If there is one thing I believe every kitchen needs at all times, it is a bold, smoky salsa that can pull double duty on just about everything. This Homemade Chipotle Salsa is exactly that. Blended up in minutes and packed with deep, roasted chipotle flavor, it is the kind of recipe that makes your whole week easier. Spoon it over Chipotle Flank Steak with Corn Salsa for a seriously epic dinner, stuff it into Easy Homemade Breakfast Burritos to kick off your morning with some heat, or serve it alongside Tomatillo Avocado Salsa for a salsa spread that will absolutely steal the show at any gathering.
Quick and Easy Homemade Chipotle Salsa at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 5 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 8
- 🍅 Cuisine Type: Mexican-Inspired / Southwestern
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bold, smoky, and spicy with fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo, cilantro, and fresh lime.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Made without meat or dairy. Can be vegan and gluten-free when using suitable packaged ingredients, including chipotles in adobo.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate promptly in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A smoky homemade salsa made in minutes with a blender or food processor. No complicated prep, and it's delicious with chips, tacos, burritos, eggs, and grilled meats.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This is a safe place, right? Somewhere I can admit that I'm a bit of a salsa snob? I really can't be blamed for this, though. Growing up in Tucson basically made me this way. Salsa was everywhere, and I sampled just about everything Arizona had to offer. I've kept up my salsa-eating habits since moving to California, and I don't intend to give them up anytime soon, which is exactly why you need this Homemade Chipotle Salsa in your life immediately.
I want salsa that packs some serious flavor. Nothing too mellow. A little spice. Plenty of depth. Fire-roasted tomatoes? Absolutely. Cilantro is a must. Garlic and onions, obviously. And chipotle peppers in adobo sauce bring that smoky heat that takes the whole thing over the top. This salsa puts pretty much every store-bought version to shame!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Substitutions & Swaps
🍅 Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- Regular Canned Tomatoes - An easy pantry substitute. The salsa will have a little less smoky flavor.
- Fresh Roma Tomatoes - Broil until lightly charred, then cool before blending for a similar roasted flavor.
🌶️ Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
- Chipotle Powder - Start with a small amount and add more to taste. You'll get smoky heat without the additional moisture and tang of adobo sauce.
- Smoked Paprika and Cayenne - Combine a little smoked paprika with a pinch of cayenne for an alternative smoky, spicy flavor. Adjust to taste.
🧅 Yellow Onion
- White Onion - A slightly sharper alternative that works beautifully in blended salsa.
- Red Onion - Adds a different onion flavor and a little sweetness. Use the same amount and adjust to taste.
🌿 Cilantro
- Flat-Leaf Parsley - A fresh, herbal alternative for anyone who doesn't enjoy cilantro.
- Omit It - The salsa will still have plenty of smoky flavor from the tomatoes and chipotle peppers.
🍋 Lime Juice
- Fresh Lemon Juice - Adds brightness with a slightly different citrus flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Use a small splash as an alternative source of acidity, adding more only as needed.
How to Make Homemade Chipotle Salsa
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in the food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until everything is evenly blended.
Step 2: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add more chipotle peppers if you like it extra spicy.
Remove from the food processor or blender and refrigerate.
🌶️🍅 Tips & Tricks for the Best Homemade Chipotle Salsa
A few simple tricks will help you get the smoky flavor, heat, and consistency just right.
- Skip the knife work. Since everything goes into the blender or food processor, there's no need to chop the onion or jalapeño finely. Just cut them into a few large chunks, remove the jalapeño stem, and let the blender do the rest. For less heat, remove the jalapeño seeds and white membranes before blending.
- Use fire-roasted tomatoes. They bring a deeper, roasted flavor that works beautifully with the smoky chipotle peppers.
- Start with less chipotle for milder salsa. Chipotle peppers in adobo can be spicy, so adjust the amount to suit your preference.
- Pulse to control the texture. Use short pulses for a slightly chunky salsa or blend longer for a smoother consistency.
- Check the consistency before serving. If the salsa is thicker than you like, add a small splash of water and pulse again.
- Taste before adding more salt. The tomatoes and chipotles in adobo may already contain salt, so season after blending.
- Adjust the acidity to taste. A little extra fresh lime juice can brighten the smoky flavors.
- Chill if you have time. The salsa can be served immediately, but a little time in the refrigerator lets the flavors come together.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Keep the salsa in an airtight container for up to 5 days and stir before serving.
Quick and Easy Homemade Chipotle Salsa FAQs
How spicy is homemade chipotle salsa?
Chipotle peppers in adobo give this salsa smoky heat. The spice level depends on how many peppers you use, so start with less for a milder salsa and add more after tasting.
Can I use regular canned tomatoes instead of fire-roasted tomatoes?
Yes. Regular canned tomatoes work, although the salsa will have a less pronounced roasted flavor. You can also use fresh tomatoes that have been broiled until lightly charred.
Can I make chipotle salsa without a high-powered blender?
