This easy homemade salsa takes just 5 minutes to make with a few basic ingredients and tastes just like your favorite restaurant salsa. Serve with tortilla chips or use in recipes that call for salsa.

I’m not sure how in the world it got to be May, but here we are. Granted, March and April were supremely weird this year, with the stay at home orders, so it seems natural to be confused by time right now more so than usual.

We’ve got the rest of “school” to finish up this month, my daughter will be turning 9 and our sweet Dixie dog, a chocolate lab, will be 11 at the end of the month. I can’t wait to celebrate both of them! (Yes, of course, my beautiful child more so than the dog. But I do really love that dog!)

Other than that, everything else is up in the air because we don’t yet know when we might be able to go out again, what that will look like, or what summer plans will or will not get cancelled. So we’re just gonna keep reading, doing puzzles, watching movies and making all the yummy things while we ride this out.

Speaking of yummy things…

Today’s recipe for homemade salsa has been on my “must share” with you list for ages.

(It’s a long list. I’m working through it. 😊)

Since we’ve got Cinco de Mayo coming up tomorrow though, this seemed like the perfect time.

This salsa is so quick and easy to make, requires no cooking and is ready in 5 minutes!

Seriously, you just add all of the ingredients to the food processor, give it a whirl and you are done!

Couldn’t be easier and the flavor is SO good!

Loaded with tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic and jalapeño – plus a few spices and a squeeze of lime juice, you will be smitten. It’s fresh, flavorful, perfectly seasoned and so scoopable, chip after chip after chip. 😍

Also, just to be clear, this is a homemade salsa with canned tomatoes. Not fresh tomatoes.

Personally, I love that because I can keep a can of canned tomatoes on hand in the pantry and whip this up anytime. (I don’t usually have a bunch of fresh ripe tomatoes to use.)

Plus, this will give you that authentic restaurant style salsa taste that you’re used to from your favorite Tex-Mex neighborhood spot. 👍

And it still tastes so fresh and delicious, thanks to the other add-ins. You’ll be making this on repeat!

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make homemade salsa. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

How do you make homemade salsa?

– You’ll need canned tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, salt and lime juice. A touch of honey is optional.

– Add everything to a food processor or blender and process until well combined. Done!

Notes on making homemade salsa:

You can use a large can of whole tomatoes, as the recipe calls for, or substitute two smaller cans of diced tomatoes.
I recommend draining about 1/2 cup of liquid from the cans. You’ll still have a liquidy salsa, but it won’t be overly runny.
Use a red onion or a yellow onion for this recipe. Or use some of both if you prefer.
You can adjust the heat of this salsa with the jalapeño. Keep some of the seeds and membranes in (or use a second jalapeño) for a hotter salsa, or remove all the seeds and membranes for a more mild salsa.
For extra spicy flavor, you can also add in some hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.

Also, I always use a food processor, but you could easily make this a blender salsa and just blend it using a few pulses to break down the tomatoes and combine the other ingredients. (Just don’t totally liquify it.)

This salsa will keep for 7-10 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Also, start with the 1/4 teaspoon salt called for in the recipe. After you’ve made the salsa and let the flavors meld, give it a taste and add more salt as desired.

But also keep in mind that if you’re eating this with salty tortilla chips, you won’t want the salsa to be overly salty.

OK, let’s get ready to eat!

Ideas for using homemade salsa:

– Serve with tortilla chips for a snack or appetizer

– Use on tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas

– Serve with fajitas and enchiladas

– Top burgers, sandwiches or wraps with salsa

– Use with grain bowls or salad bowls

– Add to scrambled or baked eggs, avocado toast or a breakfast casserole

Or use it in any recipe that calls for salsa, like my salsa chicken skillet or 3-ingredient crock pot Mexican chicken.

Pickled red onions also make an excellent topping for all of these same ideas!

I think you will really love the flavor of this easy homemade salsa, not to mention how quick it is to make.

(If you do make it, please leave me a comment below and/or tag me on Instagram – I love seeing your creations!)

Enjoy and happy Cinco de Mayo tomorrow!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. I have a post coming up later this week with tons of ideas and recipes using salsa.

You can sign up for free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you!

Yield: About 3 cups

Homemade salsa

Name: Homemade salsa
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice (see notes); 1/2 cup chopped onion (red or yellow or a combination); 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 1 clove minced garlic; 1 jalapeño (seeds and membranes removed), chopped; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; Juice of 1/2 lime; 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

This easy homemade salsa takes just 5 minutes to make with a few basic ingredients and tastes just like your favorite restaurant salsa. Serve with tortilla chips or use in recipes that call for salsa.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice (see notes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (red or yellow or a combination)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 clove minced garlic
1 jalapeño (seeds and membranes removed), chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to your food processor fitted with a standard blade. Process until the tomatoes are broken down and everything is well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
Transfer to a bowl or container and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. (The flavors will meld together and taste even better after at least 30 minutes of refrigeration.)
The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Notes

You can use a large can of whole tomatoes, as the recipe calls for, or substitute two smaller cans of diced tomatoes.

I recommend draining about 1/2 cup of liquid from the cans. You’ll still have a liquidy salsa, but it won’t be overly runny.

Use a red onion or a yellow onion for this recipe. Or use some of both if you prefer.

You can adjust the heat of this salsa with the jalapeño. Keep some of the seeds and membranes in (or use a second jalapeño) for a hotter salsa, or remove all the seeds and membranes for a more mild salsa.

For extra spicy flavor, you can also add in some hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.

I always use a food processor, but you could easily make this a blender salsa and just blend it a few pulses to break down the tomatoes and combine the other ingredients. (Just don’t totally liquify it.)

Start with the 1/4 teaspoon salt called for in the recipe. After you’ve made the salsa and let the flavors meld, give it a taste and add more salt as desired.