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.
Easy and delicious. It received a thumbs up from my salsa picky husband.
I did cut back the chipotle by 1 as mine were so big.
Definitely a keeper recipe.
Thanks
Hi Gaby! How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Hello, do you know approximately how many ounces of salsa this makes?
It makes about 2 cups!
I LOVE this salsa, now my go-to, not just for the ease of making it but the flavor is AMAZING!
Usually one chipotle pepper is perfect with enough heat but tolerable for the more sensitive tastebuds. I keep the jalapeños and 1/2 cut limes in the freezer so as long as we have cilantro we are good to go!
I’ve made this twice now and it is delicious! It is pretty hot for me, so I need to slightly adjust the heat, either with the adobo chilis or the jalapeño. The recipe is super quick and easy and SO MUCH BETTER than jarred salsa. YUM!!!! Thank you, Gaby!
Love this recipe! So easy to throw together and a crowd pleaser! I found it just in time for football season. Love the smoky flavor.
this is SO good, and easy. i didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes but had a can of tom/green chiles and added some fresh tomatoes that i charred. This is seriously a keeper especially during winter months when you can’t make fresh! YUM!!
So excited to try this! One question - do you need to remove the seeds from the chipotle peppers, or can you toss them in as is?
I toss them in!
So flipping good! Husband said it was a bit too much cilantro, so I'm going to use half next time, but other than that it was a hit! The spice is noticeably there from the chipotle and adobo, but it's not TOO much spice. 🙂
Are you kidding me?! This is sooo good and easy! Smoky, spicy, perfect. I think my jalapeño was extra spicy because I only used 1/4 of it and it was pretty hot. So next time I might try less or omit altogether. Love this salsa!
Chipotle and adobo are pretty spicy, so that's probably the heat you were feeling.
This salsa is fantastic! The flavors are still robust after a few days. Love that the ingredients are staples we'd normally have on hand so we can whip up a batch at any time.
OMG, this is so DELICIOUS!!! And was super easy to make, it's going to be my go to recipe. I have quite a few adobe chili's left from and I was wondering if this freezes well? I'd love to make a huge batch this weekend and freeze in individual containers. Thanks so much!
Cilantro leaves or cilantro with stems?
no stems
This truly is the best salsa ever! During the summer I made it about once a week! My family devours it so fast! I did a major stock up on fire roasted tomatoes and chipotle chilies. Super simple and super delicious! Great recipe!