Recipe Roundup

33 Best Salsa Recipes

Whether you're craving fresh pico de gallo or a hit of smoky guajillo, these salsas will perk up tacos, eggs, hot dogs, and more.

By The Editors of Epicurious

October 1, 2020

Step away from the jarred, shelf-stable salsa. With these salsa recipes, you can always have freshly-made salsa on hand, the kind that's packed with bright flavors and just the right amount of heat. Below you'll find 33 great salsa recipes (including a few complete meals where salsa is the star.)

Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
1/33
The Only Salsa You Need
We have a whole bunch of favorite salsa recipes, but this one is worth considering as your go-to. You'll char the ingredients under the broiler for a roasty flavor, then blitz it in batches for the ideal texture.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
2/33
Pico de Gallo Verde
The lime juice and oil will keep the avocado from turning brown, but it’s a good idea to make this pico de gallo recipe right before you serve it.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
3/33
Salsa de Árbol
Pair this chile-spiked cooked tomato salsa with beet tostadas or these fantastic shrimp and poblano tacos.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
4/33
Salsa Guille
This super-savory salsa has no tomato, tomatillo, or citrus. Instead, it's made with cooked onion and serrano chiles, plus creamy peanut butter. It's a great addition to Epi contributor Andrea Aliseda's crispy mushroom tacos.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
5/33
Grilled Serrano Salsa Verde
Grilling the chiles tames their heat a bit and adds a nice smoky flavor to this green sauce. You can fine-tune the heat by using fewer or more chiles, depending on the intensity of the ones you have and your personal taste. This sauce goes well with any grilled meat or fish.
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Photo by Alex Lau
6/33
Valentina's Charred Tomato Salsa
This puréed charred-tomato salsa gets a silky texture from the tomatoes and is as good with chips as it is splashed over tacos.
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Photo by Linda Xiao
7/33
Green Pico de Gallo
This cooling and crunchy green salsa recipe brings together tomatillos and onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and mint.
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Christopher Testani
8/33
Yucatán-Style Habanero Salsa
Be sure to wear gloves when prepping the 25 habañeros that make up this seriously spicy salsa.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
9/33
3-Ingredient Grilled and Fresh Tomato Salsa
Grilling the onions and half of the tomatoes adds smoky depth and sweetness to this riff on pico de gallo.
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Photo by Peden + Munk
10/33
Toasted Chile de Árbol and Tomatillo Salsa
This salsa from Itanoní in Oaxaca starts with toasted chiles. Be sure to carefully remove the seeds and ribs before you start!
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
11/33
Panchos Argentinos (Argentine-Style Hot Dogs)
What's better than a hot dog? A hot dog topped with mayo, mustard, and a generous amount of fresh salsa criolla.
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Peden and Munk Taylor and Jen
12/33
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Winning weekend project plan: make a big batch of this no-cook tomatillo salsa (and maybe some carnitas while you're at it) and freeze leftovers.
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Christopher Testani
13/33
Toasted Guajillo Chile Salsa
Guajillos—the workhorse in this bright salsa—are spicy with a mildly smoky sweetness.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
14/33
Sunny Side Burger with Salsa Verde
What’s better than a griddled burger with the crispiest exterior? One that comes sandwiched between layers of a vibrant tomatillo salsa and topped with a runny fried egg.
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