This tomato salsa recipe is simple and fast to make, and it tastes delicious! No special tools or equipment are required. You can make this recipe with just a knife and a cutting board, or a food processor if you have one.
Homemade tomato salsa is full of fresh vegetables containing vitamins and nutrients that are good for your body without any of the preservatives or filler ingredients you might find in store-bought salsa.
With just a few simple, fresh, ingredients you can make a fantastic salsa that is healthy and delicious and tastes way better than store-bought.
Tomato Season
Is there anything better than fresh, ripe tomatoes in the summertime? If you’re growing your own tomato plants, those first ripe tomatoes taste even sweeter after all that hard work carefully tending your plants in the spring and early summer months.
Fresh, ripe tomatoes are so good! You just can’t get that fresh tomato taste with store-bought salsa. If you’re looking for a tomato salsa recipe with a fresh, tomato flavor and simple, healthy ingredients, look no further!
This tomato salsa recipe is a great way to enjoy that classic summer flavor of fresh tomatoes. It’s a great way to use up an abundance of tomatoes as well.
What You Need to Make Fresh Tomato Salsa
You can make this tomato salsa recipe with just a few simple ingredients and basic kitchen tools.
Kitchen Supplies
You’ll need a medium-sized mixing bowl, a knife, a cutting board, and a large spoon to stir everything together.
If you have a food processor, you can also use that to speed up the process and get a finer texture for your salsa, but the food processor is completely optional.
Fresh Tomatoes
Any type of tomato will work for this tomato salsa recipe. You can use whatever you have that is ripe and ready from your garden, the farmer’s market, or the grocery store. Today I’m using beefsteak tomatoes.
Bell Pepper
Any fresh bell pepper will work for this recipe as well. Today I’m using a green bell pepper to add some color to the salsa.
Onion
Sweet onion, purple, yellow, or white onion would all taste good and work well in this recipe. I’m using a yellow onion today because that’s what I had on hand.
There are many options and combinations that would work well for this tomato salsa recipe. You could make a bright, golden yellow salsa with Yellow Brandywine tomatoes and yellow or orange bell peppers, a beautiful purple salsa with Cherokee purple tomatoes, purple onion, and purple bell peppers, or a rainbow salsa by mixing multiple colors together.
Jalapeno Pepper
One, medium-sized jalapeno pepper will give you a mild salsa with just a hint of spice. To make the salsa spicier, add more jalapeno. If you prefer less spice, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno before adding it to the salsa, as that’s where you’ll get most of the heat.
Fresh Lime Juice
Lime juice brings everything together and balances the flavors. You can add more or less depending on your taste. Start with less, then add more a little at a time after tasting the salsa.
Squeezing half of one small lime will give you around 1/2 Tablespoon of lime juice. If you like a stronger lime flavor, use the whole lime.
Taco Seasoning
Taco seasoning adds depth and flavor to your salsa. You can use a pre-made mix or make your own. Homemade taco seasoning is easy to make and doesn’t contain any preservatives or fillers. You can easily adjust the spices to suit your preferences. This is the recipe I like to use and it works great as the taco seasoning in the tomato salsa recipe:
Homemade taco seasoning:
1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, then store in an airtight container.
Salt and Pepper
Salt brings out flavor and pepper adds depth. You can adjust the salt and pepper in the tomato salsa recipe to taste.
How to Make the Tomato Salsa Recipe
Start by gathering all your supplies and washing your produce, if you haven’t already.
If you’re not using a food processor, chop the tomato, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno on the cutting board then add them to the mixing bowl. You can chop the vegetables as large or as small as you like to get your preferred texture.
Once your vegetables are chopped and in the bowl, add the taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Mix everything together and give it a taste. Adjust any of the seasonings to your taste and that’s it!
If using a food processor, you can chop the vegetables into a few large pieces before pulsing a few times in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. I like to chop the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno first before adding the tomato to make sure there are no large chunks of onion or pepper left in the finished salsa.
Once your vegetables are chopped, put the salsa in a bowl and add the seasonings and lime juice.
The salsa is ready to eat right away, or let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors combine more fully. Over time the salt draws out moisture in the vegetables, making the salsa saucier the longer it sits.
Storage Instructions
To store your salsa for later, place it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge.
If you’re like me and you want to avoid using more dishes you’ll have to wash later, you can also leave it in the mixing bowl, just cover it tightly with plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge.
