Made from simple ingredients, our Classic Salsa Fresca is loaded with flavor from ripe tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, red onion, and fresh cilantro.
It’s the homemade salsa fresca you didn’t know you needed until you tasted it. It’s easy to make, fresh, and better than your favorite Mexican restaurant!
You can whip up this homemade salsa fresca in minutes, and the vibrant flavor will tantalize your tastebuds.
Salsa fresca, also called pico de gallo, is a classic dish in Mexican cuisine that’s been around a long time for good reason. It’s all about fresh produce – ripe tomatoes, spicy peppers, zesty lime juice – and it’s been made in home kitchens and taquerias across Mexico for generations.
What I love about this salsa fresca recipe is that it is incredibly easy to make, yet it still tastes like something you’d get at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
It’s got the perfect balance of acidity from the fresh lime juice, heat from the jalapeño peppers, and sweetness from ripe tomatoes. The fresh ingredients bring a vibrant flavor that beats anything from a jar.
Pair this salsa fresca with Baja-Style Fish Tacos or Grilled Shrimp Street Tacos with Lime Crema, and suddenly you’re not just eating dinner – you’re throwing a full-on flavor fiesta in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients needed to make our Salsa Fresca recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Change Up the Recipe?
Absolutely! We made the recipe with Roma tomatoes, but you can use plum, beefsteak, or even cherry tomatoes if that’s what’s rolling around in your fridge. Just be sure they’re ripe and juicy for the best salsa fresca flavor.
For a milder salsa, replace the jalapeño peppers with a small amount of green bell pepper, or skip them altogether and let the garlic and lime juice shine.
If you like it fiery, toss in a serrano pepper or leave in some of those jalapeño seeds – but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
We used fresh cilantro because it gives the salsa its signature taste, but if you think it tastes like soap, you can swap it for flat-leaf parsley or even a touch of fresh oregano.
If you’re out of red onion or just not a fan, a sweet onion or even finely chopped green onions can do the job just fine.
Don’t have fresh garlic? A pinch of garlic powder will still bring that savory depth.
And if your tomatoes are extra juicy and you want to avoid a watery salsa, scoop out the excess juice or let it drain briefly in a colander before pulsing.
How to Make Salsa Fresca
Follow along with my simple instructions to see how to make salsa fresca in your own kitchen.
- Rinse your ripe tomatoes and jalapeño peppers under cold water, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Slice the tomatoes and jalapeños, then remove the seeds (wear gloves if you’re working with heat – you don’t want pepper hands!).
- Chop up the tomatoes, jalapeños, and red onion into manageable chunks.
- Finely chop your fresh cilantro and mince the garlic.
- Toss the chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, garlic, and cilantro into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse 5-7 times to roughly combine everything – don’t go wild, we’re not making tomato juice.
- To balance out the acidity, add fresh lime juice, salt, black pepper, and a little sugar.
- Put the lid back on and pulse another 5-7 times until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Let the salsa sit for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors mingle.
- Serve your fresh salsa with tortilla chips or spoon it over tacos, burritos, grilled meats – basically, whatever needs a kick of vibrant flavor.
This classic salsa fresca is perfect for summer cookouts, casual family dinners, or anytime you’ve got a bag of tortilla chips begging for a dip.
After one taste of our homemade salsa, you’ll never look twice at the jarred stuff again.
Store any leftover salsa fresca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
It actually tastes even better after sitting for an hour or two, once those bold flavors have had time to get cozy.
This fresh salsa doesn’t freeze well. Freezing messes with the texture and turns it into a sad, watery mess.
If you’re making it ahead, prep in the morning and enjoy later that same day for the best results.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely – grab a sharp knife and chop everything by hand. It takes a little longer, but you’ll get a chunkier, more rustic pico de gallo-style salsa.
Too much juice? Just pour a bit off or use a slotted spoon to serve. This helps keep it nice and thick for dipping or topping.
It has a gentle kick, thanks to the jalapeño peppers. If you’re spice-sensitive, use just one pepper – or for extra heat, leave the seeds in or toss in a serrano!
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Salsa Fresca
Ingredients
- 4 plum tomatoes de-seeded or regular tomatoes
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped – or red onion
- 2 small jalapeño peppers chopped – for less spicy salsa use one jalapeno
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Rinse the tomatoes and jalapenos in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Slice and remove the seeds from the tomatoes and jalapeño peppers.*Wear plastic golves to clean the seeds from the peppers.
- Chop the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño peppers.
- Chop the cilantro.
- Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse the food processor 5-7 times.
- Add the lime juice, granulated sugar, table salt, and black pepper to the mixture.
- Place the lid back on the processor and pulse 5-7 more times to reach your desired consistency.
- Let the salsa fresca sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will give the flavors time to meld together. *Salsa fresca is best used after one hour, and will hold in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Serve it as a dip with tortilla chips, or use it as a topping for tacos, burritos, or grilled meats. The vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients make it a versatile and delicious addition to any meal.
Henry T says
This fresh salsa was better than the one at my favorite mexican restaurant! (please don’t tell them) I have been making it for a healthy snack the last couple weeks. Love that it doesn’t have all the preservatives of the store brands. Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
That’s what I like to hear!