From scratch · Stocks and sauces
Fresh tomato salsa
Chopped ripe tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime: about 3 cups.
✋ 20 min hands-on
⏱ 20 min start to finish
🍽 About 3 cups.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb tomatoes, ripe, cored and finely chopped
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded for less heat, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 g table salt
Time
Hands-on time is when you’re busy; the rest is rising, simmering, chilling or cooling, when you can do something else.
| Step | Hands-on | Waiting |
|---|---|---|
| Chop and mix | 20 min | – |
| In all | 20 min | 0 min |
How long it keeps
- Refrigerator: keep it cold; Iowa State Extension allows up to 2 weeks for fresh salsa, and Ohio State says “a couple of weeks.” It’s best in the first few days.
- Freezer: the only safe way to keep a home salsa recipe long-term; thawed, it is watery, so drain it (Iowa State).
Nutrition
Estimated from the ingredients’ USDA FoodData Central numbers.
Steps
You’ll need: cutting board and knife, bowl, rubber or plastic gloves for the jalapeño.
- Wash the vegetables and herbs under running water.
- Wear gloves to seed and mince the jalapeño, and don’t touch your eyes.
- Stir everything together in a bowl. Let it stand 15 minutes, taste, and add more lime or salt as you like. Drain off extra juice before serving if it’s very wet.
⚖️ ScalingScales evenly. Add the jalapeño and lime a little at a time in big batches, since peppers vary a lot in heat.
🛡 SafetyDon’t can this salsa: only tested recipes like NCHFP’s are safe to can.
Sources
- It’s Salsa Time!, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, AnswerLine, 2024. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Making Fresh Salsa, Ohio State University Extension, 2014. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (tested canning recipes), University of Georgia. Accessed 2026-10-25.