This incredible, restaurant-style Homemade Salsa is the best of the best. It’s made in the food processor with a handful of fresh ingredients- plus a mix of fresh and canned tomatoes that give it the perfect flavor and texture. It’s incredibly easy, and downright delicious.

Why We Love This Homemade Salsa Recipe

We eat a LOT of salsa at our house. Like… a lot a lot. With quesadillas, salad bowls, tacos, burgers, eggs, tortilla chips… I think you get the idea. And while there are a couple of store-bought varieties that we purchase fairly regularly, nothing beats homemade salsa.

What I am looking for in a homemade salsa recipe is pretty straightforward: easy, flavorful, and simple. While there is definitely a time and place for fancy salsa, everyone needs a good, basic, every day salsa. Not too chunky, not too thin. Equally delicious on tacos, breakfast egg cups, or tortilla chips. A regular crowd-pleaser.

This Homemade Salsa totally delivers. It uses just a handful of basic ingredients: tomatoes, onion, and cilantro… with a few additional flavor bombs. You can make it in minutes with the help of a food processor. And the result is a fresh and delicious restaurant-quality salsa that begs to be eaten.

Ingredients for Homemade Salsa:

• Roma Tomatoes– Roma tomatoes have less liquid than other fresh tomatoes, making them perfect for salsa.
• Diced Tomatoes– We love the combination of tomatoes in this recipe. The roma tomatoes give it a fresh flavor, while the canned tomatoes give it that smooth recipe quality texture and flavor.
• Red Onion– We like red onions because they are not quite as intense as white or yellow onions. However, any of those will work great.
• Fresh Cilantro– Even those who don’t love cilantro love this salsa. We use a small amount that adds to the overall flavor without tasting of cilantro. But if you love it, add more to taste.
• Lime– Fresh lime is best. You’ll get a much brighter, fresher flavor than you’ll get with bottled.
• Jalapeno– We remove the membranes and the seeds so you get a bit of heat that everyone in our house can enjoy. If you like your salsa extra hot, leave the seeds and membrane in.
• Garlic– We always use fresh garlic in our salsa, but if using garlic powder, start with 1/2 teaspoon.
• Sugar– Just a bit of sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Salt & Pepper– To taste.

How to Make Homemade Salsa:

1. Add ingredients to a food processor. Starting with the fresh tomatoes, layer all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor.
2. Pulse to combine. You want to pulse the ingredients so that you can control how smooth or chunky you want your salsa. We like our salsa just a bit on the chunkier side.
3. Taste and season. Salsa really is a matter of preference. After giving it a few pulses, taste your salsa. (We like to try some on a spoon and some on a tortilla chip). Add more salt, lime juice, cilantro or jalapeno if necessary.
4. Devour. This salsa will last for 5 days in the refrigerator. However, we can’t testify to that because ours has never lasted in our house longer than 2 days before being eaten!

Tips & Suggestions

Can I use all canned tomatoes in homemade salsa?

Yes! We have done this many times when tomatoes are not in season. If you are using all canned tomatoes, use a 24-ounce can instead of a 14-ounce can.

How long does homemade salsa last?

Fresh salsa will typically last up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator. You’ll know it’s gone bad if there is visible mold, the smell is off, or it has darkened a bit in color. If in doubt, toss it.

Can you freeze homemade salsa?

Yes! Freezing salsa is a great way to make it last and have some on hand for quick weeknight meals. Drain excess moisture before putting the salsa in freezer-safe containers of ziplock bags. Thaw in the fridge before serving. You can also add fresh lime juice or cilantro after thawing to help brighten up the flavor if desired.

Can you make homemade salsa without a food processor?

You can definitely make this salsa without a food processor! You can use a blender if you have one available. The problem with the blender is that it can get too smooth and you end up with a salsa smoothie. To get the right consistency, start by adding the onion and jalapeno to the blender. Pulse until the mixture is almost the consistency you want. Then, add the tomatoes and rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined.

You can also chop everything by hand, but you will likely end up with a slightly different consistency. But it will still be delicious!

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