We received dozens of recipes for red and green salsas, canned salsas, fresh garden salsas, nutty salsas, fruit salsas and spicy salsas that just about burned our tongues off! We taste tested some of our favorite recipes and shared them with you, and selected three winners in the categories for best fruit salsa, best traditional salsa and best overall. 

Best Overall Salsa

This salsa had the best of both worlds—a bold spice with mild sweetness!

 Strawberry Salsa by Lisa Meyer

• 1 cup strawberries, diced

• ¼ cup red onion, diced

• 1 Tbsp jalapeños, deseeded and finely diced

• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

• Lime juice to taste

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Combine ingredients and mix. Great on salmon!

 

Best Traditional Salsa

• 6 medium ripe tomatoes

• 3 cloves of garlic

• ½ bunch of cilantro (leaves only)

• 2 green jalapeños

• 2 yellow jalapeños (use green jalapeños if you can’t find yellow)

• ½ medium onion

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp coarse black pepper

Directions: Pulse tomatoes in food processor then place in a bowl. Pulse cilantro and jalapeños in food processor and add to bowl. Lastly, pulse onion and garlic then mix into bowl with all other ingredients. Add salt to taste.

Best Fruit Salsa

Peach Salsa by Bettie Bruton

• 3 cups ripe peaches, cubed and peeled

• 1 cup green onions, chopped

• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice

• 3 Tbsp finely jalapeño, seeded and chopped

• 1 tsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

Directions: Combine all ingredients in bowl. Toss well. Cover. Chill.

Salsa by Kathy Martin

• 2 large tomatoes, chopped

• 5 green onions, chopped

• 1 small can green chiles, chopped

• 1 small can black olives, sliced

• 14 cilantro leaves, chopped

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• ½ tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt

• ½ tsp garlic salt and pepper

Directions: Combine ingredients and let sit for 2 hours or more.

Rita's Gourmet Salsa by Mark Weingartner

• 6 medium ripe tomatoes, diced 

• 2 jalapeños, chopped 

• 1 poblano pepper, chopped

• Chopped green onions to taste

• 1 can Rotel tomatoes

• 1 cup cilantro, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, diced

• 1 lime, squeezed

• 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder

Directions: Mix the following ingredients for a tasty and refreshing salsa!

Li’s deLIcious salsa by Li Johansen

• 80 oz tomatoes, chopped, peeled and drained

• 3 cups onions, chopped

• 7-10 garlic cloves, minced

• 1¾ cup green pepper, chopped

• 5 jalapeños, diced, deseeded and membranes removed (leave some for heat)

• 2½ tsp cumin

• 2½ tsp ground black pepper

• 2½ Tbsp fine/pickling salt

• 1/3 cup cilantro (fresh or dried)

• 1/4-1/3 cup sugar

• 1¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 16 oz tomato sauce

• 12 oz tomato paste

Directions: Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Follow canning instructions. I used inversion method and refrigerated after cooled.

Summer Nutty Salsa by Kirklyn Viselli 

 

• 1 large can chopped stewed tomatoes

• 1 small can of tomato sauce

• ½ cup peanuts, smashed

• ½ cup of red onions, diced

• ¼ cup cilantro

• ½ cup black olives, diced

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp lime juice

• ½ tsp cumin

• 1 cup of tiny jalapeño, diced

Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix in a large bowl. Divide into a smaller bowl and serve with chips.

Southwest Salsa by Marion Pace

• 1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes

• 1 fresh tomato, chopped

• ½ bunch green onions, chopped

• 1 small can green chilies, diced

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp white sugar

• 4 garlic cloves (fresh), chopped

Directions: Place 1/2 of above mixture in blender for a brief spin. Add remaining ingredients to blender. Stir together. Place in refrigerator in covered container. Stores up to two weeks.

Pepper Salsa by Richard Melgosa

• 5 roasted hatch chiles without the skin

• 2 garlic cloves

• ½ tsp dry oregano

• ¼ tsp ground cumin

• 1 to 1½ cups cool water

Directions: Place all ingredients into a blender then mix until well blended. It’s yummy on a burger!

Check out some bonus recipes that we liked but didn’t try:

Simple Smooth Salsa by Dee Mickelson

• 4 fresh quartered tomatoes or 1 15 oz can of tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 finely diced garlic clove

• Scant ¼ teaspoon of sugar

• 2 teaspoons light vegetable oil

Directions: In a blender or food processor combine the tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, onion and sugar. Blend until smooth. Put vegetable oil and the blended salsa in a saucepan and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes until desired thickness. 

Easy to adjust with more garlic or adding cilantro to taste

Watermelon Pico de Gallo by Robyn Tyboroski

• 1 1/2 cups diced watermelon

• 1/2 cup diced jicama

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/4 cup diced honeydew melon

• 1/4 cup diced cantaloupe

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper ,seeded and finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions: In a large bowl, gently toss all the ingredients to combine. (try not to break the watermelon pieces) Make sure the ingredients (other than cilantro, onions and jalapeno pepper) are cut into 1/4 inch cubes so the flavors mix really well.

Salsa by Cary Katalin

• 7 Roma Tomatoes sliced in half

• 1 white onion, quartered

• 2 jalapenos

• 1/2 clove of garlic

• Olive Oil

• Juice from 2 limes

• Cilantro to taste

• Salt to taste

Directions: Put the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños on cookie sheet and place in oven with broiler on high for about 20 min, or until tops of tomatoes are charred. With 5 minutes left put garlic in with the tomatoes and onions. Drizzle a little olive oil on garlic.

Take items out of the oven and directly to a food processor. Place all items into food processor along with lime juice, cilantro and salt.

Blend everything together for 1 minute and then serve hot! This is my favorite salsa! Sometimes I’ll put a little Mexican oregano in too! 

Best Ever Salsa by Patti Hopkins

• 3 C. vegetable oil
  
• 1-1/2 C. white vinegar
• 4 tsp. cumin
• Lots of parsley
• 4 large tomatoes
• 1 large white onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 cucumbers
• 2 green peppers
• 10 jalapeño peppers, seeded
• 4 stalks celery

Directions: In a large bowl stir together vegetable oil, white vinegar, cumin and parsley. Chop remaining ingredients and add to mixture. Let marinate. Enjoy with tortilla chips!

Sassy Salsa by RD

• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes pulsed in blender - don’t liquify
• 1/2 white onion, sliced thin and diced small
• 2 jalapeños sliced thin and diced small
• 1/2 to 3/4 bunch chopped cilantro
• 3 tomatillos liquified in blender
• 6 drops lemon juice
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt or for individual taste

Clean the 3 tomatillos sliced in quarters, place in blender with juice from can of diced tomatoes then liquify. Add remaining of diced tomatoes and give a spin/pulse.
Place in bowl and add lemon juice, spices, diced jalapeños and onion
Stir well, let set for 1/2 to 1 hour.