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    Home » Recipes » Courses » Condiments

    Quick & Easy, Cherry Tomato Salsa

    Published: September 3, 2020 by Kari · 1 Comment · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

    RECIPE ↓
    A pin image of a small white bowl of homemade salsa and some tortilla chips.
    A pin image of a white bowl of cherry tomato salsa and some chips and a lime in the background.
    A pin image of a white bowl of cherry tomato salsa.
    A pin image of a chip scooping cherry tomato salsa out of a yellow bowl.
    A pin image of a white bowl of cherry tomato salsa.

    Cherry Tomato Salsa is naturally sweet with tons of fresh garden flavors. Made with only six ingredients and no tedious chopping - it couldn't be easier to make.

    Our garden is currently giving us buckets of cherry tomatoes and I am running out of things to make with them. (As I mentioned on my 5 Minute Salsa post, my husband is a tough critic when it comes to homemade salsa so I have been hesitant to use these tomatoes for salsa.)

    I finally decided to make cherry tomato salsa for myself for lunch and my husband snuck a taste. I was expecting some critique, but this recipe got a, "WOW! That's REALLY good. It doesn't need tweaking or anything!" I felt like the "random garden things" salsa master.

    This recipe is also super healthy as most of the ingredients actually came from our garden - it is Paleo, Whole30 friendly, and has no added sugar, though it tastes sweet from the cherry tomatoes.

    A small white bowl of salsa with limes, tortilla chips, and a jalapeño.
    PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

    🥘 Ingredient Notes

    The ingredients for cherry tomato salsa, labeled.
    • A Small Sweet or Yellow Onion
    • 3 - 4 Cloves of Garlic
    • A Small or Medium Jalapeño
    • Fresh Cherry Tomatoes (I used a mix of little Juliet Tomatoes - they are like baby Roma tomatoes - and some kind of perfectly round, cherry tomato hybrid that I have been growing for years)
    • Cilantro - Leaves and Stems
    • Kosher Salt
    • The Juice of a Lime

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    • A Food Processor or Blender
    • A Sharp Knife
    • A Cutting Board
    • A Rubber Spatula
    • A Metal Strainer

    🥣 How to Make It

    This salsa is such a great way to make use of a summer abundance of cherry tomatoes and it is easy to make. It comes together so quickly.

    First, peel the onion and cut it in half. Then, add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor.

    Chop the onion and garlic, then roughly chop one jalapeño and add it to the food processor. (Exclude the membrane and seeds to reduce the heat.)

    Chop the jalapeño with the onions/garlic.

    a horizontal collage of images showing how to make salsa, blending onions, garlic, and jalapeño.

    Next, add tomatoes then cilantro to the food processor. Chop the tomatoes and cilantro to your desired consistency.

    a horizontal collage of images showing how to make salsa, blending cherry tomatoes and cilantro.

    This next step is optional, but I like to do it - pour the salsa into a fine metal strainer over a bowl to get rid of any excess moisture. (The tomatoes and onions release a lot of liquid when you chop them up.) You want to do this BEFORE adding the salt and lime juice because you will strain out the salt and lime otherwise.

    a metal strainer with salsa in it, draining liquid into a white bowl.

    Return the strained salsa to a bowl, then add salt and the juice of a lime. Mix well, then taste. Adjust with more salt, lime, and cilantro if needed. Serve with tortilla chips.

    a horizontal collage of images showing how to make salsa, adding lime juice and salt.

    🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

    Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, quesadillas, plantain chips, or tacos!

    🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you have to peel cherry tomatoes to make salsa?

    Nope! That is one of the perks of using cherry tomatoes - the tomatoes can just be thrown in and used as-is.

    How can you make salsa spicier?

    To make this salsa spicier, add some of the membrane and seeds from your jalapeño or another seeded jalapeño. Do this gradually - once it is too spicy, it is very hard to reduce the heat.

    How do you make salsa less spicy?

    To cool down salsa, you need to balance the heat with salt, acid, and sweet. If your salsa is too spicy, you can add more salt, more lime juice, and a little bit of sugar. If that doesn't help, you can always add more tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.

    What other kinds of tomatoes can you use to make salsa?

    For fresh tomatoes, you can use Campari, Roma, or Plum tomatoes. (You can use other kinds as well, but the consistency/flavor will be a little different.) You can also use canned tomatoes (diced or whole) without their juices.

    Can this recipe be canned?

    Unfortunately, no. Cherry tomatoes cannot really be canned because they will pretty much disintegrate in a water bath or pressure canning process. I have seen recipes where they have been pickled, but I have not tested this. I prefer to use cherry tomatoes to make fresh meals, things I intend to freeze(sauce, roasted cherry tomato paste), or I dehydrate them to later make "sun-dried" cherry tomato pesto.

    A chip dipping into salsa in a small white bowl and a lime and chips in the background.

    ✏️ Helpful Tips

    • Strain the liquid out of your salsa before you add salt and lime - otherwise, you will pour out the salt and lime when you strain it!
    • If you don't like spicy salsa, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño before dicing. If you really don't like spice, start with only half of the jalapeño.
    • Try roasting the cherry tomatoes under the broiler until they are blistered before making salsa to get a fire-roasted/charred flavor.
    A yellow bowl of cherry tomato salsa and a chip scooping some out.

    🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

    Serve your salsa immediately or save it for later. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, but it is best eaten within a few days.

