This authentic Mexican salsa is from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! I’m here in my Mexican kitchen sharing the best salsa recipe made tableside at a restaurant in this beautiful coastal town.
Normally I’d reach for Grandma’s molcajete for homemade salsa, but today I’m using a mortar and pestle. You can also use a bowl, cutting board, knife and fork. Assemble this easy recipe in 15 minutes!
PIN AUTHENTIC MEXICAN SALSA TO MAKE IT LATER!
MEXICAN SALSA INGREDIENTS
These are the ingredients you’ll need for this fresh salsa recipe:
- Roma tomatoes
- Serrano peppers
- Cloves of garlic
- Sea salt
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Optional garnish: panela cheese
MEXICAN APPETIZERS TO MAKE ASAP:
Get your taste buds ready for SPICY GRILLED LIME SHRIMP! These CARNE ASADA FRIES are crazy good! Tasty WONTON TACO CUPS are a festive favorite! It’s not a party without AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GUACAMOLE!
HOMEMADE SALSA
Here in Mexico we’re lucky enough to enjoy a whole variety of flavorful salsas. Most households have their own special set of salsa recipes. They’re usually passed down from generation to generation. Some families are willing to share their recipes with friends, while others hold them close to the chest. I hope this authentic Mexican salsa becomes one of your family’s favorites!
RECIPE PREP: Chop the cilantro. Set it aside.
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN SALSA
Continue following these easy steps for recipe prep:
- STEP 1: Chop/dice the red onion. Set it aside.
- STEP 2: Mince or press garlic cloves. Set it aside.
- STEP 3: On a gas stovetop, char and blister the skin of the tomatoes over medium heat. Fire roast them one by one: Place a tomato on the stovetop grate directly over the gas burner. Use a pair of stainless-steel tongs to turn or flip the tomato so all sides are charred evenly. As the skin blackens, it will split.
- STEP 4: Using the same method as with the tomatoes, char and blister the serrano chiles over an open flame.
HOW TO MAKE SALSA
Gather all ingredients together. From this point on, this salsa recipe comes together quickly!
BEST SALSA RECIPE
Here’s how to assemble authentic Mexican salsa:
- Add garlic and salt to a mortar. With a pestle, grind them into a paste.
- Cut off and discard the stem of the serrano chile. Add the chile to the bowl. Firmly press the pestle down and across the chile to scrape out and extract the fleshy interior. Lift out the skin and discard it.
- Grind the chile into the garlic/salt paste.
- Chop the charred tomatoes, leaving the skins on.
- Add the tomatoes to the bowl.
- Add red onion and cilantro to the bowl.
- Mix briefly to combine the ingredients.
- Adjust salt to taste.
- Optional garnish: Panela cheese is like icing on a cake! It’s that special touch that makes you smile with delight. It’s so darn delicious! Cut the cheese into small cubes.
- Garnish your authentic Mexican salsa with a sprinkling of cheese. It’s how it’s served and enjoyed here on the beach in Mexico!
EXPERT TIPS FOR AUTHENTIC MEXICAN SALSA
Fresh homemade salsa is so much better than store bought! Below are helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions about Mexican salsa:
-
- WHAT ARE THE BEST TOMATOES FOR SALSA? Roma tomatoes. These flavorful tomatoes have a nice firm texture. They’re very meaty with a low moisture content (less juicy/watery), and have fewer seeds than other varieties.
- NO GAS BURNER FOR FIRE ROASTING? NO PROBLEM! You can use your BBQ grill, or purchase individual cans of fire roasted tomatoes and peppers at the supermarket.
- DO YOU OWN A MOLCAJETE? Assemble and serve your Mexican salsa in the very same bowl.
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEXICAN SALSA? Most everyone’s a fan of traditional chips and salsa! For an easy appetizer, serve it with restaurant-style tortilla chips. As a condiment, serve it with tacos or barbecued meat. Use it as a beautiful garnish. Spoon it across chicken or fish. Enjoy it with BAJA FISH TACOS.
I WANT WHAT SHE HAS
Beautiful cooking tools bring so much happiness to the kitchen! They make meal prep a joyful experience. Did you see something on this page that you’d like to own? Below are affiliate links for purchasing the items on Amazon. I’ve also included a link for an authentic molcajete, just like the one I inherited from my Mexican grandmother.
- JOHN BOOS CUTTING BOARD
- WOOD AND MARBLE CRAFT MORTAR & PESTLE
- GARLIC PRESS
- MIXING BOWLS
- AUTHENTIC MEXICAN MOLCAJETE
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Did you enjoy this flavorful Mexican salsa? Rate the recipe in the comments below!
Authentic Mexican Salsa
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
Description
This authentic Mexican salsa is served and enjoyed in restaurants and homes in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It really is the best salsa recipe. Now you too can enjoy the flavors of Mexico in your very own kitchen! This recipe is easy to scale up, as desired.
Ingredients
- 2 large Roma tomatoes
- 1–2 serrano peppers
- 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1–1/2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1–1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (no stems)
- Optional garnish: 1/3 cup chopped panela cheese
Instructions
- Char and blister Roma tomatoes and serrano chiles over an open flame. On a gas stovetop, place one item at a time on a stovetop grate directly above a medium flame. Use stainless-steel tongs to turn and rotate the tomatoes and chiles. All sides should be evenly blackened with the skins split.
