Salsa Recipes To Make on Cinco de Mayo

Have I told you how much I love Mexican food? Well if you haven’t heard me say it before, I’m here to tell you that I’d do almost anything for it…

Give me fresh tacos any day, or some sizzling fajitas hot off the grill! I’ll also dive straight into a plate of nachos covered in ground meat and cheese.

I love dining out at my favorite restaurants, but I also like making flavorful Mexican food at home. My Southwestern Rice Bake is always a hit — filled with ground turkey and bursting with flavor from chilis and cheese. My Street Corn Salad is also a good one because it’s super easy to make.

But if you’re looking for something that shows up at almost every Mexican meal night, look no further than a bowl of salsa. So to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I rounded up my best salsa recipes along with some delicious ones I found online.

And if you’re in need of a bowl for your homemade salsa, scroll down to the bottom where I have some festive Spanish pottery you can use for your meal!

*post includes affiliate links

The Best Salsa Recipes To Make At Home

Fresh and Easy Zesty Shrimp Salsa

To begin our salsa tour, I’m sharing one of my own recipes. It’s my Zesty Shrimp Salsa and to say it’s easy-to-make is an understatement!

I love how refreshing this one is. Plus, the shrimp adds a unique twist to your go-to homemade salsa.

If you’d like to make it at home, you can click HERE.

Green Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Made with a distant relative of the tomato, this tomatillo salsa is packed with delicious flavors throughout.

With only five ingredients, it’s a basic recipe that you can whip up in less than 30 minutes. Just be careful… this one is a bit spicy!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (5-6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• Fresh hot green chilis, to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed
• 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Scant 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Roughly chop the tomatillos and chilis. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, chiles, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree, then scrape into a serving dish.
2. Rinse onion under cold water and shake to remove moisture. Stir into salsa and season with salt, usually 1/4 teaspoon.

Watermelon Salsa

For a sweet rendition to a classic salsa, you’ll want to try this watermelon version.

Whether you serve it at a backyard barbecue or during a Mexican meal, it’s one that is universally loved. I mean, who doesn’t like watermelon?

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped watermelon
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 lime, zested and juiced

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, stir together watermelon, onions, lime peel, and juice. Season to taste.
2. Cover and chill for up to 4 hours. Drain before serving.

Grilled Salsa

While most salsa recipes are fresh, this one takes the flavor to a whole new level because it’s grilled.

The charred tomatoes and chiles are the star in this one — making the recipe smoky and sweet. You can serve it with chips if you’re going for a traditional appetizer, or you can put it on top of tacos and quesadillas!

Ingredients:

• 6 plum tomatoes (1 pound), cut in half lengthwise
• 1 fresh poblano or 2 jalapeno chilis
• 1 small red onion, cut in half crosswise
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat gas grill to high. Grill the tomatoes and onion, turning frequently, for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly charred but still firm inside.
2. Grill the chili(es) until blackened on the outside. (If necessary, cover the grill periodically for 1 minute to increase the heat and help the vegetables char.)
3. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onion. Peel the skin from the chili(es), seed the chili(es), and chop. Combine the veggies in a bowl with cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Mango Margarita Salsa

There are a lot of mango salsas you can buy in the store, but this homemade version is one you won’t want to pass up.

Thanks to Sunny Anderson, a lovely Food Network co-host, we have this delicious salsa that mixes sweet and heat for the ultimate addition to a Mexican meal night.

Ingredients:

• 3 mangoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 red jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 scallion, finely chopped (both white and green parts)
• 1-2 tablespoons margarita mix

Instructions:

1. Add the mangoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, scallion, and 1 Tablespoon margarita mix to a large bowl. Toss and taste.
2. If needed, add another tablespoon of margarita mix.

Arugula, Yellow Tomato and Nectarine Salsa

When I saw the ingredients in this salsa, I immediately added it to my list of recipes to try.

Sure, cilantro is a regular salsa ingredient, but arugula? And mixed with sweet nectarines and juicy yellow tomatoes, this one is bound to be a hit.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups 1/3-inch cubes pitted white nectarines
• 1 1/4 cups chopped yellow or orange tomatoes (8-9 ounces)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped arugula
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 3-4-inch-long serrano chile, seeded, minced

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Crisp Cucumber Salsa

If you’re searching for the ultimate picnic side dish, this cucumber salsa should do the trick.

Refreshing and creamy, this salsa gets its incredible flavor from onions, fresh parsley, cilantro and garlic. Thanks to the jalapeno, it’s also a tad spicy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon season salt
• Baked tortilla chip scoops

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, and seasoned salt.
2. Pour over the cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately with chips.

Peanut Salsa

Peanuts in salsa? You bet! Take a look at this delicious recipe I found on the Cooking Light website.

I don’t know how all of these flavors seem to work together, but there’s no doubt that the outcome is super flavorful. From the light brown sugar to the ancho chilis, every bite will take your tastebuds on a roller coaster ride!

Ingredients:

• 3 dried pasilla or guajillo chiles (about 1 1/2 ounces), stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chiles (about 1 1/2 ounces), stemmed and seeded
• 3/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add chiles — cook 90 seconds or until fragrant. Place chiles in a heatproof bowl and add onion. Cover with 3 cups boiling water, let stand 30 minutes. Drain well and place in a blender.
2. Add peanuts, sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water into a blender. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

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Before I let you go, I wanted to show you this beautiful fruit bowl from the Just Jill Shop. Sure, it’s great for fruit but it’s also perfect for chips! If you ask me, it’s a great way to top off your Mexican meal in style.

Who says you can’t have eight salsa recipes at a party? I’m sure no one would complain. Which one looks the best? I hope you’re able to try one out this Cinco de Mayo!

From my kitchen to yours,

Jill