Fresh Tomato Salsa (Chipotle Copycat!)
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My Fresh Tomato Salsa Chipotle copycat recipe is totally tasty!! Made with a handful of simple ingredients like tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and cilantro, it’s spicy, bright, and full of flavor. All you need to do is chop, mix, season, and serve! Perfect for all of your Mexican-inspired meals!
Fresh Tomato Salsa Chipotle
There isn’t anything quite as delicious as fresh, homemade salsa and tortilla chips is there?!
It’s one of my favorite snacks — and definitely what I look forward to most at Chipotle! It’s simple, it’s tasty, and perhaps best of all… so fresh!
Chad and I love a good quick meal every once and a while, and even better if it’s Mexican. I’ve already shared copycat recipes for their corn salsa, queso dip, and cilantro rice.
It was only a matter of time before I decided to whip up some fresh tomato salsa like Chipotle makes it!
I love it with chips (duh!), but it also makes for such a yummy addition to tacos and burritos too.
It comes together so quickly and easily that you’ll want to add it to absolutely everything once you try it!!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Plum Tomatoes – For the best flavor, try to find ripe and firm plum tomatoes.
They have fewer seeds and less juice compared to other tomato varieties, which will give you a much less watery salsa! - Onion – I like red onion for my copycat Chipotle fresh tomato salsa. It adds a pop of color and is a lot milder than yellow or white onions.
- Fresh Cilantro – You’ll want to use fresh cilantro here. In case you can’t tell, this salsa recipe is all about bright and fresh flavors!
- Jalapeno – For some added spicy flavor! As a note, the heat level of jalapeno peppers can vary.
If you like a milder salsa, remove the seeds and white membranes before dicing.
For a hotter salsa, consider adding another jalapeno, or keeping some of the seeds — that’s where most of the heat comes from!
- Lime – I like fresh lime juice best (not the kind in a bottle) as it has a much brighter and more acidic flavor that helps balance out all of the other ingredients!
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Copycat Chipotle Mexican Grill Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Chop the ingredients evenly for the best texture.
When prepping, do your best to slice, dice, and chop the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno into similarly sized pieces.
This helps distribute the flavors evenly throughout your homemade salsa, and ensures you get a bit of everything in every bite!
- Taste test as you go.
After you’ve combined the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno in your mixing bowl, add the lime juice and salt a little bit at a time.
I recommend you start with 1 tablespoon of lime and just a pinch of salt to get you going. Remember: you can always add more, but you can’t take it away once it’s mixed in!
- The longer it chills, the better.
You’re going to want to chill your salsa for at least 1 hour, though more time in the fridge is always better.
The longer you wait, the better the ingredients meld together. If you leave it in overnight, you’ll have a much more robust flavor!
Just give it a good stir before serving, and it’ll be downright delicious.
- Get creative!
This recipe for Chipotle Mexican Grill fresh tomato salsa is based on what they serve at the actual restaurant, but you can of course feel free to experiment with the ingredients.
Add or subtract things based on your preferences — for example, you could add a bit of chopped garlic or a dash of cumin for extra flavor, or you could replace the cilantro with fresh parsley!
Prep Ahead
- Dice the tomatoes and jalapenos
- Chop the onion and cilantro
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- A sturdy Silicone Spatula can be used for scraping, stirring, and smoothing and is easy to clean too!
Serving Suggestions
Chipotle fresh tomato salsa is best served fresh with a side of homemade tortilla chips! It would even taste yummy with some sweet potato chips.
Besides serving with chips, it is also great on grilled meats like Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken, or seafood like these Spicy Shrimp Tacos!
I also love it with Mexican-inspired recipes like chalupas and taco pasta salad.
Otherwise, try it with some of my other Chipotle copycats! It tastes great with their signature steak and chicken… and no one ever said no to some fresh salsa and guacamole!
This Chipotle Mexican Grill fresh tomato salsa copycat recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings too.
Just make sure to taste test and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
Storing Homemade Salsa
Plac any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Remember, the longer it sits the better the flavors will meld but the tomatoes will start to break down after about 3 days.
If the salsa becomes watery, drain off any excess liquid before serving.
Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa FAQ
Fresh tomato salsa from Chipotle is super simple! It’s made with tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and citrus juice — just like my copycat!
You may also be wondering how the restaurant gets perfectly chopped tomatoes for their salsa.
Well, the secret is out: they use a food processor! You can certainly do the same if you don’t want to spend a lot of time chopping.
Almost — pico de gallo is traditionally made with garlic, while fresh tomato salsa at Chipotle doesn’t feature any garlic at all. It’s a very slight difference, but it’s worth noting!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Fresh Tomato Salsa (Chipotle Copycat!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and finely diced jalapeño pepper.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the mixture and sprinkle with salt.
- Gently stir all the ingredients together until well combined.
- Taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more salt or lime juice according to your preference.
- Cover the salsa and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve the delicious copycat Chipotle fresh tomato salsa with tortilla chips, on tacos, burritos, or any dish that could use a burst of fresh flavor!
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2024
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made this salsa and it was just like the restaurant version. perfect for our taco night!
Hi Madison!
So glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn