Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa
This quick and easy homemade salsa is almost too good to be true. So fast and so simple, this fresh-tasting salsa will be yours in a matter of minutes!
There is definitely a time and a place for real deal homemade salsa that can sit nice and pretty on your pantry shelves all year long.
But when that level of effort is not in the cards (hi. me. most every day lately), this delicious, quick and easy version is for you.

How to Make Salsa in 5 Minutes or Less
Step 1: chop up the cilantro, jalapeño, onion and garlic in a food processor*
Step 2: add the tomatoes, salt and lime juice
Step 3: pulse until your heart tells you it’s time to stop
Step 4: grab the chips and dig in
*Equipment Tip: I use a food processor for this recipe. But check out the notes below in the recipe for using a blender.
Fresh and Flavorful
Before you turn your nose up at canned tomatoes, give this salsa a chance. Otherwise, you’ll be missing out.
The fresh flavors of the cilantro, lime juice, onion and garlic transform the canned tomatoes into a salsa worthy of any occasion.
I’ve been making a version of this quick and easy homemade salsa for over ten years. In fact, if you’ve been around long enough you’ll recognize this old recipe.
I took that recipe, plus a few notes from readers over the years, and created a slightly easier (if that’s even possible) and fresher version.
Best Salsa Ever
This salsa is so good that people have a really hard time believing it’s made from canned tomatoes.
All the while, I’m sitting over here smug as a bug in a rug that I didn’t have to put my big pioneer girl pants on and peel fresh tomatoes. And we all still got crazy delicious salsa out of the deal. How ’bout that.
I’ll never, ever turn my back on this epic 5-star homemade salsa recipe, but when I need fabulous, fresh-tasting salsa in a pinch AND want to delegate the making of it to my kids, this quick and easy version is where it’s at.
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Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- ½ bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup packed – see note)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed (leave seeds if you want more heat)
- ¼ of a medium red onion
- ½ to 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
- 2 cans (15-ounces each) regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well-drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, but I like how it balances the flavors)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add the cilantro, jalapeño, red onion and garlic to a food processor (see note for blender). Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
- Add the tomatoes, salt and lime juice. Pulse until the salsa reaches desired consistency. I tend to like the tomatoes finely chopped, but you can leave it chunkier.
- Add additional salt and lime juice to taste, if needed (important!). Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Extra liquid can be drained off before serving, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (updated from this old recipe as well as from reader feedback over the years – thanks Heather J. for the inspiration to update this recipe after sending me your famous quick salsa recipe!)
23 Comments on “Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa”
I make sure to always have the ingredients for this salsa handy! Love it. Can’t even count how many times I’ve made it in the past year!
Hi Mel! Which brand of canned tomatoes do u use for this recipe?
I’ve used a lot of brands! Hunts, San marzano and I think a few others.
So good! I think you could lower the amount of salt, perhaps 1/2 to 3/4 tsp instead. I’m going to try that next time. Thanks Mel!
Mel, this salsa rocked my world!! So delicious and easy to make. This will be my go-to salsa recipe for forever.
I’m so happy to hear that, Maria! Thank you!
I have been making an almost exact version of this salsa for a while —and I got the idea from your earlier salsa version that was similar that had jarred jalepenos .. I replaced them with fresh jalepenos and some mini red and yellow peppers.. and I sometimes add a can of Rotel for a little extra heat. In answer to the blender question .. I always make mine in the blender .. I use petite diced tomatoes and add 1 can to the bowl and blend the other can in with the other ingredients .. just pulse a few times. I find by leaving the one can “un-blended” I get just the right amount of “chunky” texture ! I’m so glad you posted this recipe .. best easiest delicious salsa recipe on the planet !!
I made this yesterday for lunch and we have all been enjoying it! I realized after draining the tomatoes that I only had Serrano peppers, so since I have young kids who don’t appreciate heat I used about one fourth of a pepper and it turned out great! I’ll definitely make sure we have jalapeños next time since we prefer their flavor.
Thanks for the review, Nicole!
So happy you’re back! I check your blog every day. Thanks for this new recipe.
Thanks so much, Teresa! You are the sweetest.
I found myself checking in often- not for new recipes but to see if you posted and were okay. I dont know you personally but I just feel so thankful for all you have done for me ans my loved ones by posting these meals. I hope all is well
That means a lot to me – thank you!
How spicy/hot? What would you add to make spicier? Thanks
If you want it spicier, add 2 jalapenos and/or keep the seeds in the jalapenos
I make a similar salsa in the blender almost weekly. I throw all ingredients almost whole into my blender (blendtec) and blend for 30 seconds or so. It’s not as chunky as the one pictured, but it works out great especially if you don’t have a good processor.
Thanks for chiming in on using a blender for salsas like this, Lauren!
I am assuming that you do not drain the tomatoes, because you did not specify that in your instructions. Is this correct?
Hi Ellen, the tomatoes are drained (it is specified in the ingredient list where it says “2 cans (15-ounces each) regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well-drained”)
Is there a brand of tomatoes that tastes better for this since tomatoes are the star of this? I don’t do canning but I would do this.
Hi Sheila, great question. It probably really boils down to taste preferences. I usually use the Kirkland (Costco) brand. They’re pretty good, at least I don’t mind the flavor. But a higher end brand like San Marzano or Muir Glen (I’ve tried both and they do have a slightly richer/fresher taste) would be a good pick, too!
Nice to see you again!
Thanks, Margie! Life necessitated almost a month break from posting a new recipe, but I’m happy to be back with some new ones!