The Best Mild Salsa Recipe

This is the BEST mild salsa recipe for a quick, fresh appetizer or condiment! Just 7 simple ingredients are needed for this easy dip that’s perfect for tacos, eggs, and more!

Mild Salsa

This simple mild salsa recipe is great for potlucks, parties, or meal prepping to add to lunches and dinners! Just 7 easy, fresh ingredients are needed for an impressive, flavorful salsa you’ll love finding any excuse to bring out of the fridge!

Why you’ll like this recipe:

• Easy – There’s literally one step–process until it reaches your preferred consistency. You really can’t go wrong (as long as you keep your fingers away from the blades)! Great for beginners or when you’re really busy.
• Quick – There’s no cooking, chilling, or fancy knife work required for this recipe. You can seriously pull this together in 5 minutes! Grab a bag of chips (or put some Keto Chips in the oven) and you’ve got an easy, delicious potluck dish with just minutes notice.
• Customizable – This is a great base recipe that can be easily adjusted to fit for your preferences! You can pulse just a few times if you prefer a chunky texture or let it go for several seconds at a time for a thinner dip! You can always make it spicier with jalapeno seeds, but this is a good base for those who don’t love it hot.

Salsa ingredients

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• San Marzano tomatoes – We love the sweet flavor of these tomatoes! It helps keep the salsa nice and mild. They also have few seeds, meaning your salsa won’t get super watery. You could use Roma, Plum, Beefsteak instead. Cherry tomatoes have a great flavor but keep their shape more (great for those who like a chunkier, sturdier salsa instead of a saucy dip).
• White onion – This gives us a strong, sharp flavor that works well with the acid of the lime juice and tomatoes. You could also use yellow onion, purple onion, or shallots for milder, different flavor.
• Jalapenos & Garlic – For a mild salsa, leave out the seeds and the white-colored ribs inside the jalapenos. To increase the heat, leave in some seeds. Fresh, home-grown garlic is best, but feel free to use the jarred version if that’s easier.
• Lime juice – Fresh is most flavorful, but bottled will work for convenience. Don’t add any lime zest–A lot of times it can come off too strong and overwhelming in a salsa. If you don’t have lime juice, you could use a splash of white wine vinegar.
• Fresh cilantro – This is for that the traditional salsa flavor. If you hate cilantro, feel free to swap it out for parsley, Mexican oregano, or even Thai basil for complementary flavor.
• Kosher salt – This provides a great burst of flavor without being quite as “salty” as table salt. If you only have table salt, use half the amount. You can always add as needed to taste.

A food processor makes this recipe incredibly easy, but a blender will work, too. You may have to work in batches depending on the size of your appliance. If you have neither, you can mince or dice all of these ingredients very small and mix together.

How to make the BEST mild salsa

This simple recipe is great for beginners and actually requires no cooking! Grab your food processor and follow along with this easy step-by-step guide.

Add ingredients to food processor

Cut your tomatoes into thirds or quarters, whatever it takes to fit into your processor. Chop the onion into a few wedges and halves, and toss those in with the rest of the ingredients.

Process until perfect

Press Pulse on the processor for short 1-second bursts, continuing until the salsa reaches your preferred consistency. It’s best to stop it just short of “perfect” as it will continue breaking down and becoming more soupy as it sits.

How to serve mild salsa

This salsa is delicious on tacos, fajitas (you should try this super convenient sheet pan version), or burritos. It’s great to add to dishes like Mexican Chicken & Rice or Pollo Con Queso Zucchini Boats, too. You could also mix with some avocado and ranch for a great taco salad dressing! Dip with tortilla chips (or keto chips if you’re low-carb) or sop up extras with Jalapeno Cornbread! The best companion to a good salsa? Some Smoked Queso!

TIP: A lot of people say that salsa is best after sitting 1-2 hours so that the flavors get to meld together. It will continue to break down and get more “soupy” the longer it sits, though, so keep that in mind!

More dips to pair with salsa:

• Salsa Verde
• Sweet Corn Salsa
• Avocado Bacon Dip
• Homemade Pineapple Salsa
• Creamy Jalapeno Ranch (Taco Bell copycat)

How to store salsa

Salsa is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. It’s easy to portion into individual servings to pack into lunches for easy meal prepping!

Can you freeze salsa?

Yes, salsa is easy to freeze, though it can sometimes change textures. It may be a bit more runny after you thaw it, but it will still be delicious. If you plan to freeze it, consider spending the time to de-seed the tomatoes. This will help prevent an extra runny texture.

If you love this salsa, you’ll love these easy appetizers!

• Zucchini Nachos – Perfect with or without salsa, and a healthier, low-carb alternative to your usual nachos! The quick cooking time makes such the zucchini doesn’t get all soggy, either.
• Mexican Street Corn – Seriously SO flavorful! It takes about 10 minutes and is super simple.
• Slow Cooker Corn Dip – This one is a huge hit when we’re tailgating or going to watch football at a friend’s house! It’s easy and inxpensive to make.
• Slow Cooker Bean Dip – This is another party favorite–It’s easy, creamy, cheesy, and has some good protein to keep everybody satisfied.
• Smashed Brussels Sprouts & Queso – A little bit of healthy with a little bit of indulgence… That’s what life’s about! You’ll love these crispy veggie bites in the cheesy sauce.