If you love salsa, you’re going to fall in love with the fresh flavor of this roasted jalapeno salsa recipe. Since the jalapenos are roasted, they add a smoky, savory heat that takes this recipe to the next level. Make a double batch – it won’t last long! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & vegan}
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Best Tomato Onion Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
This super easy jalapeño salsa is made with a variety of fresh ingredients, including spicy jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and more.
Try one bite and you’ll agree that it blows the prepackaged jars from the store out of the water. You’ll want this delicious salsa in the fridge all the time!
Why We Love Homemade Jalapeno Salsa
- So fresh: Although you can make this homemade jalapeno salsa with ingredients from the store, you might be able to add some ingredients from your vegetable garden! It’s the perfect way to use some garden tomatoes or homegrown cilantro.
- Incredible flavor: By using the freshest ingredients, you’ll be shocked at how much flavor this fresh jalapeno salsa has compared to the jars at the grocery store!
- Less processed: If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients on salsa jars, you know they are high in sodium and preservatives. This tomato jalapeno salsa is incredibly fresh and is made with simple, whole foods you can feel good about eating.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet white onion: These will add a nice savory bite without the onions being too over-the-top.
- Fresh garlic: Fresh garlic tastes so much better than the storebought stuff and will give this spicy jalapeño salsa an incredible flavor and aroma.
- Jalapeno peppers: These are the star of the show! Start by roasting fresh jalapenos to mellow out their heat and add a smoky flavor to this recipe.
- Ripe red tomatoes: Ripe red tomatoes will add a little texture and fresh flavor.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds such a refreshing scent and flavor! If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can skip it or use some parsley instead.
- Lime juice: Add a little bit to taste! You can use fresh or concentrated lime juice.
- Seasonings: Keep it simple with a bit of cumin, chili powder, and salt.
- Canned San Marzano tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes will give this homemade salsa a great texture, and they’ll mingle well with the other ingredients.
- Diced green chiles: Choose mild, medium, or hot canned diced green chiles for this fresh salsa depending on how spicy you like it.
- Sugar: This is optional, but can help balance the spice level and acidity of the tomatoes.
How to Make Jalapeno Salsa – Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the jalapenos, onion and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes or until lightly charred, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the seeds from the roasted jalapeno peppers and place them in the food processor along with the onion and garlic. Process until broken down.
- Next, add the fresh tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until the ingredients are chopped up finely, but not completely pureed.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and green chiles. Pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.
- Taste, and add more salt as needed. To balance the acidity, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar if desired.
- If the salsa seems pretty watery, strain in a wire mesh sieve over a large bowl until most of the liquid has drained.
- For the best flavor, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
- Be sure to remove the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes before adding them to the food processor as this helps to eliminate some of the extra liquid which can cause the salsa to become too watery.
- Don’t over blend your salsa or it may turn out too soupy. If you blend your salsa too much or you find that it contains too much liquid, no big deal! You can place a wire mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain off the extra liquid.
- You can also substitute 1-2 habanero or serrano peppers if you prefer a hotter salsa.
- If you prefer a milder salsa, use only 1-2 jalapeno peppers instead of 3 and be sure to avoid getting any of the seeds in the salsa. Also, opt for mild canned green chilies instead of medium or hot.
- Feel free to add diced bell peppers for extra flavor and texture.
Recipe FAQs
Although you can use any type of tomatoes for salsa, many slicing tomatoes are incredibly watery and have a lot of seeds. As the cut tomato sits, it will begin to weep out liquid and dilute your salsa.
Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes are perfect for salsa because they have less moisture and a firmer texture that can stand up to lots of cutting and chopping! Cherry tomatoes have a sweeter, tangier flavor that tastes great in salsa, but they also have more skin, which can affect the texture.
If you add all three jalapeno peppers, the salsa does have some noticeable heat. If you prefer to keep it milder, add only 1-2 jalapeno peppers and stick to mild canned green chilies.
It depends. In most jars of salsa you’ll find in stores or at restaurants, the seeds will be removed. However, they are entirely edible. The seeds tend to be quite spicy, so if you like a really spicy salsa, you can add the seeds and the pith directly to your salsa.
Technically, you can freeze salsa. However, you want to remember that tomatoes are really watery. As they freeze, that water will expand. When they thaw, the excess water will rush out of the tomatoes, leaving soggy tomato pieces and liquid. If you do want to freeze salsa, it’s best to freeze pureed or cooked salsas instead of fresh salsa.
Storage Guidelines
Store leftover salsa in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Tomatoes do not typically freeze and thaw well, so it’s best to make this salsa fresh.
Ways to Use Salsa
Salsa pairs amazingly well with a wide variety of Mexican dishes and can be enjoyed at any meal of the day!
- Stir salsa in your eggs or make chilaquiles
- Pour over healthy breakfast burritos
- Serve with fajitas (try these authentic Mexican chicken fajitas)
- Bake it over chicken breasts in the oven
- Heat it with cream cheese and shredded cheese for a delicious dip
- Spoon it over nachos (like these beef nachos supreme)
- Serve it on tacos or taco salad (it’s delicious with this slow cooker taco meat!)
- Cook it into rice
- Keep it simple as a tasty dip (don’t forget the tortilla chips!)
Recipe Variations
- Spicy jalapeno salsa: Stick with 3 jalapenos and leave the pith and seeds for a super hot salsa! You can also use hot green chile. Adjust the heat level to your preference!
- Keep it fresh: Instead of roasting all the jalapenos, add one diced fresh jalapeno to your salsa for a bright heat.
- Try different chile peppers: Roast poblano peppers or green chiles for a different flavor profile.
More Similar Recipes
- Pineapple Mango Salsa Recipe
- Strawberry Mango Salsa Recipe
- Watermelon Peach Salsa
- Low Sodium Refried Beans
- Black Bean Burrito Bowl
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Homemade Roasted Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 sweet white onion peeled and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers (depending on how spicy you like it) stemmed
- 4 large ripe tomatoes cored, quartered and seeded
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or more to taste)
- 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teapoon chili powder
- 15 ounces crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/4 cup canned diced green chiles (mild, medium pr hot)
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the jalapenos, onion and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes or until lightly charred, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the seeds from the roasted jalapeno peppers and place them in the food processor along with the onion and garlic. Process until broken down.
- Next, add the fresh tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until the ingredients are chopped up finely, but not completely pureed.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and green chiles. Pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.
- Taste, and add more salt as needed. To balance the acidity, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar if desired.
- If the salsa seems pretty watery, strain in a wire mesh sieve over a large bowl until most of the liquid has drained.
- For the best flavor, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Notes
- Be sure to remove the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes before adding them to the food processor as this helps to eliminate some of the extra liquid which can cause the salsa to become too watery.
- Don’t over blend your salsa or it may turn out too soupy. If you blend your salsa too much or you find that it contains too much liquid, no big deal! You can place a wire mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain off the extra liquid.
- You can also substitute 1-2 habanero or serrano peppers if you prefer a hotter salsa.
- If you prefer a milder salsa, use only 1-2 jalapeno peppers instead of 3 and be sure to avoid getting any of the seeds in the salsa. Also, opt for mild canned green chilies instead of medium or hot.
- Feel free to add diced bell peppers for extra flavor and texture.
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