5-Ingredient Mexican Salsa Fresca Recipe
A Mexican Salsa Fresca Recipe that requires only 5 traditional ingredients for the best homemade salsa fresca recipe ever. Pair it with chips, tacos, omelets and more!
I love me a good salsa recipe, don’t you? Pair it with homemade tortilla chips or your favorite tacos and it makes the perfect appetizer or snack that’s packed with fresh produce.
Easy to make in just minutes, it’s an authentic Pico de Gallo featuring all the colors of the Mexican flag. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, especially when paired with my Blueberry Lemonade Margarita.
Salsa Fresca Ingredients
- Roma Tomato – choose the ripest tomatoes you can find as juicy tomatoes are the star of the show here. I use classic Roma tomatoes, but you can use tomatoes on the vine, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes and make it work.
- Jalapeño – choose fresh chiles that are bright green with no blemishes or bruises. If you don’t have jalapeño, any green chiles will work, even serrano peppers. Seed the peppers to remove some of the heat, or leave some in if you’re a hot salsa lover like I am.
- Cilantro – the best part of the salsa that gives it an authentic Mexican flavor. You could substitute with fresh parsley, but it won’t be the same.
- White Onion – I use a white onion for the recipe but green onions also work or any onion you have on hand.
- Lime Juice – fresh lime juice is always best for this salsa Mexicana, but you can also use bottled lime juice.
- Salt and Garlic (optional) – the recipe tastes great without salt and garlic, but feel free to add sea salt to taste and 2 cloves of minced garlic to make it more like Salsa Cruda.
Find complete ingredient measurements in the recipe card below!
How to Make Easy Salsa Fresca
Step 1: Chop onion, tomato, jalapeño and cilantro and add it to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Toss Mexican Salsa Fresca recipe with lime juice and chill for 30 minutes to a couple hours prior to serving. Enjoy with some crunchy tortilla chips.
Variations
- Add some black beans and minced garlic cloves for added nutrition and Tex-Mex flavor and to make it more like Salsa Cruda.
- Add some diced grilled peaches, corn and avocado to change it up a bit. Just know it won’t be considered classic salsa fresca, but does that really matter where flavor is concerned? I think not!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best tomato for Mexican salsa fresca (pico de gallo) is the Roma tomato (also called plum tomato). Roma tomatoes are ideal because they contain less moisture so your salsa won’t be runny. They also have firm flesh that holds up well to fine chopping and a mild acidity and sweetness that complements the other fresh ingredients.
For authentic Mexican salsa fresca you should use white onion as it has a sharper, cleaner flavor with a crisp texture that adds a nice crunch. It’s also less sweet than red onion which keeps the salsa more savory and fresh tasting.
Yes, salsa fresca is super healthy as it’s whole food plant based, meaning there are no processed food or oils added to it.
Technically, you can, but it’s not recommended. When defrosting after freezing, the flavor and texture suffer and it causes the liquid and the soft solids to separate.
Storage and Freezing?
Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to stir before serving as the liquid may separate.
As mentioned above, freezing is not recommended.
What to Serve with Salsa Fresca
- JUST Egg Frittata
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
- Jackfruit Tinga Tacos
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
- Spicy Jackfruit Tacos
- Rice Cooker Cilantro Lime Rice
Have you tried this? Why not leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and sign up for my newsletter!
Mexican Salsa Fresca Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 med tomatoes chopped
- 1 med onion chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped (leave some seeds in for more heat)
- 1 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- sea salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash, dry, and prep tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Use a paper towel to pat dry the cilantro. Dice all to about roughly the same size pieces and add to a medium bowl.
- Toss Mexican Salsa Fresca recipe with lime juice and chill for 30 minutes to a couple hours prior to serving. Enjoy with some crunchy tortilla chips. or on your favorite tacos.
Notes
- The best tomato for Mexican salsa fresca (pico de gallo) is the Roma tomato (also called plum tomato). Roma tomatoes are ideal because they contain less moisture so your salsa won’t be runny. They also have firm flesh that holds up well to fine chopping and a mild acidity and sweetness that complements the other fresh ingredients.
- For authentic Mexican salsa fresca you should use white onion as it has a sharper, cleaner flavor with a crisp texture that adds a nice crunch. It’s also less sweet than red onion which keeps the salsa more savory and fresh tasting.
- Salsa fresca is super healthy as it’s whole food plant based, meaning there are no processed food or oils added to it.
- Technically, you can freeze this recipe, but it’s not recommended. When defrosting after freezing, the flavor and texture suffer and it causes the liquid and the soft solids to separate.