Yes. A standard blender or food processor works well. Pulse until the ingredients are evenly blended, stopping sooner for a chunkier texture or blending longer for a smoother salsa.
How long does homemade chipotle salsa last?
Refrigerate the salsa promptly in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before serving, and discard it if you notice signs of spoilage.
What can I serve with homemade chipotle salsa?
Serve it with tortilla chips, tacos, burritos, eggs, grilled chicken, steak, or fish. It's also delicious spooned over burrito bowls and other Mexican-inspired dishes.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Homemade Chipotle Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes 14 oz
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ jalapeño chopped
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until everything is evenly blended.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add more chipotle peppers if you like it extra spicy.
- Remove from the food processor or blender and refrigerate.
Notes
- Skip the knife work. Since everything goes into the blender or food processor, there's no need to chop the onion or jalapeño finely. Just cut them into a few large chunks, remove the jalapeño stem, and let the blender do the rest. For less heat, remove the jalapeño seeds and white membranes before blending.
- Use fire-roasted tomatoes. They bring a deeper, roasted flavor that works beautifully with the smoky chipotle peppers.
- Start with less chipotle for milder salsa. Chipotle peppers in adobo can be spicy, so adjust the amount to suit your preference.
- Pulse to control the texture. Use short pulses for a slightly chunky salsa or blend longer for a smoother consistency.
- Check the consistency before serving. If the salsa is thicker than you like, add a small splash of water and pulse again.
- Taste before adding more salt. The tomatoes and chipotles in adobo may already contain salt, so season after blending.
- Adjust the acidity to taste. A little extra fresh lime juice can brighten the smoky flavors.
- Chill if you have time. The salsa can be served immediately, but a little time in the refrigerator lets the flavors come together.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Keep the salsa in an airtight container for up to 5 days and stir before serving.
Excellent!! I doubled the chipotle peppers and sauce simply because I didn’t want to waste them. It’s a little spicy, which I love!
10/10. Was v skeptical when I saw how easy this was and how it used canned tomatoes. But then looked at who made the recipe, and obviously put faith in it. This was great. Highly recommend doubling if you pour salsa over everything like I do. In a pinch, I used one can of fire roasted rotel in place of 1 fire roasted tomato because that’s I had and it worked well. This will 100% be snarfed ALL DOUBLE BATCH OF IT tonight at Cinco de Mayo. Thank you!
This is pure awesomeness! My daughter made it first and everyone sharing our Mexican dinner was totally wowed! We used a second batch for a layered Mexican dip that was gobbled up in 20 minutes. I just made it myself and since I already ate half of it - just to make sure it was perfect - I suppose I'll just have to make some to share as well. There are lots of salsa recipes floating around, but this hits just the right balance of all the classic salsa ingredients. Thank you, Gaby!
Did this recipe used to have about 1 cup of halved grape tomatoes? I want to recreate what I made before...I loved it!
it did!
Thank you for responding so quickly. I made it today with the added 1 cup of halved grape tomatoes. Also drained the fire roasted tomatoes just a bit. It's as delicious as I remember it being.
In your book, eat what you want, you say one 28-oz can of fire roasted tomatoes, with all the rest the same measurements as this recipe. Please tell me which it is - 14 oz or 28? Thanks.
either works
Gaby!!!!! This salsa is, as you would say..."EVERYTHING!" (Promptly proceeds to make it every day for the rest of her life). xx
YES DEB!!!! XX
I am also a salsa snob, and since Chevy's went out of business here in Phoenix, there's no one that makes that chipotle salsa, that's so dark and rich and....awesome! BUT! Gaby's recipe for this chipotle salsa is excellent. Made in a few minutes, easy easy. One time i used too many cherry tomatoes and it wasn't good, so be careful not to just dump some in. Measure.
Thanks!
Carol B
OMG SO HAPPY
Best salsa EVER!!!! Definitely my new favorite. I will be making this time and time again:)
Best. Salsa. Ever. This never lasts long in my house.
I definitely make this weekly and keep it in my fridge! It’s my absolute favorite salsa recipe!!!
PERFECTION!!!
THANK YOU GABY!!
Was wondering if this recipe is safe for canning? Has to be a certain acidity level apparently.
I made this salsa for my work 5 de Mayo homemade salsa contest and I won 1st place. I have been participating each year and this is the first time I win. I wanted to give you credit but I’m keeping the $50 .
bahahahaha LOVE IT!!
I have a printed version of this recipe that has a pint of cherry tomatoes listed in the ingredients, but this one doesn't have the fresh tomatoes. This one also has a yellow onion listed instead of a white onion. I'm curious about what prompted the recipe change?
Brainwave! I made something super similar before looking this up... I even used fire roasted tomatoes! It could easily take two chipotles as you did, my main difference was that I only used one (and I used cilantro paste). Do you think the cilantro gets in the way of the chipotle and lime flavors? I normally love cilantro but I’m second guessing the recipe. I like the bold flavor of chipotle and wonder if I should ditch the cilantro next time.