatoes, green chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Pulse 3-4 times and check the consistency of the salsa. For a chunky salsa this may be enough. If you want a smoother salsa, pulse a couple more times and check again.
If you want a spicy salsa, cut the jalapeno pepper in half and remove the seeds. Finely chop one half of the pepper and add it to the salsa. Taste. If you want the salsa to have more heat, chop and add the other half of the pepper to the salsa.
For the best flavor, serve at room temperature with your favorite Mexican food, and corn tortilla chips.
