Skip going to the store, and make chunky salsa with cilantro and avocado at home instead. Ours is made with fresh ingredients and on the table in 20 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tomatoes: Great salsa begins with good tomatoes. I use Roma tomatoes since they produce less liquid than other varieties, but beef steak tomatoes work.
- Lime: Preserve and flavor the salsa with fresh lime juice.
- Jalapeño: When making this salsa for large groups of people, jalapeños are my pepper of choice since they’re not as spicy as others. If you love jalapeños but crave more spice, leave the seeds and membrane intact when chopping them. Once in a while, I use serrano chili for more heat.
- Onion: I use red onions; they are bold and sweeten the salsa to compliment the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Cilantro: This highly debated herb flavors the side, but leave it out if it’s not your thing.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use- measure with your heart.
- Spices: Season the chunky salsa with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Avocado: Avocado takes this salsa to the next level and guarantees there won’t be leftovers.
How to Make Chunky Salsa
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Dice the tomatoes and add them to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Slice the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds by holding the stem and scooping them out with a spoon.
Step 3: Then, cut off the stem and finely dice the peppers. Add them to the tomatoes.
Step 4: Next, add onion, garlic, and cilantro to the bowl.
Step 5: Season the mixture with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir to mix. Taste and adjust the salt to taste.
Step 6: Squeeze the lime over salsa, and stir to combine. Next, slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into cubes, then add them to the salsa by carefully folding them into the mixture.
Expert Tips
- Chill the salsa for up to 6 hours, so the flavors incorporate – if you can wait that long.
If you love this recipe, try one of these salsa and dip favorites!
Serving Suggestions
- Tortilla Chips, Pita Chips
- Homemade Tacos with Ground, Carne Asada Tacos, Instant Pot Carnitas
- Fajitas
- Blackened Mahi Mahi, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Quesadillas
- Scrambled Eggs or Omelet
- Vegetable Chopped Salad
- Burrito Bowls
- Cheese and Onion Enchiladas
- Cilantro Lime Rice, Vegan Mexican Rice
What to do with the Leftovers
- Storage – On the off chance you have leftover chunky salsa, store it in an airtight container for 2-4 days. Regular salsa keeps for longer, but since we include avocado, it has a shorter shelf life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I adjust the spice level?
The salsa is pretty mild. I make it for my kids, and they devour, but I recognize everyone handles spice differently. Here are some suggestions:
• Too Spicy: Use half of the jalapeño; you still get the flavor but less of the heat. If you’ve already made the salsa and it’s too spicy, add a teaspoon or two of white sugar to create balance.
• Too Mild: If you love jalapeños but crave more spice, leave the seeds and membrane intact before chopping them. For a more spicy salsa, consider using serrano chilies.
More Mexican Recipes:
Chunky Salsa
- 8 Roma tomato, diced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
- 2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3-4 avocados, cubed
- Dice the tomatoes and add them to a mixing bowl.
- Slice the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds by holding the stem and scooping them out with a spoon. Then, cut off the stem and finely dice the peppers. Add them to the tomatoes.
- Next, add onion, garlic, and cilantro to the bowl.
- Season the mixture with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir to mix. Taste and adjust the salt to taste.
- Squeeze the lime over salsa, and stir to combine.
- Next, slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into cubes, then add them to the salsa by carefully folding them into the mixture.
- Chill the salsa for up to 6 hours, so the flavors incorporate – if you can wait that long.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Calee Cortes
Sunday 6th of March 2022
I could genuinely eat this salsa, plain, straight out of the bowl-so good!
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Sunday 6th of March 2022
Wow thank you! That is high praise.