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Easy 5-Minute Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe

Easy 5-Minute Fresh Tomato Salsa

A fresh pico de gallo-style salsa made with ripe tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and is best served fresh.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 medium tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds Medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1/2 small onion, about 1/2 cup Small white or red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno Fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons Fresh lime juice
Seasonings
  • 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste Kosher salt
Optional Seasonings
  • 1 small clove Small garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground black pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Core and finely dice the tomatoes. If they are especially juicy, drain off some excess liquid before adding them to a mixing bowl.
  2. Finely dice the onion and jalapeno, chop the cilantro, and mince the garlic if using. Leave some jalapeno seeds in place if you prefer a hotter salsa.
  3. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt, and optional garlic to the bowl. Add the optional black pepper as well.
  4. Stir gently until the ingredients are evenly mixed, taking care not to crush the tomatoes.
  5. Taste the salsa and adjust the lime juice, salt, or jalapeno according to your preference.
  6. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, or let the salsa stand for 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to blend.

Notes

Use ripe, firm tomatoes and dice the ingredients to a similar size for the best texture. Roma tomatoes contain less liquid and are especially useful for a thicker salsa. For less watery salsa, drain the diced tomatoes before mixing and add the salt shortly before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 1–2 days; the tomatoes will release more liquid over time.