This red salsa recipe is for you, salsa connoisseurs. This red salsa recipe has the flavor of a fresh, real Mexican restaurant. What’s the best part? It’s quite simple to create, using only six basic ingredients.
This red salsa was created for my cookbook since it wouldn’t be complete without a fantastic homemade salsa recipe. It took me ten tries to get all of the nuances absolutely right, but this recipe was well worth the effort.
When I served this salsa at my birthday party, I saw my friends’ faces light up with delight. Everyone begged for the recipe, so I’m sharing it with you today along with all of my salsa tips and techniques on the site.
When the mood hits, how about some fresh salsa? Please accept my request.
How to Make the Red Salsa
- First, buy the right tomatoes. No cooking is required to enjoy the rich roasted tomato flavor of canned fire-roasted tomatoes. Because best tomatoes are the main ingredient in red salsa, their flavor is essential; Muir Glen is my favorite brand. If you have everything you need, you can make the best homemade salsa in just 10 minutes.
- Drain off some of the excess tomato juice in the can. This step ensures that you won’t end up with watery salsa.
- Blitz the garlic in the food processor. That way, you don’t have to chop it by hand or dirty your garlic press.
- Roughly chop the onion and jalapeño. Aim for about 1/2″ pieces. This step takes just a minute and ensures that you won’t end up with big hunks of onion or pepper.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor: Canned tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt.
- Blend just until you reach your desired consistency. I want my salsa to have some texture, so I mix until all of the ingredients are broken down into small pieces, but not completely smooth.
- Adjust to taste, if necessary. More lime juice or salt may be required. This salsa is one of my favorites since it has a lot of flavor without being overly salty like store-bought salsas.
Red Salsa Tips
- Want to make this salsa extra-mild? Use less jalapeo or leave it out entirely. Depending on the size and heat level of your jalapeo, this salsa is light to medium as indicated.
- Want to make this salsa more spicy? Remove the ribs and seeds from the whole jalapeo. You can also add some jalapeo seeds if you want it to be extra spicy.
- Want to make this recipe for a crowd? Although the recipe makes 2 cups, it may easily be doubled or tripled. That is, providing your food processor can handle the increased yield. My Cuisinart 11-cup food processor is fantastic at handling both small and large batches.
- Want to make this salsa with fresh tomatoes? I wish I could claim that raw tomatoes may simply be substituted, but that is not the case. In my cookbook, I have a roasted tomato salsa recipe that I highly suggest.
- No food processor? You can make this recipe in a blender, too. Just be careful not to blend the salsa past your preferred consistency.
Notes of Red Salsa Recipe
- TOMATO NOTES: Muir Glen brand fire-roasted tomatoes are my favorite. They’re organic, packaged in BPA-free cans, and have the finest flavor of any canned tomatoes I’ve tried. You may make the salsa with standard diced tomatoes, but it won’t have the same depth of flavor.
- IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO CAN THIS RED SALSA? I do not advocate canning this salsa because it has not been confirmed for canning safety. Instead, I propose this recipe.
Was this helpful?
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