Salsa will keep in the fridge for up to one week. You can also put the salsa in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to two months, though this will change the texture and taste.
Recipe Variations
This simple tomato salsa recipe is very versatile. You can easily add more ingredients to change the taste and give you a slightly different version of the salsa. Do you like garlic? Add in a clove or two. Do you like cilantro? 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro would make a great addition to the tomato salsa recipe.
For a chunkier salsa, chop the ingredients with a knife and don’t use a food processor. If you like a thinner texture, use the food processor and pulse until your desired consistency is reached.
If you’d like a finer texture but you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender, or use a fork to mash the ingredients after finely chopping the vegetables.
For a mix of chunky and thin, reserve some of the chunkier salsa before using the food processor or a fork to get a thinner texture then mix the two together.
Ways to Use Tomato Salsa
Dipping tortilla chips in homemade salsa is a classic choice and a delicious way to enjoy this homemade tomato salsa recipe but there are plenty of other ways you can use it as well!
Use fresh tomato salsa as a topping for tacos, burritos, or nachos.
Make salsa chicken by topping chicken breasts with fresh salsa and grated cheese before roasting or cooking in a crockpot or instant pot.
Mix some fresh salsa into scrambled eggs.
Use salsa as a burger topping.
Tomato Salsa Recipe
This tomato salsa recipe is classic and simple, with a fresh tomato flavor and a hint of spice. You can easily adjust the spice level to your preference by adding more or less jalapeno.
Prep Time: 5 minutes if using a food processor, 15 minutes if using a knife and cutting board.
Cook Time: None!
Total Time: 5-15 minutes.
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
1 medium bell pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
1/4 of a medium onion (about 1/2 cup diced onion)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper
1/2 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
If using a knife and cutting board:
1. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell pepper and jalapeno.
2. Chop tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Add taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
4. Sprinkle lime juice on top then mix everything together
5. Taste salsa and adjust seasonings if desired.
If using a food processor:
1. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell pepper and jalapeno. Chop them into a few large pieces Add them to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.
2. Cut the onion into a few large pieces and add it to the food processor with the bell pepper and jalapeno. Pulse a few times to chop before adding the tomato
3. Cut the tomato into a few large pieces and add it to the food processor. Pulse a few times, until you reach the desired consistency. About 10-20 pulses.
4. Carefully remove the bowl and blade from the food processor and pour salsa into a medium-sized bowl.
5. Add taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
6. Sprinkle with lime juice and mix everything together.
7. Taste salsa and adjust seasonings if desired.
Notes:
*Any variety of tomato, onion, and bell pepper will work for this recipe.
*For a spicier flavor, use more jalapenos or include the seeds and membrane.
Time to Make the Tomato Salsa Recipe
This tomato salsa recipe comes together so quickly, the hardest part will be trying not to eat it all in one sitting! To learn about different kinds of tomatoes check out the tomato page. And for more recipe ideas check out the recipe section on the blog.
Excited for more tomato content? Then visit our tomato page for growing tips, comprehensive guides, and tasty recipes!
Need some more inspiration in the kitchen? Then checkout our vegetable recipes for delicious and healthy cooking guides!
Salsa Recipe
This delicious and easy-to-make salsa recipe is a crowd favorite for parties, dinners, and snacking!
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium bell pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
- 1/4 of a medium onion (about 1/2 cup diced onion)
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
If using a knife and cutting board:
1. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell pepper and jalapeno.
2. Chop tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Add taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
4. Sprinkle lime juice on top then mix everything together
5. Taste salsa and adjust seasonings if desired.
If using a food processor:
1. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell pepper and jalapeno. Chop them into a few large pieces Add them to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.
2. Cut the onion into a few large pieces and add it to the food processor with the bell pepper and jalapeno. Pulse a few times to chop before adding the tomato
3. Cut the tomato into a few large pieces and add it to the food processor. Pulse a few times, until you reach the desired consistency. About 10-20 pulses.
4. Carefully remove the bowl and blade from the food processor and pour salsa into a medium-sized bowl.
5. Add taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
6. Sprinkle with lime juice and mix everything together.
7. Taste salsa and adjust seasonings if desired.
Notes
*Any variety of tomato, onion, and bell pepper will work for this recipe.
*For a spicier flavor, use more jalapenos or include the seeds and membrane.
