This easy Fresh Garden Salsa recipe only takes 10 minutes! Super refreshing and great with tortilla chips or spooned on your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This fresh Garden Salsa comes together in just 10 minutes!
It's so refreshing and easy to customize with your favorite flavors.
Plus it's great to enjoy in the summertime when garden produce is in peak season.
Serve it as a snack, appetizer, or flavorful topper on Mexican-inspired dishes!
Ingredients for Garden Salsa
For this recipe you will pulse together in a food processor or blender:
- Tomatoes: You will need about 3 or 4 large beefsteak tomatoes for this recipe, or about 1.5 pounds tomatoes. (I usually remove some of the excess liquid from the tomato before adding to the food processor if they are extra juicy. This way the salsa is not overly watery.) Otherwise you can also substitute the beefsteak tomatoes with other varieties like fresh roma tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine.
- Green bell pepper: Both the fresh bell pepper and jalapeno add a lot of great flavor to this dish.
- Yellow onion: Or simply substitute white onion or red onion. Green onion is a great addition as well.
- Garlic cloves: Feel free to add more or less depending on how much you enjoy the flavor. The raw onion and garlic flavors do mellow a bit after the salsa chills in the fridge.
- Jalapeno pepper: Use more or less jalapeno depending on how much spice you prefer. In my experience, jalapenos can range in their spiciness, so use cautiously if you don't want it overly spicy. I remove the seeds and ribs before using.
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice: You will need about one lime for this recipe. For extra lime flavor you can also include a bit of lime zest as well.
- Ground cumin: This adds a slightly earthy, warm flavor to accent the salsa. However feel free to omit if you're not a fan of cumin.
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. Use as much or as little as desired. If you find the flavors in the salsa don't quite "pop", then simply add a pinch more salt.
Customizing
This fresh salsa is a fun recipe to play around with based on your favorite flavors or what you have on hand. A few ideas include:
Make it spicy: This is a fairly mild recipe depending on how spicy your jalapeno is. Spice it up with more jalapeno, cayenne pepper, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or canned medium/hot diced green chiles to taste.
Other flavors: Try fresh lemon juice instead of lime juice, more garlic or even roasted garlic, shallots, green onions (scallions), or a splash of apple cider vinegar. You can also add a hint of sweetness with 1/2 teaspoon agave or your own favorite sweetener.
Peppers: These add a lot of great flavor to this salsa, so change it up with a variety of your own favorites! Try a tasty combination of bell peppers, jalapeno, Anaheim, serrano, poblano, etc.
Tomatoes: For an even bolder, sweeter flavor you could even try this with cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes instead of the beefsteak tomatoes.
Texture: Adjust the texture and consistency of the salsa to your liking. For a smoother salsa, simply pulse it more. For a chunkier salsa, pulse it less.
Tips
Equipment: I use my large 9-cup Cuisinart food processor for this recipe which works great.
Don't have a food processor or blender? Simply chop everything by hand and toss together in a medium bowl. Or check out this fresh Pico de Gallo recipe instead which has similar flavors and doesn't require a blender or food processor.
Don't have fresh tomatoes? Substitute with diced canned tomatoes like this Restaurant-Style Salsa (which is also made easy right in the food processor or blender).
Serving
Salsa is a great snack, appetizer, or side dish with tortilla chips. But you can also spoon it on a variety of main dishes to enhance the flavor. A few ideas include:
- Tacos and tostadas: Right before serving, top it on homemade Chickpea-Walnut Tacos, Double Decker Tacos, or your own favorites.
- Burritos and burrito bowls: This Vegan Burrito Bowl is delicious topped with a variety of sauces and salsas.
- Breakfast dishes: Add a scoop on top of your favorite Tofu Scramble (or Southwest Tofu Scramble). It's also tasty in breakfast burritos!
- Flavor your rice: I often take plain rice to the next level with flavorful "salsa rice" for burritos, fajitas, etc. Simply stir together freshly cooked rice (or quinoa) with salsa to add quick and easy flavor.
- Bean dips: Instead of fresh diced tomatoes, top this crowd-pleasing warm Vegan Bean Dip with salsa instead.
- Nachos, fajitas, and quesadillas: These "meaty" Portobello Fajitas only take 30 minutes and are great topped with fresh salsa and guacamole.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We find they keep well in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
For more inspiration, also browse all fresh tomato recipes or summer recipes.
Fresh Garden Salsa
Ingredients
- 3-4 beefsteak tomatoes* (about 1.5 lbs.)
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1/3 cup yellow onion (or shallot)
- 1-2 cloves garlic (or more)
- 1 jalapeno (or anaheim, serrano, poblano, etc.)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)
Instructions
- Roughly chop tomatoes (excess juice removed if desired), bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse to combine until salsa reaches desired consistency. (I leave mine slightly chunky.)
- Taste and adjust flavors if needed. (If the flavors don't quite pop, add a pinch more salt.) Can serve immediately, but tastes best after it chills in the refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
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Stephanie
What a great summer recipe! We added an extra large jalapeno for spice and had it with our taco dinner. Thank you!
Kaitlin
Awesome to hear! Great call with the extra jalapeno and taco pairing - thanks for sharing!