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Home » Recipes » Easy 5-Minute Homemade Salsa

Easy 5-Minute Homemade Salsa

by Sarah McMinn / Posted: May 14, 2018 / Updated: July 23, 2020 / Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Total Time: 5 mins

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Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.
Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.
Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.
Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.

Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.

Homemade salsa on a wooden platter with tortilla chips

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Today I’ve got a new recipe for you all. One that I can’t believe has taken me 6 years to put on the blog. Ready for it?

Easy Homemade Salsa

After 6 years of blogging, why don't I have a classic restaurant salsa recipe on the blog?! The truth is, unfortunately, because I typically get my salsa at the store. It's crazy, I know. Why would I BUY my salsa when it's less convenient, more expensive, and doesn't taste as good??

Because sometimes, my friends, after days of blogging while juggling single parenting, home-owning, and an Airbnb business, I just want things to be easier.

Turns out, it is actually incredibly easy to make salsa at home. All the ingredients get tossed together in a food processor and blended up for less than 1 minute. No mess, no fuss! And that is quicker than taking a trip to the store, don't you think?

Tomatoes, lime, garlic, jalapeño, and diced onion on a wooden board

Table of Contents show
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
How to Make Homemade Salsa
Serving and Storing
Frequently Asked Questions
More Homemade Dips & Spreads
Easy Homemade Salsa

Recommended Ingredients & Equipment

This recipe is so versatile. Like it spicy? Add another jalapeño. Want more zest? Add more lime juice. You can adjust the garlic, cilantro, spices, and salt as you please and with such simple ingredients, it becomes your masterpiece as you adjust the flavors.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Diced Tomatoes - While I used to use fresh tomatoes only, I've come around to believe that canned tomatoes are your better option for restaurant-style salsa. Because canned tomatoes are picked at the height of tomato season and canned with a high-heat technique to preserve the flavor, canned tomatoes will often taste fresher than the out-of-season tomatoes that you can buy year 'round at the grocery store. That means 11 months out of the year (in most regions) canned tomatoes will actually taste fresher. However, if it's the height of the tomato season, feel free to use fresh tomatoes. You will need about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes.
  • Onion - Either yellow or red will do.
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeño
  • Lime
  • Salt
  • Cumin
  • Sugar - I add a bit of granulated sugar to sweeten the salsa. This can be omitted easily.

Recommended Equipment

You don't need much to make perfect restaurant-style salsa at home. All you need is a chef's knife and a good food processor.(<<affiliate link)

Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.


How to Make Homemade Salsa

Homemade salsa in a food processor

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until it resembles your favorite restaurant-style salsa, between 30-60 seconds.

Pro Tip: This recipe is very versatile. Feel free to taste to adjust seasonings as you please.

Homemade salsa on a wooden platter with tortilla chips

Serving and Storing

Serve this salsa as part of your game day spread, with vegan nachos, quesadillas, or as a simple snack with corn chips.

Storing - For best results, this salsa can be made up to 3 days in advance. After that, the salsa will continue to keep for an additional 4 days. For spicy salsa, store the salsa with half a jalapeño pepper. As it sits, the flavors will absorb into the salsa for a delightfully hot and spicy salsa recipe.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can homemade salsa be made in advance?

Yes! In fact, this spicy salsa recipe will get better 24-48 hours after it's made. Allowing the salsa to cool down and let the flavors marinate into one another gives you a deeper tasting salsa that you are going to love.

If you are making this salsa in advance, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can I use fresh tomatoes?

I've come around to believe that canned tomatoes are your better option for restaurant-style salsa. Because canned tomatoes are picked at the height of tomato season and canned with a high-heat technique to preserve the flavor, canned tomatoes will often taste fresher than the out-of-season tomatoes that you can buy year 'round at the grocery store.

However, feel free to use fresh tomatoes. You will need about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes for this recipe.

Finished recipe in a brown bowl with tortilla chips

More Homemade Dips & Spreads

  • Homemade Salsa Verde
  • Cauliflower Queso
  • Classic Vegan Pesto
  • Restaurant-Style Guacamole
  • 5-Minute Vegan Ranch

Homemade salsa on a wooden platter with tortilla chips

Easy Homemade Salsa

Make your salsa at home with this easy homemade salsa recipe. Made with just 8 ingredients and in under 5 minutes, you'll never need to buy your salsa at the store again.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 13kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
  • ½ cup red or white onion, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until it resembles your favorite restaurant-style salsa, between 30-60 seconds.
  • Taste to adjust seasonings.
  • Serve with your favorite chips or store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Notes

Serve and Storing - Store this salsa as part of your game day spread, with vegan nachos, quesadillas, or as a simple snack with corn chips. Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Make in Advance - This spicy salsa recipe will get better 24-48 hours after it's made. Allowing the salsa to cool down and let the flavors marinate into one another gives you a deeper tasting salsa that you are going to love. You can make this salsa up to 3 days in advance without compromising on taste and texture. 
Variations 
  1. For spicy salsa, store the salsa with half a jalapeño pepper. As it sits, the flavors will absorb into the salsa for a delightfully hot and spicy salsa recipe. 
  2. If it's the height of the tomato season, feel free to use fresh tomatoes. You will need about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 13kcal | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 5mg | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest and read more about me here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Teri says

    October 12, 2020 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    So fresh, delicious and EASY!! I had a such craving for a Taco Salad today so I picked the last of the tomatoes from our garden and used those instead of canned. That is the only ingredient I modified, there was no reason to add or delete anything, Your recipe was the perfect topping for my salad, and we will also indulge in a snack later with warm homemade corn tortilla chips:) YUM!
    I will be making this salsa regularly. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Lori says

    May 23, 2020 at 4:43 am

    I'm not a fan of cumin. Any suggestions on substitutions?

    Reply
    • Sarah McMinn says

      May 24, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      You can just omit.

      Reply
  3. Paige says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:16 am

    Can this be frozen?

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      February 19, 2019 at 7:06 am

      I wouldn't recommend it. This is best the day or two after you make it.

      Reply
  4. Jessica says

    October 16, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    I've never made salsa before but OMG this was so good! My sister and I ate the whole batch nearly in one sitting! And I couldn't believe how easy it was to make.

    Reply
  5. Tammy says

    August 20, 2018 at 6:14 pm

    love this recipe. I substituted 1 can of diced tomatoes with 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, added a stalk of celery, and left out the sugar. love it!!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 21, 2018 at 7:10 am

      Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Sarah McMinn, author and recipe developer here at My Darling Vegan. I am a classically trained chef and professional photographer. With 14 years of vegan experience, my goal is to make vegan eating easy, fun, and accessible for all.

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