Homemade Green Chile Salsa Recipe
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on Dec 08, 2020, Updated Mar 09, 2025
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This Homemade Green Chile Salsa Recipe is made with roasted green chiles and canned whole tomatoes, bringing bold, smoky flavors to your table in minutes. Whether you prefer it chunky or smooth, this versatile salsa is packed with authentic flavor and comes together in just minutes, making it a perfect addition to any meal.
Table of Contents
What is Green Chile Salsa?
This is an authentic, homemade salsa casera recipe featuring roasted green chiles, jalapeรฑos, and canned tomatoes. Itโs a quick and easy way to enjoy bold, smoky flavors with minimal effort.
Why Youโll Love This Recipe
Quick & Easy: Ready in just minutes using a food processor or blender.
Versatile: Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and store it for later.
Authentic Flavor: A traditional recipe passed down in my family.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Every year we stock our garage freezer with bushels of fire-roasted long green chile from Pueblo. Itโs a tradition now since Iโve been living in Colorado. In El Paso, we always bought Hatch green chile. I honestly canโt tell the difference, but Iโm not a green chile connoisseur. Both are amazing, and depending on the season, one may be spicier than the other.
- Roasted green chile peppers – Pueblo, Anaheim, or Hatch, roasted and peeled. Pueblo chiles are known for their rich, earthy flavor and a heat level that can range from mild to extra hot. Anaheim chiles are milder and slightly sweet, making them great for those who prefer less spice. Hatch chile peppers vary in heat and have a deep, smoky flavor that intensifies when roasted. Any of these chiles work beautifully in this salsa, so choose based on your preferred spice level and taste.
- Roasted jalapeรฑo peppers – Jalapeรฑos are optional for extra spice. For more heat, leave the seeds in. For a milder salsa, remove them before blending. Swap jalapeรฑos for serrano peppers for extra spice.
- Salt – Adjust to taste, especially if using a saltier canned tomato brand.
- Garlic cloves – Fresh garlic enhances the bold flavor of the salsa, but you can substitute with ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder in a pinch.
- Canned whole tomatoes – Whole tomatoes create a rich, smooth texture. My mom was the first one to simplify grandma’s salsa recipe by using Huntโs whole tomatoes. For a smokier depth, opt for fire-roasted canned tomatoes. If you want to go old-school (and bless you if you do!), you can absolutely opt to make your own canned tomatoes. My grandma had a garden and would home grow tomatoes and can them herself, too!
- Tomato sauce – Tomato sauce adds richness and helps bind the salsa together. If omitted, the salsa will have a chunkier consistency.
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Green Chile Salsa
Step 1: Roast & Prep. If you havenโt already, roast and peel your green chiles and jalapeรฑos. Learn how to roast chile peppers.
Step 2: Blend. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse until your desired consistency is reached.
Step 3: Serve & Enjoy. Use immediately or store for later!
If you’d like more of a visual representation, you can watch this video showing how to make my favorite salsa recipe.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
This salsa recipe with green chiles is delicious on just about everything. Enjoy it with a bowl of homemade corn tortilla chips for an easy appetizer, drizzle it over Mexican tamales for a burst of flavor, or spoon it onto squash blossom quesadillas, and ground beef tacos for extra spice.
It also pairs beautifully with Mexican chicken soup or alongside breakfast eggs, like authentic huevos rancheros. No matter how you serve it, this salsa will add a smoky, spicy touch to any dish.
Green Chile Salsa Expert Tips & Tricks
Keep the juices: Donโt drain the canned tomatoes; the juices help create the perfect consistency.
Roast in advance: Prep a big batch of roasted chiles and freeze them for easy salsa-making.
Chunky vs. Smooth: For a chunkier texture, pulse instead of fully blending. You can also make this salsa in a molcajete for a more rustic, traditional consistency with extra depth of flavor.
Spice Control: Remove seeds for a milder salsa or add extra jalapeรฑos for more heat.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Keep in freezer-safe plastic containers or glass mason jars for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, green chile salsa and salsa verde are different. Green chile salsa is typically made with roasted green chiles and tomatoes, while salsa verde is made with tomatillos for a tangier flavor.
Chile verde is a dish made with beef or pork simmered in a green chile sauce, whereas green chile refers to the type of chile peppers used in sauces, salsas, and other Mexican dishes.
Mexican green salsa (salsa verde) is made with tomatillos, green chiles, garlic, onion, and cilantro. It has a tangy and slightly sweet flavor, different from green chile salsa, which is tomato-based.
“Chile” with an “e” refers to the pepper itself, while “chili” with an “i” typically refers to a dish, like chili con carne. This recipe is made with roasted green chiles, which give it an authentic Mexican flavor.
more salsa inspiration
If you tried this Homemade Green Chile Salsa Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Homemade Salsa with Green Chiles and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 6 to 7 green chile peppers, Anaheim orย Hatch, roasted and peeled
- 1 jalapeรฑo peppers, roasted (optional), or 2
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced, or ยฝ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 14.5-ounce can whole tomatoes
- ยผ cup tomato sauce, (optional)
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the roasted and peeled chiles, jalapeรฑo peppers (optional), salt, garlic, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauce for a few seconds.
- You do not want to puree itโchunky is best with this flavorful salsa.
Video
Notes
- Learn how to roast chile peppers.
- Chunky vs. Smooth: For a chunkier texture, pulse instead of fully blending. You can also make this salsa in a molcajete for a more rustic, traditional consistency with extra depth of flavor.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Keep in freezer-safe plastic containers or glass mason jars for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: February 2013. This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook and also shared over on Today.com: Skip the jar and get creative with easy, homemade salsa.
So easy to make and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi, do you peel the jalapeรฑos as well?ย
Thank you,
Cynthia
You can if youโd like, but not necessary.ย
Iโm a native Texan and the Hispanic culture has become an integral part of my life, I consider myself a Texican. ย We use cilantro and lime in our salsas in the Texas Hill Country. I love your recipe and plan to make it today, but wanted to know if I would ruin your recipe if I added cilantro and lime juice. Thank you!ย
Hi Sharon, I hope I am not too late. I welcome you to try the salsa as-is. Taste it and if you feel you miss the flavors you love, then add. Enjoy!
Very flavorful. But a little too much garlic. I also added lime juice and a little cilantro.ย
I made your salsa casera today & I loved it . I had to modify a bit because I didnโt have canned tomatoes so I roasted a few and it came out pretty good I may say. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.ย
Looks Da-licious. I can already taste it. I make mine basically with the same ingredients, except I use my own home grown chiles and in my molcajete. I then cook it in some olive oil, Jar it and refrigerate it. A must, much needed at my table every day…#GottaLoveIt
Just the way my mamasita would make it, I really never paid attention to the details, thank you for your helpย
Wonderful salsa…..on another note my great grandmaโs name was Jesusitaย
Do you de-seed the Anaheim Chileโs? Since itโs for salsa Iโm not sure. Thank you! ๐ย
Hi Mary! You can if you want, but I personally do not seed them because I like my salsa spicy. Please look at the blog post again. I just uploaded a NEW video that will help you see the process. Enjoy!
These recipes remind me of growing up..my grams always said “real women always make salsa by hand” I am from El Paso also..interesting.