- In a mortar with pestle, grind the salt and garlic into a paste. Slice off the stem of the chile. Discard the stem. Add the chile to the bowl. With the pestle placed at the end of the chile, press down firmly and run the pestle across it to fully squeeze out the interior through the stem opening. Remove the empty skin of the chile from the bowl and discard it. Grind the chile into the garlic/salt paste.
- Chop the tomatoes leaving the skins on. Add the chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro to the bowl. Mix briefly to combine. Adjust the salt, as desired.
- Optional: Garnish the salsa with panela cheese.
CHIPS AND SALSA: As a Mexican appetizer, serve fresh homemade salsa with warm restaurant-style tortilla chips. For added Mexican flavor, before warming the chips in the oven, squeeze lime juice over the chips and sprinkle them with salt.
Notes
MEXICAN SALSA FAQ
WHAT ARE THE BEST TOMATOES FOR SALSA? Roma tomatoes. These flavorful tomatoes have a nice firm texture, are very meaty with a low moisture content (less juicy/watery), and have fewer seeds than other varieties.
NO GAS BURNER FOR FIRE ROASTING? NO PROBLEM! You can use your BBQ grill, or purchase individual cans of fire roasted tomatoes and peppers at the supermarket.
DO YOU OWN A MOLCAJETE? Assemble and serve your Mexican salsa in the very same bowl.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEXICAN SALSA? Most everyone’s a fan of traditional chips and salsa! For an easy appetizer, serve it with restaurant-style tortilla chips. As a condiment, serve it with tacos or barbecued meat. Use it as a beautiful garnish. Spoon it across chicken or fish just before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Mortar & Pestle
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Mexican Salsa, Best Salsa Recipe, Homemade Salsa
MEXICAN SALSA RECIPE > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Does your family have its own heirloom recipe for Mexican salsa? Would you like to add this one to your recipe box? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
My mouth was watering reading this. I’m going to have to look around and see if I can find Panela cheese. And a molcajete.
★★★★★
This looks so delicious! There are so many flavors in real salsa; it makes you never want the store bought kind!
★★★★★
We love a good Mexican salsa, but we usually just buy a jar from the store. Would be nice to try making one here at home. Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve never tried making salsa before. I love the taste of it and I like that it’s so easy to make!
★★★★★
I love Mexican dishes. They are always just so full of flavor. I bet this tastes amazing.
This Mexican salsa looks really delicious and refreshing to eat! My wife will love to have this on the table. I can’t wait to serve this for her!
We make homemade salsa all the time with a very similar recipe. I would love to try your version. Sounds delicious!
We adore salsa and when we vacation in Cabo San Lucas, it is the first thing we ask for (after a margarita!) when we land. I cannot wait to try it your way.
Colorful, clean, healthy and looks AMAZING. I cant wait to try this tomorrow for Taco Tuesday. Thanks!
★★★★★
Homemade salsa is the best! I love it for the fresh flavor, but also for the convenience of making it my self.
★★★★★
This looks so incredible! I just love salsa. I’ve never tried to make it on my own, but I should try!
★★★★★
I’m a huge fan of salsa. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try.
★★★★★
Nothing beats homemade salsa! I was just looking to see if I had a jar of prepared salsa in the cupboard for dinner tonight, which I don’t, but I think I’m going to go buy the ingredients and try your recipe instead!
Now this is going to be awesome for movie nights. I love the sound of those flavors and the ingredients are pretty simple!
This is a 10! I love me some authentic salsa and you have outdone yourself with the photos, I just want to scoop it out of the photo!
★★★★★
Now this sounds like some good salsa! I can just imagine it tastes amazing when you have some chips to dip in it!
We make salsa all the time, but I have never blistered the tomato. That would add a great umami essence, I’m sure. Looking forward to trying this recipe!
I love salsa. I have not tried to make it on my own until now. Healthy and lo-cal, just like I need it to be. Did I mention sometimes I spread it on top of my fried chicken cutlets, it’s delicious!
★★★★★
You are so right when you say authentic salsa. I love salsa but it never tastes as good as some restaurants. I will try to make this for the next party or big game.
This recipe is the best, hands down. I love how authentic it really is. So perfect for parties or just a great mid-day snack!
★★★★★
Love this salsa recipe. It’s so good and made me feel like I was at my favorite Mexican restaurant.
★★★★★
My family is going to love this. The charred tomatoes and pepper sound so flavorful and make the salsa come to life.
★★★★★
It was salsa perfection. Whenever we go to Mexico, I miss the authentic salsa when we come home. Now I can make it anytime, and I will!
★★★★★
Amazing recipe for the super bowl party.
Quick Question – is the cheese necessary for the mexican salsa?
★★★★★
This was absolutely delicious! A new family favorite for sure!
★★★★★
An awesome recipe for game days. So easy to make and very delicious. Everyone is loving it! I will definitely be making this one again!
★★★★★