If you’ve been buying salsa in a jar, it may be time to rethink that. This easy recipe for Homemade Salsa is one of those pantry staples you can make yourself. It’s cheaper and tastier than the commercial varieties. And so easy!
Serve this Homemade Salsa at your next shindig, it’s a Great Game Day Appetizer to share with friends and family, alongside a Taco Layer Dip and Air Fryer Tortilla Chips.
Since we eat so much Mexican food at our house, we eat a lot of salsa, at least a pint a week, sometimes more!
When we first married, I paid $4 for a 16-ounce container every week. It was from the refrigerated section at the store, so it had to be primo, right?
Once I realized that I could make twice as much for a fraction of the price, I quit buying it. On the occasions where I’m lazy or in a hurry and I’ve bought the old varieties, we’ve been sorely disappointed. Homemade tastes so much better!
Why Make This
It’s a good cheap eat! At only $1.51 for 4 cups of salsa, this is a great deal, especially if you enjoy salsa often.
It’s a great winter option when fresh tomatoes aren’t prime. This is the homemade salsa recipe I prepare weekly, using canned tomatoes. Later in the summer when fresh garden tomatoes are in abundance, I make Homemade Pico de Gallo, but this holds us over through the rest of the year.
It’s quick and easy. There’s not much prep involved, just a quick chop of the onion, cilantro, and chile. Stir it all together and you’re off!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Homemade Salsa the easy way:
tomatoes – Since this salsa is unblended, I recommend using canned petite diced tomatoes, but there are so many options you can lean on, including freshly seeded and chopped tomatoes, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes. Each will give your salsa a slightly different texture, so experiment until you have what you love best.
fresh cilantro – Cilantro is a must-have for homemade salsa. You can grow your own or buy it from the store. Be sure to follow these tips to Keep Cilantro Fresh.
green onion – Green onion is cheap and easy to use, but you can also use yellow, red, or white onions. Taste them before you add them to the salsa. If they are bitter, rinse well with cold water to improve their taste.
jalapeño – The amount of heat will depend on which chile you use. Serrano will be hottest; crushed red pepper will be mild; jalapeño will be somewhere in between.
lime juice – Lime juice helps round out the flavors and adds another fresh layer of flavor. You can use bottled juice, but fresh is often best.
salt and pepper – Season your salsa to taste with salt and pepper.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this easy homemade salsa:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with their juices, the cilantro, chile pepper, and lime juice, stirring gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Chill until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips or other Mexican dishes.
FAQs & Recipe Costs
All fresh food will experience decay at some point. Since homemade salsa does not have any preservatives in it, treat it as you would any other prepped food. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. It should be good for 5 to 7 days.
Freezing food will extend its life and postpone decay. If you wish to freeze salsa, store it in an airtight container with ½ to 1-inch headspace to allow for expansion. Use within two months. Thaw in the refrigerator, stir to recombine, and serve.
Keep in mind that the jalapeño and onion will lose their crunch after freezing, so the texture won’t be quite the same.
You can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand, fresh or canned. You’ll want to make sure that you chop the tomatoes in a fine dice so that the salsa is dip-able.
Recipe Costs
Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.
- petite diced tomatoes – $0.90
- fresh cilantro – $0.25
- green onion – $0.10
- jalapeño – $0.15
- lime juice – $0.10
- salt and pepper – $0.01
While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $1.51 for a big batch of Homemade Salsa, about 9 cents/serving!
That’s a much better price than buying it in a jar! Making your own is a great way to save money on a good eat.
Here are some of the strategies I use to make this recipe more economical:
- Do a price comparison. I know that ALDI is the best place to buy ingredients in bulk, like canned tomatoes, when there isn’t a great sale elsewhere. I keep track of prices so that I know who has the best deal where.
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. For instance, when I see a great price on onions, I buy a lot.
- Store your cilantro so that it lasts! Most recipes only call for a handful of the fragrant herb, so stretch that purchase as far as you can. Better yet, grow your own in a pot in the kitchen or in the back yard, weather permitting.
Perfect Pairings
Easy Homemade Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with their juices, the cilantro, chile pepper, and lime juice, stirring gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Chill until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips or other Mexican dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on June 19, 2009. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Julia
This is my middle son’s favorite salsa! When he comes home from a Nat’l Guard weekend/month he is so excited when I have it ready for him.
Courtney
If it freezes well, I can see it being cheaper using a #10 can of diced tomatoes from Costco. Thank you, I’m excited to try this!
Annette
Can we get a link for the ‘summer’ version? I’m going to see if I can hit up friends for their garden tomatoes! 🙂
Jessica
Here you are, my dear: https://goodcheapeats.com/2010/08/pico-de-gallo/
beth @ fabulouswon
i can’t wait to try this recipe and take to our 4th of July party…I’m nervous though since my cousin makes his pretty good and it all comes from his garden, not sure how mine will rank.
It's A Mom Thing
Coming over from Life As Mom and I have to say, I NEED to get on the ball and make some homemade salsa! It’s always so much better than store bought, this recipe seems easy enough for me! Thank you 🙂
Ellen
I’m curious about the cost breakdown for your salsa. I decided to try and make it this week, and it cost me $.99 at SuperTarget for a bunch of cilantro. 28 oz. of tomatos are $1.30 at my store. All in all, the price breakdown of the salsa looks to me to be the same as buying a jar of salsa in the store. I can see that it would taste better, but I don’t see how it’s cheaper…
Jessica
@Ellen, that’s a great point. My target prices do effect it if you are looking at it from an econ standpoint. My husband doesn’t care for jarred salsa, so I’d make it anyway. But, I generally buy the tomatoes for $1 or less and cilantro regularly goes on sale here for $0.25 to $0.50, so it is more economical for us in the market we live in. (Southern California) If you have a source of free homegrown tomatoes, that makes it even moreso.
Amy
I also LOVE mexican food. And tortilla chips add up & are never as good as in the restraunts. I make my own. Heat up some grease (or use a fryer) cut corn tortillas into trianges ( i use a pizza cutter) & fry them on both sides until golden brown & crispy. Remove & cool on a paper plate w/ paper towels(to absorb the grease) Sprinkle w/ salt. I have tried cutting back on salt, but these just aren’t as good without the salt. They are a hit anywhere I go. I always fry up a whole package of corn tortillas & store them in a zip baggy to keep fresh.
beth @ fabulouswon
@Amy, we use sea salt when we make our own chips and sea salt is healthier for you than iodized salt. hope this helps (oh and it taste better on the chips!)
sona
@beth @ fabulouswon, Iodine is a necessary mineral in the diet. Effects hormones (thyroid), ones growth and brain function, so it would be good to get it elsewhere if not in salt.
Michelle
I’ve been making almost this same recipe for years! I use a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and a small can of store brand rotel ( both drained) instead! Then I put it all in the blender and pulse a few times. I stumbled across it looking for a copy cat recipe of our favorite “Chili’s” salsa. No one ever believes that it has no fresh tomatoes, and it is soooooooo good!
Anna
Have you tried freezing this?
Jessica
@Anna, I have never frozen salsa, but I should!
Cathie
We always make homemade salsa also! My FIL is from Chile and his is amazing, Super similar to yours, but he also adds a clove or two of garlic, and uses green onions instead of sweet. We also add fresh tomatoes (seeded) when in season. Delicious!