13 Fresh Salsa Recipes for Taco Tuesday & Beyond
What's a party or get-together without a bowl of chips and salsa? And can you even have Taco Tuesday without salsa?
With summer right around the corner, you'll have your pick of the best local tomatoes, onions, and fruit to use as the base for your salsa. And if you're missing an ingredient or two, no worries! Salsa is one of those foods that can be easily customized with almost anything you've got on hand.
So whether you're gearing up for your next taco Tuesday, want some inspiration for Cinco de Mayo, or consider chips and salsa its own food group, here are some of our favorite fresh salsa recipes.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Roasted Tomato Salsa
This salsa has a nice smokey flavor, thanks to the addition of smoked paprika and a dash of cumin.
This recipe also has directions on how to make your own healthier baked tortilla chips at home!
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes, halved
3 large jalapeños
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion, cut in 8 wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Directions
Position the top oven rack 6 inches below the broiler, and turn broiler on to high.
Place vegetables on a large sheet pan with a rim and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to coat, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Broil for 5 minutes, remove pan from the broiler.
Turn the vegetables over, and return to broil for about 5 minutes longer. When vegetables are blackened and soft, transfer the pan to a cooling rack.
Once vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove stems and seeds from the jalapeños, and place the peppers in a food processor bowl.
Add remaining vegetables and juices from the pan, and puree coarsely.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cumin, a half-teaspoon smoked paprika, lime juice and cilantro.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Cantaloupe Salsa
Sweet, juicy cantaloupe and crunchy, refreshing cucumber come together to create a seasonal salsa perfect for summer.
Ingredients
4 cups diced cantaloupe
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large lime, zest and juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to mix, and taste for balance. Add sugar to taste if the cantaloupe is very tart or bland. Store, tightly covered, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Cucumber Salsa with Feta
Here's an nontraditional take on salsa that incorporates a little bit of feta cheese into the mix.
Serve these alongside some pita chips, or on top of grilled chicken.
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 ounces feta cheese crumbles
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine cucumbers, onions, and lemon zest.
Add mint, basil, cilantro, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using) and mix well.
Add feta and toss gently. Season to taste. Let sit half an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Fresh Guacamole
While guacamole isn't really salsa, it's definitely worth adding to the list! Plus, what's taco Tuesday without a little guac, too!
Ingredients
3 Haas avocados, ripe
1/4 cup diced fresh tomato (seeded)
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (one clove)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (half a lime)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
Directions
Slice the avocadoes lengthwise, remove the pits and scoop the green flesh (discard any brown flesh) into a bowl.
Use a fork to mash the avocado pulp to a chunky texture.
Add the lime juice, garlic, onion, and spices and mix well. Add the tomatoes and cilantro, mix and serve.
Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op
Fresh Tomato Salsa
You just can't do taco night without a scoop of fresh salsa on top.
This is a simple, traditional fresh tomato salsa recipe bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
If you want to add a little more heat, consider sprinkling in a bit of cayenne pepper.
Roasted Tomato-Chipotle Salsa
If you're looking for a smokey salsa to add to the top of enchiladas or chicken tacos, this recipe from Martha Stewart incorporates chipotle in adobo sauce with roasted tomatoes for a rich, flavorful salsa.
If you want more spice, some fresh or canned jalapeños chopped into the mix would do the trick!
Mango-Tomato Salsa
Sweet, ripe mangoes paired with zesty lime and spicy serrano chile make this a well-rounded salsa for a variety of different tacos.
Sprinkle a bit of tajin on top of this salsa for an extra punch of spice.
Tomato & Avocado Salsa
Get the best of both worlds with this tomato avocado salsa that features only fresh ingredients.
It's easy to make and is sure to be a hit alongside tacos or just a big bowl of tortilla chips.
Grilled Serrano Salsa Verde
Simmer some chicken in a big batch of this grilled serrano salsa verde and you'll have a tasty main dish for your next taco night.
Or, grill up some salmon filets and serve this salsa verde as a dip.
Fiery Green Tomato Salsa
If you're planning on growing some heirloom green tomatoes in your garden this year, here's a recipe to showcase their unique flavor.
Grilling the green tomatoes and jalapeño ahead of time releases their flavor for a more robust salsa.
Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
If you've never had fresh tomatillo salsa, you're in for a treat (especially if they're locally grown)!
While most salsa verde recipes have you cook the tomatillos down in some way, this recipe calls for them to be left raw, resulting in an especially refreshing salsa.
If you want less heat, add in some chopped cucumber.
Fresh Peach Salsa
Here's another recipe making use of one of the best fruits that Washington state has to offer: peaches!
Sweet, juicy peaches and bell peppers contrast well with spicy jalapeños and zesty limes for a well-rounded salsa.
Serve your peach salsa with some homemade tortilla chips or atop grilled chicken or fish.
Salsa Roja
This recipe from chef Tyler Florence utilizes a variety of different dried chiles to create a robust, flavorful salsa.
This salsa would work well as a marinade for grilled chicken tacos.
Bonus: How To Make Salsa Out Of Anything
Maybe you're looking at your pantry and fridge and are wondering how you can make salsa out of the various herbs and vegetable you have on hand. This article from Bon Appetit is a great resource for how to make salsa out of anything. If you try this out, let us know what ingredients you used and how it turned out!