This super easy homemade salsa is perfect to have on any snack table where you serve chips, crackers or veggies. You can also add it to a food that needs a little extra flavor.

Making Homemade Salsa

There are so many reasons for making your own salsa. First of all, it’s going to taste better because you can use whatever ingredients you like and leave out those you don’t care for.

Secondly, It’s going to be fresher than jarred salsa. And who doesn’t like fresh salsa on some delicious homemade corn tortilla chips?

Third, when you make your own salsa, you can add as much heat as you want. I like it spicy most of the time, but there are occasions when I want to tone it down.

If you’re making it for children, it’s a good idea to leave out the hot peppers. However, when I was younger, I loved them.

And I got teased a lot by friends for adding hot sauce to everything. But that’s okay. You like what you like, right?

Super Easy Homemade Salsa Ingredients

When you make this homemade salsa, remember that it’s your recipe. So adjust all of the ingredients to suit your personal taste.

What I typically recommend is to make it according to the recipe the first time and adjust the ingredients in the future.

But this recipe is very forgiving. You can add whatever you want, even after you finish making it.

What you’ll need:

• One 14 or 15-ounce can of whole or diced tomatoes
• About 1/4 cup of chopped onions (fresh or frozen)
• 1 teaspoon of chopped jalapeños (more if you want it extra spicy) 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (either fresh or from a jar)
• 1/2 teaspoon of any brand of chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

You can use fresh tomatoes. I do that when I have enough. Just be sure to drain them after blending them with your food processor.

Sometimes I add a little bit of sugar, but this time I didn’t. It cuts back on the heat just a little and enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes.

You can also separate the recipe in half and put it into two different bowls. Add whatever you want to one and leave the other as-is. It’s always nice to have choices.

How to Make Super Easy Homemade Salsa

First, get all of your ingredients ready. That makes the process easier and prevents you from forgetting something.

Secondly, drain half or more of the liquid from the diced tomatoes. I like to reserve the liquid in case I want to add a little bit more after it’s processed.

Set the bowl aside, in case you need to add more liquid to your salsa.

Next, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, salt, pepper, and optional sugar in a food processor.

If you’re using a manual food processor, chop everything until you reach your desired consistency.

And if you’re using an electric processor, pulse the mixture until it’s the consistency you want.

Check to see if the salsa is the thickness you prefer.

If you want to thin it out, either a little or a lot, now is the time to add some of the liquid from the tomatoes.

If you have time, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

However, it’s still good if you’re pressed for time and need to put it out right after it’s finished.

What to Serve It With

This delicious salsa is good with so many things, the obvious being chips. It’s also delicious when you need something to spice up your rice or potatoes.

One of our favorite simple meals is this salsa chicken. It adds so much flavor to the meat without having a ton of calories.

I also like to put a little on the side when I serve these Tex Mex ranch potatoes. That’s because some people like more than what I put in the casserole.

In addition to tortilla chips, you can dip vegetables in this salsa. If you want to liven it up even more, mix it with some ranch dressing for an explosion of deliciousness.

Another thing I like salsa on is fish. It adds quite a bit of flavor to any baked, broiled, fried, or steamed seafood.

If you like to make a meal out of chips, try these yummy rotisserie chicken nachos. This is perfect when you want something easy but fun to eat.

More Festive Dip Recipes

When it’s time to celebrate, it’s always fun to put out a choice of veggies, crackers, and dips, like this yummy zesty dipping sauce.

My friend Julie makes this amazing cream cheese dip with sausage that’s perfect for your party table. She has all kinds of wonderful recipes on her Back to My Southern Roots blog.

We also like this buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping. It has a delicious creaminess that everyone will love.

And you don’t have to limit yourself to salads for this thousand island dressing. It’s wonderful on anything you want to put it on.

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