If you have about 10 minutes and a few basic ingredients, you can easily whip up a batch of this delightful Homemade Chipotle Salsa! The super fresh flavors with just a subtle kick of heat will make you want to keep going back for more. You can mix up the salsa nice and chunky in your food processor or make it nice and smooth. Either way, you are going to love this food processor salsa!
Do you love fresh salsa as much as I do? Instead of paying an arm and a leg for the "good stuff" at the grocery store, I recommend giving this super simple Homemade Chipotle Salsa a try!
The onion, pepper, tomatoes, and chipotle chilis with a little garlic, lime juice, and cilantro come together in a downright irresistible flavor melody.
I especially like how this salsa has just the right kick of heat without being overpowering.
Whenever a friend tries my homemade salsa, they assume it was a labor of love. I'm sometimes embarrassed to admit that it only takes me less than 10 minutes to throw together!
If you want to treat yourself to the best salsa recipe, look no further. After one bite, I know you'll be hooked! It is so much better than store bought.
Ingredients for Making Chipotle Salsa
- Tomatoes — You want about 1 pound of chopped ripe tomatoes. Don't discard the juices! Those are going right in the salsa. (I chop mine with the food processor.) You can remove the seeds if you like. I used a blend of cherry tomatoes and Roma tomatoes from my garden.
- Onion — I prefer to use a red onion for the punchy flavor and vibrant color, but white onion works too. You can use a large or medium onion according to your preference.
- Chilis — Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce help give this salsa such a rich, deep smoky flavor. But they can be spicy, so add slowly!
- Jalapeño — I seed mine, but you could leave the seeds if you prefer some heat. If you want a milder pepper, look for a jalapeño with smooth skin and fewer signs of stress.
- Garlic — Freshly minced cloves of garlic will give you the most flavor, but jarred is okay if you're short on time.
- Lime — You can juice fresh lime juice right into the food processor or blender.
- Cilantro — This fresh herb really complements the rest of this Fresh Salsa Recipe.
- Salt and Pepper — Add to taste to bring out the full flavor of your salsa.
Tips & Tricks
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- A food processor makes chopping the veggies for this Homemade Salsa Recipe super quick! I am a huge fan of the Breville Sous Chef peel and dice. I use the 8mm blade for this recipe. If you don't have a peel and dice, you can also pulse the vegetables.
- For a finer salsa, you can use a blender (or food processor) and blend the veggies until smooth.
- If you don't like spicy, you can replace the jalapeño with bell pepper and use 1 chipotle chili instead of 2. You could also use the sauce from the can instead of the peppers, which has plenty of flavor but will bring the spice level down.
Serving Suggestions
- For easy dipping, Healthy Zucchini Chips are coated in gluten-free breading and baked to crunchy perfection!
- This Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe would be perfect served over a Quinoa Taco Salad Bowl for a quick weeknight lunch or dinner.
- For a flavor match made in heaven, try some fresh salsa with these Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Tacos!
- Don't forget a side of tortilla chips!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! For a hotter salsa, you can leave the seeds in the jalapeño. You could also add more chipotle peppers, but make sure to add slowly. A little can go a LONG way.
Prefer a milder Fresh Tomato Salsa? Look for a jalapeño with smooth skin, which will be less spicy than one with lots of striations. You could also replace the jalapeño with something milder like a bell pepper.
Since a lot of heat comes from the chipotle peppers, you could either use less or just use the sauce from the can instead of the peppers. The sauce will still have great chipotle flavor but less heat than the peppers themselves.
You bet! Salsa is a super versatile recipe, so feel free to customize it however you like.
Prefer white or yellow onion? Go ahead and swap one in for the red onion. Like habanero or poblano peppers better than jalapeños? Use those instead!
The fresh cilantro is a little harder to substitute because it has such a unique taste. But if you can't stand cilantro, you could try fresh parsley, Mexican oregano, or even Thai basil.
No, this Homemade Chipotle Salsa recipe gets its name from the actual chipotle peppers used in the recipe.
While there are similar ingredients, this recipe is not intended to be a copycat for any of the salsas from Chipotle Mexican Restaurant.
Tools Needed to Make Homemade Salsa
- Large bowl
- Spoon
- Food processor or blender (optional for chopping vegetables)
Storage
Store the fresh salsa in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. The flavors will deepen in the fridge, so you may notice that you like the salsa even better the second day.
How to Make Homemade Chipotle Salsa
Place the onion, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, jalapeno, garlic, lime, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Stir to combine.
You May Also Like These Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- When it comes to set-it-and-forget-it meals, you can't beat 3-ingredient Crockpot Salsa Chicken!
- Mango Avocado Salsa is a great way to give your Mexican night a burst of new flavors.
- These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa are easy to whip up for a tasty and unique twist on a classic.
- If you want to mix up your salsa game, this Avocado Lime Quinoa Salsa has all the flavors you love with a kick of nutrition to fuel your day!
Chipotle Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 red onion peeled and diced
- 1 pound tomatoes chopped with juices
- 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce chopped fine
- 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped fine
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 lime juiced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Dice the onion, tomatoes, chipotle chilies, jalapeno, and garlic in your food procesor.
- Place the onion, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, jalapeno, garlic, lime, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir to combine.
Brijet
Hello — how many cups does this recipe make.