Easy Homemade Salsa
Learn how to make homemade salsa with tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. This easy cooked salsa recipe has a restaurant-style texture and rich flavor without being too thick or watery.
Ah, chips and salsa. Simple, classic, and so much better when you skip the jarred stuff and make it from scratch.
This cooked salsa recipe is made with a handful of simple ingredients that are blended first and then simmered to cook off excess water and concentrate the flavors.
The result is a smooth, flavorful salsa with the perfect restaurant-style consistency – not too thick, not too thin, and definitely not watery.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes: They have less water than other tomatoes, which helps create a thicker salsa
- White onion: The sharp flavor is muted when you simmer the salsa
- Jalapeño: For heat (remove the seeds for a milder salsa)
- Fresh cilantro: Adds fresh flavor and brightness
- Fresh lime juice: Balances and brightens the salsa
- Kosher salt: Brings all the flavors together
- Tortilla chips: For scooping, of course
How to Make It
- Blend the ingredients: First, cut the tomatoes, jalapeno, and onion into large chunks and place them in a food processor or blender. Add everything else (except the lime juice) and process the ingredients until they are broken down. It should be just a little chunky.
- Cook the salsa: Pour the salsa into a skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer it until it’s thickened, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your skillet. The longer you cook the salsa, the thicker it will be so once it reaches your desired consistency, take the pan off the heat.
- Chill the salsa: You can enjoy it as soon as it’s cooked, but I recommend chilling it for several hours so the flavors fully develop. Transfer it to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Enjoy! Serve it with all the things – chips, eggs, chicken tacos, burrito bowls, taco salad, enchiladas… basically everything.
More Homemade Salsa Recipes
- Avocado Salsa – 10 minute no-cook fresh green salsa
- Homemade Salsa Verde – another simmered salsa with great texture and flavor
- Corn Salsa – fresh flavors and ready in 15 minutes
- Pico de Gallo – a classic fresh salsa
Easy Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Roma tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 medium white onion peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 small jalapeno ribs and seeds removed and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro about a palmful
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste (see note)
Instructions
- Place everything but the lime juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times until the tomatoes break down and the mixture is a little chunky. Transfer the mixture to a nonstick skillet.
- Heat the salsa over medium-high to high heat until it starts to bubble. Lower the heat and simmer it for 10 to 15 minutes or until it has thickened. Depending on the size of your skillet this may take more or less time. The easiest way to tell when it’s ready is to drag a spoon or spatula across the bottom of the pan. You should be able to see the bottom of the skillet for a few seconds before the salsa runs back over it.
- Turn off the heat and add the lime juice and stir. Transfer the salsa to an airtight container and chill it for several hours before serving, ideally overnight. This will allow the flavors to fully develop. Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Why Simmer Homemade Salsa?
- Simmering the salsa allows the excess liquid to cook off so your salsa isn’t watery. It also helps develop the flavor.
- Cooking it also takes the edge off the onion. Raw onions are pungent with a sharp flavor that can easily take over not just the salsa, but the world, too. Cooking the onion after it’s blended mellows the strong flavor.
- You don’t have to cook it long – just long enough to reduce it so it thickens up. You still end up with super fresh flavors, but the flavors are balanced, and the texture is perfect. You can have a batch made in less than 30 minutes.
- If you want fresh tomato salsa (not cooked), I recommend making pico de gallo. The veggies are diced, so you end up with a chunky fresh salsa. I don’t like fresh salsa that’s blended because it’s just too watery.
Recipe FAQ
Roma tomatoes are a great choice for homemade salsa because they’re meatier and contain less water than other varieties. If you use juicier tomatoes, the salsa may need a little extra simmer time so it doesn’t turn watery.
When tomatoes aren’t in season, cherry tomatoes are usually a good option because they tend to have better flavor year-round.
Part of the wonderfulness is using fresh tomatoes, but you can substitute canned diced tomatoes. I’ve tested this recipe with a 10-oz can of rotel with good results, but I prefer it with all fresh ingredients.
It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator as long as you keep it in an airtight container.
The recipe, as written, will make approximately 1 1/2 cups of salsa, but you can scale it up if you want to.
Yep! Just add a few tablespoons of water (a few at a time) until it thins out to your liking.
Yes, this recipe is similar to a traditional salsa roja because it uses tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt. This version also includes lime juice and is simmered after blending to create a smooth restaurant-style consistency.
More Easy Dip Recipes
- Pimento Cheese – creamy, sharp, and great for crackers or sandwiches
- Cowboy Caviar Guacamole – fresh, hearty, and loaded with texture
- Slow Cooker Queso Dip – warm, cheesy, and easy to make
- Cold Jalapeno Popper Dip – creamy with just the right amount of heat
- Simple Guacamole – classic, fresh, and ready in minutes
Grab the chips and give this homemade salsa recipe a try – the restaurant-style texture and rich flavor make it hard to go back to the jarred kind.
Happy cooking,
So … I goofed & put my lime juice in. Should I skip heating it? I would like it thicker.
You should still heat it – that’s what will thicken it.
Can I can this salsa? I’m got tons of Roma tomatoes all getting ripe at the same time!
I think it can be canned, but I haven’t tried doing it so I can’t give good tips – sorry!
This is my favorite salsa recipe!! Thank you!