Make your own Chipotle fresh tomato salsa at home with just 5 simple ingredients! It is vibrant, refreshing, and incredibly addictive to have. This super chunky & flavorful salsa is a great condiment for chips, burritos, tacos, and more!
There is just something addictive about the combination of tortilla chips and salsa. Especially homemade salsa made with fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes!
This 5 ingredients Chipotle fresh tomato salsa fit all the boxes for a good salsa. It is super duper easy to fix, and everything is ready in under 15 minutes. 😉
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Incredibly easy and quick to fix and ready in minutes
- A healthy low calorie condiment - only 15 calories per ¼ cup serving!
- Incredibly versatile and goes well with anything
- Highly customizable!
🍅What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Tomatoes - I highly recommend using high-quality, vine-ripen tomatoes. If possible, use tomatoes with lower water content, like Roma, plum, or beefsteak tomatoes.
- Cilantro - If you can't stand cilantro, simply omit it, or substitute it with parsley.
- Jalapeño peppers - If sensitive to heat, reduce the amount used and remove the seeds. Or, you can substitute it with green peppers instead. For a spicier version, use serrano peppers in place.
- Lime and lemon juice - Chipotle’s salsa uses a combination of both, but you could choose to use either one of them. Although bottled ones will work, I highly recommend using fresh juice as it makes a huge difference!
- Maple syrup - An optional ingredient, helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and lime and lemon juice.
🔪How to make
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 let the flavors develop!
✔Helpful tips
- Remove seeds and pulp of tomatoes to prevent watery salsa, as most of the water is stored in the seeds and pulp. This step is optional but highly recommended if you use tomatoes with higher water content.
- Use gloves while coring and chopping the jalapeno peppers if you have sensitive hands.
- If your salsa turns out to be more watery than your liking, strain it with a colander. You might have to add more lime/lemon juice and salt to bring back the flavors lost.
- If you have some extra time on hand, let the salsa sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
- Adjust the ratio of the ingredients to your liking! Add more lime/lemon juice for tanginess, salt for saltiness, maple syrup for sweetness, and jalapenos for spiciness.
- Leftover salsa will last in the fridge for up to 3 days but bear in mind that it will turn more watery the longer it sits.
🌯How to serve
Wondering what you can do with this Chipotle fresh tomato salsa other than dipping chips in it? Here are some ideas-
- Toppings - Use it to top your burrito or tacos, like these TVP tacos or tempeh taco meat.
- Condiment - Salsa is a must-have condiment for burrito bowls. You could even add them to salad bowls or buddha bowls as a fun condiment.
- Bread - Use it to top some freshly toasted baguette, and you will have yourself some homemade bruschetta! Or, level up your avocado toast game by topping it with some of this amazing salsa.
- Salads - I love using it to add extra flavors and texture to my chopped salads and this protein pasta salad.
- In cooking - you can make some delicious vegan taco pasta with it, or add it to this curry tofu scramble.
❔Commonly asked questions
Store-bought and restaurant-made salsa are often vegan as they are usually made from only tomatoes, chili peppers, spices, and seasonings. It is still recommended to turn and read the label just in case!
If you use tomatoes that contain high water content, like heirloom tomatoes, and did not core it beforehand, your salsa will most likely turn out watery. Salsa will also get soupier the longer it sits in the fridge as the tomatoes break down.
Simply strain it with a sieve sitting over a bowl to fix watery salsa. You can then add back the liquid until desired consistency is achieved. You might have to add more salt and lime/lemon juice to add back the flavors lost.
Some of the best varieties of tomatoes to use in this fresh tomato salsa are Roma, beefsteak, and plum tomatoes, as they are meatier and have lower water content. Cherry tomatoes are also another great option.
🍽More vegan dips and sauces
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📖 Recipe
Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa (Copycat)
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
- Remove seeds and pulp of tomatoes to prevent watery salsa, as most of the water is stored in the seeds and pulp. This step is optional but highly recommended if you use tomatoes with higher water content.
- Use gloves while coring and chopping the jalapeno peppers if you have sensitive hands.
- If your salsa turns out to be more watery than your liking, strain it with a colander. You might have to add more lime/lemon juice and salt to bring back the flavors lost.
- If you have some extra time on hand, let the salsa sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
- Adjust the ratio of the ingredients to your liking! Add more lime/lemon juice for tanginess, salt for saltiness, maple syrup for sweetness, and jalapenos for spiciness.
- Leftover salsa will last in the fridge for up to 3 days but bear in mind that it will turn more watery the longer it sits.
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.
Amanda Marie Boyle
Love it! So simple! It's easily my favorite tomato salsa!
meesha
Happy to heat that it turns out well !
Magali
I would have never thought to add cumin to my salsa. I would try this recipe . interesting
meesha
Yas ! Do give it a try !
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This looks incredibly delicious. Yum!
meesha
Many thanks !
kerri
we are HUGE salsa fans! i made this for my parents today since we haven't seen them in forever and everyone gobbled this right up!
meesha
Happy to hear that !
Sarah James
Homemade salsa is so much better for you and tastier. I like how you add maple syrup to counteract the acidity in the tomatoes. thanks for sharing.
meesha
Its my pleasure ! Enjoy !
Chef Dennis
I am really a fan of salsas! This Fresh Tomatoes Blender Salsa looks really yummy
meesha
Thanks !
michele h peterson
Many thanks for the tip on fixing watery salsa - that happens to me so often!
meesha
Glad you find that helpful !
Rachael
I love how quickly this comes together! Perfect for over-abundant backyard tomatoes.
Amy
This was delicious! Love the addition of maple syrup!
meesha
Thank you !
Swathi
Fresh tomatoes blender salsa looks delicious my favorite version.
meesha
Many thanks !
Emily Flint
Delicious!! I love to try new homemade salsa recipes and this one was so easy to make and disappeared in no time! I will definitely be making this again.
meesha
Glad you like it !
Kay
Perfect dip for when I have my girls over for a catch up!
Tayo Oredola
This came out so perfect! Thanks for sharing.
admin2
Glad you like it !
meesha
Yay! Glad to hear that !
Taleen | Just As Tasty
This looks so delicious! I love making homemade salsa. My husband is allergic to garlic so it's just easier for me to make my own to ensure he can have it. Excited to try your recipe (without the garlic) - thanks!
meesha
Its my pleasure ! Enjoy !
Estelle Forrest
Love when recipes are so simple and this sounds delicious!