Quick & Easy Spicy Salsa Recipe
Home » COOK » Recipes » Sauces & Dips »
This Easy Spicy Salsa is not only delicious, but it’s also healthy and quick to make, coming together in just 20 minutes. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days, so you can double the recipe to enjoy with your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes or as a snack with your favorite tortilla chips.
Affiliate Disclosure
We have included affiliate links to products and services related to the topic of this post.
This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you purchase after clicking on those links.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Read Our Full Disclosure and Privacy Policy
Easy Spicy Salsa
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions; to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and to understand the steps and timings involved.
This easy spicy salsa recipe is actually cooked, rather than fresh. The cooking process helps to take the raw edge off the onions and bell peppers, and actually helps to deepen and sweeten the overall flavor.
Salsa is great as a dip in its own right with crunch tortilla chips or crudité, and it is something I serve at most parties as it’s always a crowd pleaser.
But it’s also great on the side or on top of a variety of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes like fajitas, tacos, and carnitas.
The salsa is ready to enjoy in just 20 minutes – and you can adjust the level of chili heat to your personal tastes too.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Jalapeño, Tomatoes, Limes, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander)
- Dried Oregano – use Mexican oregano if possible.
- Smoked Paprika
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Fresh Tomatoes
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is tomatoes, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Balsamic Mozzarella Stuffed Grape Tomatoes
- Roasted Fennel & Tomato Soup with Coconut Milk
- Flank Steak with Rosti and Tomato-Caper Sauce
More Salsa Recipes
Looking for more salsas to make? Check these recipes out next:
How Do I Make Easy Spicy Salsa?
Just check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Quick & Easy Spicy Salsa
This Easy Spicy Salsa is not only delicious, but it's also healthy and quick to make, coming together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced small
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced small
- 1 medium jalapeño, finely chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup water
- 2½ Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro (fresh coriander), finely chopped
- Tortilla chips, to serve, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion and peppers become soft.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and water. Stir to combine and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Once slightly cool, pureé the mixture with an immersion blender, leaving slightly chunky, or transfer to a regular blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times until just blended.
- Transfer the salsa to a bowl and stir in fresh lime juice and cilantro.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
- Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use as a dip with tortilla chips or as a side with Mexican or Tex-Mex entreés. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 64Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 81mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!
- Main Dish: Steak Fajita Salad with Black Beans
- Side Dish: Hot Mexican Rice Salad
- Beverage: Frozen Mango Margaritas
- Dessert: Rich & Chocolatey Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake For Any Occasion
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!