5-Minute Smoky Chipotle Salsa

Name: 5-Minute Smoky Chipotle Salsa
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 1/2 cup chopped onion, white or yellow; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 jalapeño, seeds and whites can be removed to lessen spice; 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1 lime juiced, about 2 tablespoons

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This homemade Smoky Chipotle Salsa takes just 5 minutes to make! And using canned tomatoes, it's extra easy! A slight kick from jalapeño and smokiness from the chipotle peppers.

Smoky chipotle salsa in bowl with chips and cilantro and text overlay

The ways to serve this homemade chipotle salsa are endless! You can't go wrong with tortilla chips or pairing alongside an Air Fryer Quesadilla, tacos made from Slow Cooker Carnitas, or add another dip to the spread like this Mexican Street Corn Elote Dip.

Ingredients Needed:

Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes - using canned tomatoes keeps this super easy.
Onions - yellow or white onion.
Garlic
Jalapeño - to add some heat, you can adjust how much you use and you can include the seeds if you want it to be spicier. You can also use the fresh jalapeños in this pineapple jalapeño salsa recipe.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce - These are in a can and typically in your Ethnic/Hispanic section in your grocery store. And with the rest of the can that you don't use, I recommend freezing in a plastic zip top bag.
Fresh Cilantro
Lime
Salt and pepper

Tomatoes, chipotle pepper onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic in food processor.

Step by Step Instructions

Blend it Up! Add all ingredients to your food processor or blend and pulse until combined and your desired consistency.
Taste and Adjust. Give it a taste and adjust salt, lime, and jalapeño if needed to your taste/spice preference.
Enjoy! Serve the chipotle salsa with chips or alongside tacos, burrito bowls, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How spicy is this salsa?

As written, I call this salsa a solid 'Medium'. If you're sensitive to spice, hold back on the jalapeño (especially the white and seeds as that's where the spice is) and maybe start with one less chipotle pepper. You can always add more after you taste. If you like it HOT, then go all in. Add more jalapeño or keep some or all of the whites and seeds.

Can I use regular diced tomatoes, instead of fire roasted?

Totally! Fire roasted adds a deeper flavor that goes wonderfully with the smoky chipotle peppers. But, you can use what you've got!

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This homemade Smoky Chipotle Salsa takes just 5 minutes to make! And using canned tomatoes, it's extra easy! A slight kick from jalapeño and smokiness from the chipotle peppers.

Author: Kathleen
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Appetizer, Snack
Method: Food Processor, Blender
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
½ cup chopped onion, white or yellow
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ jalapeño, seeds and whites can be removed to lessen spice
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime juiced, about 2 tablespoons

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the food processor or a high powered blender. Pulse until all ingredients are well blended. Don't blend too much - you want it still to have a little texture vs being a smooth sauce.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. You can add an additional chipotle pepper or a teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce if you want a little extra smoke and spice.
Pour salsa into a bowl or airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.