This homemade salsa is fresh, flavorful, and perfect for serving with tortilla chips, tacos, burritos, grilled meats, or your favorite Mexican dishes. If you’re making a large batch, this recipe is ideal for sharing or keeping some on hand.
Ingredients
- 12 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 3–4 large onions, finely chopped
- 8–10 jalapeños, finely chopped
- 1–2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 1½–2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
- 10–12 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups vinegar or fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
- 1–2 teaspoons black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, remove the stems, and chop them into small pieces. If you prefer a smoother salsa, you can briefly pulse them in a food processor.
2. Prepare the vegetables
Finely chop the onions, jalapeños, and bell peppers. Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro.
3. Combine everything
Add the tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, bell peppers, garlic, and cilantro to a large stockpot.
4. Season the salsa
Add the vinegar or lime juice, salt, cumin, black pepper, and optional sugar. Stir everything thoroughly.
5. Simmer
Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the salsa reaches your preferred consistency.
6. Taste and adjust
Taste carefully and adjust the salt, lime juice or vinegar, and jalapeños according to your preference.
7. Serve
Let the salsa cool slightly and serve warm or chilled with tortilla chips, tacos, nachos, eggs, grilled chicken, or steak.
For canning: Because acidity and processing time are critical for safe home canning, use a tested salsa canning recipefrom a reliable food-preservation authority rather than improvising the acid level or processing time.
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