With 5 ingredients and 10 minutes, you can recreate Chipotle's tomato salsa at home using fresh tomatoes! Refreshing and packed with flavors, this condiment is great for chips, burritos, soups, and more.
If you like making staples from scratch, you will also like our vegan tomato sauce, Thai basil pesto, and tofu sour cream. They are simple, budget-friendly, and taste better than ready-made ones.
My first (and only) time trying Chipotle was during a trip to London. Surprisingly, the standout wasn't any of the mains, but the fresh tomato salsa. I am inspired to recreate at home, and I am glad to report that I have done it after multiple attempts!
This vibrant and delicious condiment adds freshness to any dish. I especially love adding it to soups (like our red lentil carrot soup), black bean and rice, silken tofu scramble, and as a topping for falafel tacos.
💚Why you will love copycat Chipotle fresh salsa
- Vibrant, zesty, and mildly spicy (but not overpowering)
- A versatile condiment that instantly brightens up any dish
- Ready in 10 minutes with a handful of ingredients
- Customizable to suit your taste
🍅What you will need
- Tomatoes - Vine-ripened Roma tomatoes work best due to their vibrant flavor profile and low moisture content. Other great options include cherry, heirloom, or beefsteak tomatoes.
- Jalapeno - Remove the seeds for less heat. You can also omit for a spice-free salsa.
- Lime and lemon juice - Most recipes use one or the other, but I find the combo of both gives the most flavor. Feel free to just choose one.
- Maple syrup (optional) - This helps cut some of the sharpness from the tomatoes and lime/lemon juices.
- Cilantro - Can be omitted if you are not a fan.
💡Customize your salsa
Salsa is a highly forgiving dish, and you can customize it by adding preferred add-ins. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Fruits - Mango, pineapple, bell peppers
- Avocado chunks
- Sweet corn
- Other chopped herbs - Basil, mint, etc.
🔪How to make Chipotle fresh tomato salsa
Step 1: Finely chop tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.
Step 2: Add everything to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste, and your fresh tomato salsa is ready to be served!
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✅Helpful tips
- Use ripe, higher-quality tomatoes - they are the star ingredient here and will greatly impact the overall flavor of this condiment.
- Chop ingredients finely - This allows flavors to penetrate more deeply, yielding a more flavorful salsa. Or, you can chop your veggies in a food processor to the desired chunkiness.
- Fixing watery salsa - Strain in a colander. You will need to add more lime or lemon juice and salt to restore some of the lost flavors.
- Let salsa sit - Refrigerating this fresh tomato salsa for at least 10-15 minutes before serving allows the flavors to better develop.
🌯How to serve
Looking for ways to use your freshly made salsa? Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Condiment - For tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls. I especially love adding it to my TVP tacos or tempeh tacos.
- Homemade bruschetta - Brush on some olive oil, then toast your baguette until crispy. Top with salsa before serving.
- Add it to cooking - Stir some into curry tofu scramble, silken tofu scramble, chili, or taco pasta.
❄️Storing leftovers
Salsa will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Note that the longer the salsa sits, the waterier it gets.
Freezing pico de gallo is not recommended, as tomatoes will release their juices upon thawing, resulting in soggy salsa.
🍽More vegan dips and sauces
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📖 Recipe
Copycat Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatoes cored and finely diced *
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers **
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped ***
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup ( optional )
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Simply combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Give it a taste and add more seasonings, if needed.
- Serve immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to really let the flavors develop !
Notes
- Chop ingredients finely - This allows flavors to penetrate more deeply, yielding a more flavorful salsa. Or, you can chop your veggies in a food processor to the desired chunkiness.
- Fixing watery salsa - Strain in a colander. You will need to add more lime or lemon juice and salt to restore some of the lost flavors.
- Let salsa sit - Refrigerating this fresh tomato salsa for at least 10-15 minutes before serving allows the flavors to better develop.
- Storing leftovers - Leftover fresh tomato salsa can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Note that the longer salsa sits, the waterier it will get.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Debra says
Quick, easy, healthy....love it!