Why you’ll love this chipotle salsa
This chipotle salsa is quick and easy because it uses canned diced tomatoes and other ingredients you normally have in your pantry.Since we started making this chipotle salsa recipe, we basically always have a batch of it in our fridge.
It’s also a great alternative to queso or guacamole dip if you’re looking for something healthier or dairy free. It’d be a great side for your favorite taco recipe or some chilaquiles.
The best part about this salsa is that it tastes just like the restaurant salsa you love, but I’ve added some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to give it a slight-unique, smoky flavor. I’d always been a huge chips-and-salsa fan, but I struggled with enjoying it at home because I didn’t really love the “cooked” flavor of preserved (store-bought) salsas. There were a few that I liked, but I just didn’t love them.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this vegan queso, and this roasted chili corn salsa and this roasted tomatillo salsa.
Searching for more dairy free dips? dairy free chili con queso dip / healthy buffalo chicken dip / French onion dip / fried pickle dip
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Chipotle peppers – If you don’t love that smoky chipotle flavor, you can easily swap the out for regular jalapeños, but I urge you to at least give the chipotles a try first.
- Tomatoes – You want to drain some of the water from your tomatoes. I don’t like my salsa to be super chunky, but I also do want it to be runny. Draining off the juices allows the salsa to be a little more substantial, and prevents the flavor from getting “watered-down”.
- Coarse salt – I know we’re all scared of salt, but if you don’t have the right amount in your salsa, it will just taste like a water-down tomato mess. Salt brings out the flavors in the salsa. I suggest adding half of the salt, and adding more until you’re happy with the flavor.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make this chipotle salsa
Pulse. Add the onion and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. You really don’t want your huge chunks of the more potent ingredients, so I suggest pulsing them a bit before adding the rest of your ingredients. It will give you a more consistent texture for your salsa. Then add remaining ingredients and continue to process until salsa has reached the consistency you like.
Season and serve. Adjust seasoning and transfer to an airtight container or a serving bowl. We usually keep ours in the fridge for up to a week. After that, it tends to lose it’s flavor. But, honestly, we’re lucky if a batch lasts more than two days in our house.
Ingredients
- 1 small sweet onion - cut into chunks (or 1/2 large)
- 3 garlic cloves - minced (about 1/2 tablespoon)
- 1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 10- ounce can petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 large handfuls fresh cilantro - about 1/2 bunch
- 2 chipotle peppers - from a can in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Pulse the onion and garlic a few times in a food processor or blender.
- Add remaining ingredients and continue pulsing until you’ve reached your desired texture.
- Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Transfer salsa to mason jars, or container of choice, and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
