Name: 5-ingredient California salsa
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 6 whole roma tomatoes (about 600 g); 1/2 whole yellow onion (about 100 g); 1 whole jalapeño pepper, seeded; 1/2 cup (25 g) fresh cilantro; 1 whole lime, peeled; 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt, or more to taste

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5-ingredient California salsa
Recipe by Blending For GoodCourse: Dips and spreads, AppetizersCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Medium
Servings
20
servings
Prep time
5
minutes
Calories
10
kcal
This 5-Ingredient California Salsa recipe offers a fresh, mild, and flavorful alternative to store-bought versions, ready in just 5 minutes. Perfect for those seeking a quick and healthy homemade salsa, this recipe uses simple, whole ingredients blended in a high-performance blender for optimal texture and taste. The two-phase blending process ensures a perfect balance of smooth and chunky consistency, mimicking restaurant-style salsa. With no added preservatives or artificial flavors, this salsa is not only more economical than store-bought options but also customizable to suit individual taste preferences. Ideal for snacking, as a topping, or as part of a larger Mexican-inspired meal, this easy-to-make salsa brings the taste of California to your kitchen with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
6 whole roma tomatoes (about 600 g)
1/2 whole yellow onion (about 100 g)
1 whole jalapeño pepper, seeded
1/2 cup (25 g) fresh cilantro
1 whole lime, peeled
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt, or more to taste
Directions
Quarter all ingredients.
Add all ingredients except 4 tomatoes to a high-performance blender.
Blend on medium speed for 15 seconds, using the tamper if necessary.
Add the remaining 4 tomatoes to the blender.
Pulse on low speed for 5 seconds to maintain some chunky texture.
Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.
Recipe Video
Notes

For a spicier salsa, leave some jalapeño seeds in or add pepper.
Blending in two phases helps achieve an ideal texture with some chunks.
Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

13 responses to “5-ingredient California salsa”

Lenny Gale

October 14, 2022

However many you can hold in a hand, consider that one tomato. So six handfuls 👍

Reply
BobC

October 7, 2022

You can also grill the tomatoes (and tomatillos) and peppers for a smokier flavor. That can be done on a BBQ grill, smoker, pellet grill or even in the kitchen on a cast iron pan.

Reply
1. Lenny Gale
  
  October 10, 2022
  
  Love this. Sounds like it’d end up like our other salsa, Zvi’s: https://s45509.p20.sites.pressdns.com/zvis-smoky-salsa/
Nicola

July 29, 2021

This was tasty but I didn’t peel my line enough, the white parts are chunky and very bitter, but otherwise, it’s so good and has nice heat.

Reply
Jeannette

March 23, 2020

I’ve made this twice, but I feel like the 1 Tablespoon of salt is way too much. I toned it down to 1 teaspoon and it was perfect!

Thank you for the recipe!

Reply
1. Lenny Gale
  
  March 23, 2020
  
  I think you’re right, actually. I’m going to change the recipe to one tsp and more to taste. Thanks Jeannette!
2. KS
  
  August 27, 2021
  
  Delicious! Be sure to cut all the white part of the lime rind off.
Jason

June 13, 2019

Ugh, cilantro has ruined more homemade salsa for me than I care to remember. Most recipes use way too much and it’s all I can taste.

Reply
1. Lenny Gale
  
  June 14, 2019
  
  No worries — you can always skip it. We’re very familiar with the cilantro issue. It’s so polarizing
2. Kimberly Burgh
  
  October 6, 2019
  
  I agree! I use parsley in recipes instead of cilantro.
3. FRANCES
  
  August 19, 2021
  
  I have a cilantro allergy (unknown to some) it makes it taste like soap to me.
Lenny Gale

March 10, 2017

Remember: You can always add more hot peppers. (But you can’t remove them.) Start slowly, and use just the flesh, first. Seeds carry most of the fire, so add those as needed. 🙂

Reply
1. Randy
  
  October 13, 2022
  
  I’ve got a huge bumper crop of baby tomatoes… Any recommendations on how to adjust?

5-ingredient California salsa

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe Video

Notes

13 responses to “5-ingredient California salsa”

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