    Button linking to the Pinterest page for Southern Bytes.

    🍴Recipe Variations

    • If you don't have a lime, you can replace it with a small amount of lemon or lime juice.
    • You can add different kinds of peppers to make your salsa really spicy.
    • Cumin or chipotle powder add a different flavor to salsa - adding just a pinch can completely change this recipe.
    • Blister the cherry tomatoes under a broiler before serving to give the salsa a "fire-roasted" taste.

    🥫Other Great Seasonings and Sauces

    • Easy 5 Minute Salsa
    • Taco Seasoning
    • Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
    • Copycat Raising Cane's Sauce
    • Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

    Have You Tried This Recipe?
    Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!

    A small white bowl of salsa and some chips in the background.

    Quick and Easy, Cherry Tomato Salsa

    5 from 7 votes
    Cherry Tomato Salsa is naturally sweet with tons of fresh garden flavors. Made with only six ingredients - and no tedious chopping - it couldn't be easier to make.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Blending Time 3 mins
    Total Time 8 mins
    Course Appetizer, Condiments, Pantry
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 1
    Calories 128

    Equipment

    • food processor or blender
    • measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • a cutting board
    • a sharp knife
    • a rubber spatula or spoon for stirring

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups cherry tomatoes I used little Juliet tomatoes (small Roma tomatoes) and regular cherry tomatoes
    • ½ white or yellow onion
    • 1 - 2 cloves fresh garlic
    • 1 jalapeño Seeded and membrane removed
    • ½ cup cilantro More if desired. You can use a mix of leaves and stems.
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt Add more to taste if desired.
    • 1 lime, juiced

    Instructions
     

    • First, peel the onion and cut it in half. Then, add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor.
      A food processor bowl with chopped onions and garlic in it.
    • Chop the onion and garlic, then roughly chop one jalapeño and add it to the food processor. (Exclude the membrane and seeds to reduce the heat.)
      A food processor bowl with chopped jalapeño and onions in it.
    • Chop the jalapeño with the onions/garlic.
      A food processor bowl with chopped jalapeño and onions in it.
    • Next, add tomatoes then cilantro to the food processor.
      A food processor bowl with cherry tomatoes and cilantro in it.
    • Chop the tomatoes and cilantro to your desired consistency.
      A food processor bowl with cherry tomato salsa in it.
    • This next step is optional, but I like to do it - pour the salsa into a fine metal strainer over a bowl to get rid of any excess moisture. (The tomatoes and onions release a lot of liquid when you chop them up.) You want to do this BEFORE adding the salt and lime juice because you will strain out the salt and lime otherwise.
      a metal strainer with salsa in it, draining liquid into a white bowl.
    • Return the strained salsa to a bowl (or the food processor), then add salt and the juice of a lime.
      A food processor bowl with strained cherry tomato salsa in it.
    • Mix well, then taste. Adjust with more salt, lime, and cilantro if needed. Serve with tortilla chips.
      A yellow bowl of cherry tomato salsa and tortilla chips.

    Notes

    Tips
    • Strain the liquid out of your salsa before you add salt and lime - otherwise, you will pour out the salt and lime when you strain it!
    • If you don't like spicy salsa, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño before dicing. If you really don't like spice, start with only half of the jalapeño.
    • Try roasting the cherry tomatoes under the broiler until they are blistered before making salsa to get a fire-roasted/charred flavor.
    Serving
    Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, quesadillas, plantain chips, or tacos!
    Storage
    Serve your salsa immediately or save it for later. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, but it is best eaten within a few days.
    Recipe Variations
    • If you don't have a lime, you can replace it with a small amount of lemon or lime juice.
    • You can add different kinds of peppers to make your salsa really spicy.
    • Cumin or chipotle powder add a different flavor to salsa - adding just a pinch can completely change this recipe.
    • Blister the cherry tomatoes under a broiler before serving to give the salsa a "fire-roasted" taste.
    FAQs
    Do you have to peel cherry tomatoes to make salsa?
    Nope! That is one of the perks of using cherry tomatoes - the tomatoes can just be thrown in and used as-is.
    How can you make salsa spicier?
    To make this salsa spicier, add some of the membrane and seeds from your jalapeño or another seeded jalapeño. Do this gradually - once it is too spicy, it is very hard to reduce the heat.
    How do you make salsa less spicy?
    To cool down salsa, you need to balance the heat with salt, acid, and sweet. If your salsa is too spicy, you can add more salt, more lime juice, and a little bit of sugar. If that doesn't help, you can always add more tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
    What other kinds of tomatoes can you use to make salsa?
    For fresh tomatoes, you can use Campari, Roma, or Plum tomatoes. (You can use other kinds as well, but the consistency/flavor will be a little different.) You can also use canned tomatoes (diced or whole) without their juices.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowlCalories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1220mgPotassium: 1165mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2877IUVitamin C: 144mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 3mg

    Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.

    Keyword easy salsa recipe, homemade salsa, paleo salsa recipe, quick salsa recipe
    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernbytes or tag #southernbytes!
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    About Kari

    I am a WordPress Developer, Food Blogger, and Health Coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori

      October 24, 2021 at 9:59 am

      5 stars
      Easy & so delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply

    Please let me know what you think about the recipe :) Cancel reply

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    Hi, I'm Kari!

    I am a WordPress developer, food blogger, and health coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

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