Name: Homemade Fresh Salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: PT-479512H13M50S
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic; 1 medium red onion; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; juice of 1 lime; 9 roma tomatoes, cut into quarters and seeds removed (It’s iimportant to remove the seeds or your salsa will end up having too much liquid); 1/2 bunch of cilantro, washed, patted dry and removed from stems; Optional but recommended: 1/2 a jalapeño, sliced lengthwise, seeded and chopped finely (use gloves when working with hot peppers!) You can adjust the amount depending on your taste.

Oh hi there! ??

It's been such a crazy busy year… well the past couple years have been insane and filled with a lot of ups and downs but… I'd like to finally say, “I'm back!!! And for good this time!!” haha ?

In August, I'll share with you a little about why I've been hiding in the shadows so much the last few years, but for now, I just wanted to say again; Thank you so much for all the love and support I've received from you through email, my blog and on my social channels! It truly means so much to me! ❤️

Seriously though, here I am, back for good! I've been working hard making some new recipes, re-working old ones and taking a bunch of fresh photos of all the yummy stuff my family and I have been munching on and I can't wait to share it with you! Over the next couple weeks, I'll be getting back into my old posting schedule of publishing once or twice a week so you'll be hearing from me more often. ❤️

So, with starting fresh in mind today I'm sharing with you my super simple go-to homemade salsa recipe!

With the heat of the summertime at full power, I just haven't felt like heating up the stove unless it's absolutely necessary, so we've been eating a lot of non-cook or “cook as little as possible” type meals. That's where an easy fresh salsa recipe comes into play. On a hot day it's just so much easier to make a great big batch of flavourful and fresh chunky salsa to go with some grilled chicken breasts or steak with some rice. MmmMMmmm!

I've been making this recipe at least once a week all summer long and everyone loves it so I know you will too! ❤️

You can go the traditional route and serve this salsa with your favourite tortilla chips. But… don't stop there… this salsa is absolutely amazing in a homemade burrito bowl. If you're looking for something more substantial than just eating chips with salsa, it also makes a great topping for grilled meats or fish… and there are lots of other variations and serving ideas that will be listed below!

What is Fresh Tomato Salsa made of?

Fresh Tomato Salsa is a simple, classic Mexican dish that is based around chopped fresh and ripe tomatoes. I like to use plump and juicy roma tomatoes. The other ingredients include fresh cilantro, onion (red onion, green onion or yellow onion can all be used) jalapenos or other peppers (optional -deepening on your preferred spice level), fresh lime juice, and salt. I like to customize mine with cumin, cloves of minced garlic and pepper.

When making homemade salsa I would recommend using fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes to get the best fresh flavor and texture. No canned salsa for us! The best homemade salsa recipe uses fresh ingredients.

Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe Variations

While the basic ingredients of an easy salsa recipe remain the same – tomatoes, onion and garlic, lime juice and cilantro – there are quite a few different directions you can take your salsa.

Combine it into a salad dressing: Simply mix together equal parts extra-virgin olive oil and fresh tomato salsa to create an amazing vinaigrette. Use it over greens like spinach or kale for a complete meal that's packed full of flavor!

Spicy Salsa: Extra heat can be achieved using different types of hot peppers:

Add diced jalapeno peppers. The amount of jalapeno pepper used will depend on your personal preference; a good starting point is one pepper per pound of tomatoes.
Serrano peppers have a similar taste to jalapenos (vegetable-esc with a hint of smokiness) except they are approximately two to three times spicier than Jalapeno peppers.
Habanero peppers are a favorite as well, except they can be extremely spicy compared to Jalapenos, often 10 times spicier or so.
Cayenne Pepper offers a well-rounded medium spicy flavor.

Additionally, you could leave out the jalapenos or other hot peppers altogether if you prefer a milder salsa.

Add Smokiness: Using canned chipotle peppers or canned green chiles is an easy and fast way of getting great smokiness. Alternatively, the tomatoes themselves can be used to get a smoky flavor profile if you take your fresh garden tomatoes and put them over an open fire to create some fire roasted tomatoes. Just cook until the tomatoes turn soft and dark in colour. If you don't want to roast the tomatoes on an open fire yourself you can also use fire roasted diced tomatoes from a jar. You can also get a flavorful salsa by accompanying your roma tomatoes with some green fire roasted tomatillos that you place over an open flame.

If you enjoy Sweet Salsas, you could add some fresh mango or pineapple chunks to the mix for subtle sweetness and fruity notes. This works great when served alongside grilled fish or vegetables such as zucchini and summer squash.

Green Bell Pepper: Roasting green bell peppers in advance before adding them into your salsa mixture will help bring out their natural sweetness while providing colorful flavor contrast at the same time.

What to Serve with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Serve fresh tomato salsa overtop some warm tortilla chips.
Place on top of nachos with melted cheese.
Scrambled eggs and avocado toast (or omelets) can be brought to life with some salsa.
Fresh Tomato salsa makes for a great accompaniment to grilled meats, fish and vegetables or used as a topping for tacos and burritos.
The salsa makes a great dip for vegetables or pita chips.

psssst… while you're here… If you're looking for more delicious salsa recipes, be sure to check out this awesome salsa recipe round up!

Can I make Fresh Tomato Salsa ahead of time?

Absolutely! Making Fresh Tomato Salsa ahead of time is a great way to have it ready for whenever you need it. Follow the recipe including the lime juice and cilantro and everything and once the salsa is chopped and mixed together, simply store in an airtight container like a mason jar and refrigerate until needed.

When you’re ready to enjoy your homemade Fresh Tomato Salsa, take out of the refrigerator and allow some time for the dish to come to room temperature before serving.

How long is Fresh Tomato Salsa good for? in the fridge, freezer, etc

When stored in the fridge, as time goes on the flavors will continue to meld together and become more robust. Tomato salsa should last about a week in the fridge and up to even six months when stored in the freezer.