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    Home » Recipes » Dips/Sauces/Dressings

    5-Minute Homemade Chunky Salsa

    Published: Jul 29, 2020 · Modified: Jan 13, 2025 by Shani W. · This post may contain affiliate links and advertisements. For more information, please see my privacy policy. · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This 5-Minute Homemade Chunky Salsa recipe is going to be an absolute staple for your household. No cooking necessary, and made completely in the blender - it's absolutely packed with flavor!

    A bowl of homemade salsa surrounded by yellow tortilla chips on a blue background.

    Luckily, this delicious dip comes together in literally 5 minutes; just quickly chop your larger veggies into halves or quarters to fit into the blender. My blender-friendly salsa recipe makes a fantastic starter/condiment for your next taco night. Serve with some crispy chipotle chicken tacos!

    A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of homemade salsa.

    The Coined Breakdown

    • Total Cost per serving: $0.34
    • Total Cost (8 servings): $2.73
    • Those Other Guys: $4.99 per serving

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • How to Make Homemade Chunky Salsa
    • Recipe Pro Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Other Mexican Recipes You'll Crave!
    • 5-Minute Homemade Chunky Salsa

    Ingredients

    The ingredients for homemade chunky salsa on a wooden board, including diced tomatoes and green chiles, roma tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, onion, and sugar.
    • Roma Tomatoes - I love a mix of fresh and canned tomatoes in my salsa recipe. Roma tomatoes are accessible throughout the year, which makes them a great choice.
    • Canned Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles - Canned tomatoes are picked at peak ripeness and also store well in your pantry. You can grab the mild, hot, or fire-roasted version of these tomatoes.
    • Yellow Onion - I like the slight sweetness of yellow onion in salsa! This is also what is typically used in restaurants. Feel free to sub for red onion.
    • Jalapeño - For a hint of spice. Remove the middle membrane and seeds if you prefer mild salsa.
    • Lime - The citrus in freshly squeezed lime juice balances out our ingredients.
    • Cilantro - A staple herb in Mexican cooking. You only need about a little less than a handful.
    • Sugar - It sounds weird, but trust me: A little sugar balances out all the acidity of our other ingredients like the tomatoes. Don't skip this.
    • Garlic - Some people don't use garlic in their salsa, but I feel it gives a subtle addition of flavor.
    • Spice Blend - A simple spice blend of salt, black pepper, and ground cumin finish off our salsa recipe.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Fire-Roasted Salsa: For a salsa with an even deeper flavor from roasting the vegetables, try my Restaurant-Style Fire Roasted Salsa.

    Spicy Variations: Instead of a jalapeño, try serrano, poblano, or habenero!

    Salsa Verde: Use fresh tomatillos and green chiles instead of red tomatoes for a tasty salsa verde.

    How to Make Homemade Chunky Salsa

    One of my favorite parts of this recipe is how much flavor you get for such little effort. You only have to use a knife to cut the larger produce (like tomatoes and onion) into halves or quarters so it blends better. After that, just throw everything into a food processor or blender and go!

    A blender containing ingredients for homemade salsa, ready to be blended.

    Recipe Pro Tips

    1. Let the salsa chill in the fridge. I know, I know, I say it's a 5-minute recipe; and it is. But letting everything chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour really develops all of the flavors! I highly recommend not skipping that step.
    2. To drain, or not to drain? I personally don't drain the can of diced tomatoes. It looks a bit watery straight out of the blender, but after chilling it turns into a perfect texture. However, if you like your salsa really chunky you can drain the diced tomatoes before adding to the blender.
    3. Fresh is best. Use a fresh onion if you can. After an already-cut onion sits in the fridge for a while, the flavor really pumps up and can overpower your salsa.
    4. Mind your pulses! For a chunky salsa, you want to pulse or process the salsa just a few times. For a more restaurant-style pureed salsa, you can blend for a little longer.

    Recipe FAQs

    How spicy is this chunky salsa?

    The recipe instructions make a medium-spicy salsa. To make it completely mild, remove the rib and seeds of the jalapeño. If you like it extra spicy, keep that in!

    Do I have to cook any ingredients before making homemade salsa?

    Nope! Just roughly chop the larger ingredients and then throw everything in the blender. It's really easy to make! For a cooked salsa recipe, try my Restaurant-Style Fire Roasted Salsa.

    Is the sugar necessary in this recipe?

    It is! Similar to when making homemade marinara, a little touch of sugar balances out all of the acidic tomatoes. Don't worry, your salsa won't taste sweet.

    How do I store homemade salsa?

    This will keep for a week in the refrigerator; just store in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing!

    Other Mexican Recipes You'll Crave!

    • A plate of homemade cilantro-lime rice with a wooden spoon sticking inside.
      Copycat Chipotle Cilantro-Lime Rice
    • A chimichurri steak taco made with flank steak and a corn tortilla.
      Chimichurri Flank Steak Tacos
    • Two bowls of mexican corn salad (esquites) with tequila and a lime on the side.
      Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
    • A bowl of guacamole surrounded by tortilla chips.
      Creamy 5-Minute Homemade Guacamole

    If you tried this 5-Minute Homemade Chunky Salsa Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!

    A hand dipping a corn tortilla into a bowl of 5-minute homemade chunky salsa.

    5-Minute Homemade Chunky Salsa

    Shani W.
    Take on Taco Tuesday with this quick and easy homemade chunky salsa recipe! It's packed with flavor and everything comes together in the blender, so you'll have a tasty appetizer in no time.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Blending Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Appetizers, Snacks
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 17 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food Processor or blender
    • Chef's Knife
    • Citrus Squeezer
    • Can Opener

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 count Roma tomatoes
    • ½ count yellow onion
    • 1 count jalapeno
    • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles 10 ounces
    • 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
    • 3 cloves garlic peeled
    • 1 count lime juiced
    • 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

    Instructions
     

    • Slice the Roma tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño into halves or quarters and add to a food processor/blender bowl.
      Remove about half of the center and seeds of the jalapeño to control the spice level. If you want a completely mild salsa, remove all of the seeds.
    • Pour in the canned tomatoes, juice included.
    • Add in the cilantro leaves, garlic cloves, the juice of one lime, sugar, and your seasonings.
    • Pulse until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. For a chunkier salsa, you want to process the ingredients as little as possible. For a more cohesive salsa, you will blend a little longer.
    • I recommend letting the salsa marinate - in an airtight container - in the refrigerator for at least an hour. However, you can serve immediately if you prefer.
      Pair with your favorite tortilla chips. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Tips & Tricks:
    Letting the salsa hang out in the fridge for at least an hour allows the flavors to develop for an overall tastier salsa. I recommend making this ahead of time if you can!
    The core/seeds of the jalapeño contain a majority of the spice. If you prefer mild salsa, completely remove this before blending. I usually core about half of the jalapeño for a medium-spicy salsa.
    Storage Instructions:
    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I do not suggest freezing homemade chunky salsa.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe yet?Please consider leaving a comment! Reviews help other readers find their next favorite dish, like this one.

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    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sammie P. says

      February 04, 2025 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      I love this salsa recipe so much. It really is quick to make, but the flavor is there. I double the amount of heat by using lots of the jalapeño pepper.

      Reply
      • Shani W. says

        February 04, 2025 at 6:47 pm

        Thank you for trying and commenting, Sammie! 🙂

        Reply

    Welcome!

    I'm Shani, the founder of Coined Cuisine. I develop budget-friendly recipes that are tasty and easy to create. Whether you're a beginner cook or an advanced kitchen wizard, you're sure to find tons of meal inspiration here!

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