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This image shows a top-down shot of vibrant homemade salsa served in a round clear glass bowl, placed on a clean white marble countertop. The salsa is chunky and colorful with visible bits of tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. The background is completely clean and minimal.

Homemade Salsa Recipe

Bright, zesty, and full of flavor, this homemade salsa brings together ripe tomatoes, spicy jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Perfectly balanced with a touch of sweetness and spice, it’s your go-to dip for chips, tacos, or anything that needs a flavor boost.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course condiment
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 people
Calories 12 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Citrus zester
  • Measuring spoons
  • Juicer or reamer

Ingredients
  

  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ white onion, rinsed, dried, and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • Pinch sugar
  • 1 lime's juice and zest
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 Roma or other small tomatoes, cut into large chunks

Instructions
 

  • Place the onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
    bright-and-fresh-homemade-salsa-in-clear-glass-bowl-on-white-marble
  • Add the tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, salt, cumin, and sugar to the processor.
    This image shows a clear food processor bowl filled with chopped onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, lime zest, ground cumin, salt, and sugar. The equipment is on a white marble countertop.
  • Pulse again until everything is blended but still has a chunky texture.
    This image shows a clear food processor bowl filled with freshly blended salsa of a chunky texture. Ingredients like tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro are visible within the blend.
  • Check the consistency; if the salsa is too watery due to the tomatoes, strain about half the mixture using a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess liquid.
    This image shows a clear glass bowl containing chunky salsa with a slightly thicker consistency after mixing in the strained portion. A stainless steel strainer sits empty nearby.
  • Mix the strained portion back into the rest.
  • If a chunkier salsa is desired, strain more liquid until your preferred texture is reached and serve.
    This image shows a top-down view of a thick and chunky homemade salsa in a clear glass bowl after final straining. The salsa has a vibrant red and green color blend.

Notes

  • Roasting the tomatoes and garlic before blending adds a smoky depth to the flavor.
  • For extra heat, leave the jalapeño seeds in or use a serrano pepper.