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This chipotle tomato salsa is smoky, bold, and ready in just 5 minutes. The perfect quick salsa recipe for tacos, bowls, chips, and easy appetizers.
Why You’ll Love This Chipotle Tomato Salsa
- Ready in just 5 minutes – This quick salsa recipe comes together fast with no cooking required, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute entertaining.
- Made with simple ingredients – Using pantry staples like canned tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, garlic, onion, cilantro, salt, and lime, you can whip this up anytime without a trip to the store.
- Smoky, bold flavor – The chipotle peppers add a rich, smoky heat that takes this tomato salsa to the next level.
- Super versatile – Perfect for dipping tortilla chips or serving with quesadillas, taquitos, and tacos for an easy flavor boost.
- Better than store-bought – Fresh, vibrant, and customizable to your spice preference in minutes.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Canned diced tomatoes – The base of the salsa, providing fresh tomato flavor with the perfect consistency.
- Diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (jarred) – Adds smoky heat and rich depth of flavor. I used the jarred diced chipotles in adobo for convenience, but if you can’t find them, regular whole chipotles in adobo sauce work just as well.
- White onion – Brings sharpness and balance to the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Garlic – Enhances the savory flavor and adds boldness.
- Fresh cilantro – Adds brightness and classic salsa flavor.
- Fresh lime juice – Brings acidity and freshness to balance the smokiness.
- Salt – Enhances and ties all the flavors together.
Kitchen Tools
How To Make Chipotle Tomato Salsa
Add the ingredients to a blender or food processor.
Combine the canned diced tomatoes, diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, white onion, garlic, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Blend until smooth.
Pulse a few times to break everything down, then blend until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. For a smoother salsa, blend longer. If you prefer it slightly chunky, pulse just until combined.
Taste and adjust.
Give it a quick taste and adjust the salt, lime juice, or chipotle for more heat if needed.
Serve or chill.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips, tacos, taquitos, or quesadillas. For even deeper flavor, refrigerate for 30–60 minutes before serving to let everything meld together.
How to Serve Chipotle Tomato Salsa
This quick salsa recipe is incredibly versatile and adds bold, smoky flavor to so many dishes. Serve it as a dip with crispy tortilla chips for an easy appetizer, or spoon it over tacos, quesadillas, and taquitos for an instant flavor boost.
It’s also delicious drizzled over burrito bowls, grilled chicken, scrambled eggs, or roasted vegetables. Keep a jar in the fridge and use it throughout the week to elevate simple meals with minimal effort.
Recipes That Pair Perfectly with This Quick Salsa Recipe
This chipotle tomato salsa is the perfect finishing touch for so many meals. If you’re looking for delicious ways to use it, try serving it with:
- Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos in the Air Fryer
- Easy Steak Tacos with Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
- The Best Crispy Barbacoa Tacos with Slow-Braised Beef
- Quick and Delicious Steak Quesadillas
Tips for the Best Chipotle Tomato Salsa
Control the heat. Start with less chipotle and add more to taste. The adobo sauce adds heat quickly, so blending and tasting as you go helps you avoid making it too spicy.
Adjust the consistency. If the salsa is thicker than you’d like, add a small splash of water or extra lime juice and blend again. If it’s too thin, pulse in a few extra tomatoes.
Let it chill. While you can serve it right away, refrigerating the salsa for 30–60 minutes allows the flavors to deepen and meld together.
Make it ahead. This quick salsa recipe stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, making it perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
Easy Chipotle Tomato Salsa (Ready in 5 Minutes)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 3 tbsp diced chipotles in adobe or 2-3 chipotle peppers and 1 tbsp of adobe sauce
- ¼ white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add the diced tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, white onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.
