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    Published April 25, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This delicious fresh, ingredient restaurant-style salsa recipe is easy-to-make and is impossible to stop eating with tortilla chips. I bet you’ll go through this very quickly once you make it.

    Salsas are like sauces and have the incredible opportunity to enhance whatever you’re serving it with. If you agree, try my Pico de Gallo or Mango Salsa.

    salsa in a bowl with chips

    Salsa

    Salsa, in Spanish, simply means sauce and combines fresh tomatoes, spice chiles, onions, and cilantro. It’s addicting, and it’s very easy to make. I believe roasting some of these ingredients intensifies the flavor, making it much more delicious.

    You can alter this recipe with other ingredients to make it work for you and your family. This is also an excellent recipe for tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make salsa
    • Tomatoes – Use fresh in-season tomatoes.
    • Onions – You can use a yellow, white, red, or sweet onion in this recipe. Garlic is also used.
    • Peppers – I prefer to use jalapeño peppers. However, you can use serrano peppers.
    • Cilantro – These will add some lemon-lime flavors to the pico de gallo.
    • Cumin – This is optional, but a little bit of ground cumin will enhance the flavor of this recipe.

    How to Make Homemade Salsa from Scratch

    Core the tomatoes and slice them in half width-wise.

    preparing ingredients for salsa

    Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and roast at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until browned.

    adding vegetables to a sheet tray

    Cool the vegetables completely.

    roasted vegetables

    Transfer the vegetables to a blender and pulse on high speed 15 to 20 times or until it is smooth but still has plenty of chunks.

    chunky salsa in a blender

    Add in the cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper to the blender and pulse again until combined.

    adding ingredients to a blender

    Serve the salsa or store until ready to serve.

    salsa in a bowl

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: You can make this homemade salsa up to 3 days ahead of time.

    How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This recipe will not freeze well.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    Chef Notes + Tips

    • Feel free to use any breed of fresh tomatoes like Roma, heirloom, or even cherry tomatoes.
    • If you want more spice in this recipe, try using a habanero pepper.
    • This salsa will taste even better the next time as it allows time for the flavors to infuse.
    • You can substitute with 2 15-ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes. 
    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Homemade Salsa Recipe

    5 from 8 votes
    This delicious fresh, ingredient restaurant-style salsa recipe is easy-to-make and is impossible to stop eating with tortilla chips.
    Servings: 8
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 10 cored vine ripe tomatoes cut in half
    • 2 peeled yellow onions cut into large chunks
    • 2 seeded small diced jalapeño pepper
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 3/4 cup finely minced fresh cilantro
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • coarse salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Core the tomatoes and slice them in half width wise.
    • Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and roast at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until browned.
    • Cool the vegetables completely.
    • Transfer the vegetables to a blender and pulse on high speed 15 to 20 times or until it is smooth but still has plenty of chunks.
    • Add in the cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper to the blender and pulse again until combined.
    • Serve the salsa or store until ready to serve.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead: You can make this homemade salsa up to 3 days ahead of time.
    How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This recipe will not freeze well.
    Feel free to use any breed of fresh tomatoes like Roma, heirloom, or even cherry tomatoes.
    If you want more spice in this recipe, try using a habanero pepper.
    This salsa will taste even better the next time as it allows time for the flavors to infuse.
    You can substitute with 2 15-ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 431mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1422IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
    Course: sauce, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican

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