Salsa
intro
Bright, zesty no-cook chunky salsa made with ripe summer tomatoes, perfect for dipping chips or topping grilled fare, ready in 45 minutes total.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fresh produce
Rinse 450g Roma tomatoes, 15g jalapeño, and 15g cilantro under cool running water; pat dry with paper towels. Core the tomatoes, cut each into 4 large chunks, trim the jalapeño stem, and scrape out seeds and white membranes if you prefer mild salsa (leave seeds for extra heat). Peel the 3g garlic clove, and chop 75g white onion into 2cm rough chunks.
Load blender with aromatics
Place the chopped onion, jalapeño, peeled garlic, and cilantro into the jar of a standard countertop blender first. Pulse 3 times on the lowest setting for 1 second per pulse to roughly break down the firm aromatics before adding softer tomatoes, to avoid over-blending the salsa into a watery puree.
Add tomatoes and seasonings
Top the pulsed aromatic base with the chunked Roma tomatoes, 30ml fresh lime juice, 5g kosher salt, and 1g ground cumin. Do not stir the mixture at this stage; keeping firmer ingredients at the blender base ensures even chopping without over-processing.
Pulse to perfect texture
Secure the blender lid, and pulse 6 to 8 times on medium-low speed, pausing to scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula after every 2 pulses. Stop when the salsa reaches a chunky, uniform consistency with 3-5mm sized pieces of tomato and onion; total blending time should not exceed 30 seconds to prevent a thin, watery texture.
Taste and adjust seasoning
Dip a clean tortilla chip into the blended salsa to test flavor (chips are salty, so testing directly on a spoon will lead to over-salting). Add extra 1g pinches of salt, 5ml splashes of lime juice, or a pinch of crushed red pepper if desired, stirring gently with a spatula to combine rather than blending again.
Chill to meld flavors
Transfer the finished salsa to a covered glass storage container, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (up to 24 hours) at 4°C (39°F) to allow the flavors to meld together. Stir gently once more before serving with tortilla chips, tacos, or grilled proteins.
Tips
2.If your salsa turns out too watery, drain 1-2 tablespoons of excess thin liquid from the blender jar before chilling, or stir in one extra finely diced seeded Roma tomato to add texture.
3.Store leftover salsa in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; avoid freezing, as the high water content in tomatoes will turn the salsa mushy and grainy when thawed.
OMG this salsa is a total game changer! I brought it to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging me for the recipe before I even left. Perfect amount of chunk, not too watery like so many other fresh salsa recipes I’ve tried. 10/10 will be making this every other week for taco night!
Made this last night for family dinner and my two picky toddlers ate it by the spoonful? Wild. I added a tiny extra jalapeño for a kick since my partner loves spicy food, and it balanced so well with the fresh cilantro and lime. Only complaint is I wish I made a double batch because it was gone in 10 minutes.
Wait this tastes EXACTLY like the salsa they serve at my favorite Mexican spot down the street? I was skeptical how easy it said it was (45 minutes total? No way) but it came together so fast, even with all the chopping. I did half red onion half white onion because that’s what I had on hand, turned out great.
Solid salsa recipe, super straightforward. I will say I added a pinch of cumin and a tiny bit of garlic powder because I like that deeper savoriness, but even following the recipe exactly it’s really good. Great for meal prep too, it held up in the fridge for 3 days without getting mushy.
First time making fresh salsa ever and I didn’t mess it up!!! I was so nervous I’d over-chop everything and turn it into pico de gallo or something too smooth, but the tip about hand chopping instead of using the blender was a game changer. My roommates are already asking when I’m making it again.
I made this for meal prep last week and it was perfect to add to eggs, burrito bowls, and of course with chips for a quick snack. I love that it’s chunky so it doesn’t make my burrito bowls soggy like runny salsa does. 10/10, adding to my regular rotation.
Made this for our weekly taco Tuesday and it was a HIT. I paired it with your homemade tortilla chip recipe (also amazing) and even my mother-in-law, who swears her salsa is the best in the family, asked for the recipe. Win for me!
SO good! I used garden fresh tomatoes from my dad’s backyard instead of store bought and it made the flavor so much brighter. Perfect balance of lime, cilantro, onion, no flavor overpowers the other. Will be making this for every cookout this summer.
Easy recipe, turned out pretty good! I didn’t have any fresh jalapeños so I used a little pickled jalapeño brine and some chopped pickled jalapeños, it gave it a nice tang. Next time I’ll make sure to have fresh ones on hand to compare.
My whole family is obsessed! I made this for my son’s birthday party (we did a taco bar) and every single person commented on how good the salsa was. I added a small diced mango to half the batch for a sweet-spicy version and it was chef’s kiss.
Decent salsa, but I found it a little too onion-heavy for my taste. Next time I’ll cut the onion amount by maybe a third, and add a little extra lime. Other than that, texture was perfect, chopping instructions were super clear.
Game day staple now! Made this for the football watch party last Sunday and it was gone before the first quarter ended. People were dipping everything in it - chips, quesadillas, even their tacos, obviously. Way better than the jarred stuff I usually buy.
Super easy to follow, even for someone who barely cooks like me! I’ve been trying to make more homemade snacks instead of buying processed stuff, and this was the perfect starter recipe. Took me a little longer than 45 minutes because I’m slow at chopping, but it was worth every second.
Obsessed! I’ve made this three times in the last two weeks. My partner keeps asking for it on top of his grilled chicken, too, it’s not just for chips! So fresh, so flavorful, and so easy to throw together after work.
Really solid basic salsa recipe! I added a little extra garlic because I’m a garlic fiend, and it came out perfect. Great base recipe to tweak however you like, instructions are super clear for new cooks.
I brought this to a potluck a few days ago and someone asked if I bought it from the fancy Mexican market downtown? Compliment of the century! It was so chunky and fresh, way better than any store bought option. Will be making this all summer long.
Not gonna lie, I was lazy and threw half the ingredients in the food processor for 2 quick pulses instead of hand chopping everything, and it still came out perfectly chunky? Don’t tell the recipe purists, but that cut my prep time in half. Tastes just like restaurant salsa.
My kids loved it! I left out the jalapeño entirely to make it mild for them, and they ate it with bell pepper strips and tortilla chips for an after school snack all week. Such a great way to get them to eat more veggies without complaining.
Just made this and it’s SO good! I was worried the lime would be too tart but it’s perfectly balanced. Used it on my fish tacos for dinner tonight and it elevated the whole meal, can’t wait to make it for my roommates this weekend.