Chipotle Salsa (easy blender recipe)

This may be the best salsa yet! Smoky chipotle salsa is a magical blend of fire roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo, and the fresh flavors of onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime. 

Get your blender out, you have to make this salsa! A food processor will do the job, too. This chipotle salsa is a perfect marriage of smoky tomato and chipotle chile pepper. You’ll want to make a double batch. Make sure you have lots of tortilla chips! And beer. Or maybe this calls for margaritas!

My hubby and I love a little Mexican restaurant up north. Why? Because they have the best salsa ever! We devour the complimentary chips and salsa in about two seconds and always order a second round … before we even get our drinks. It’s almost embarrassing. Okay, it is embarrassing.

The chips are really good but the salsa is the reason we can’t stop eating them. We’ve never had salsa like it before. Until now! Dare I say, this chipotle salsa recipe is a darn good copycat.

According to our waitress, the restaurant fire-roasts their own tomatoes which gives the salsa such a memorable flavor. That’s a time consuming project and I know you don’t want to hassle with that. But guess what? You can buy fire roasted tomatoes in a can at the grocery store. Oh wait, you  already knew that?

You can mix this salsa up in about ten minutes.

Everyone loves my restaurant style salsa which is very similar to this recipe without the smoky component. I can’t wait for you guys to try this one!

About this chipotle salsa

The smoky flavor in this fantastic salsa comes from two sources: fire-roasted tomatoes and a couple of canned chipotle peppers in adobo. Chipotle peppers are smoked and dried jalapeño peppers. They pack a little heat but won’t knock your socks off. The adobo sauce they’re canned in is a tangy red sauce that complements the peppers. They’re so good in this cherry chipotle BBQ sauce! Serious Eats has a nice list of chipotle pepper recipes.

Experiment a bit and see how much smoky heat you like. We find that two chipotle peppers is about right for us.

Tip: What to do with the rest of the can of chipotle peppers? Pack two peppers with some of the sauce into individual snack size zip top bags and freeze them. You’ll be all ready for the next batch of salsa.

Chopped onion, garlic, fresh cilantro, and lime juice are added to this salsa for lots of upfront sassy flavor. Blend the ingredients just until they are the right salsa consistency, perfect for scooping onto tortilla chips or in this healthy Mexican lasagna.

What’s in this blender salsa?

• Fire Roasted Tomatoes – If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, regular diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes will work.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – These are what sets this salsa apart. Don’t skip them!
• Onion – A must-have in salsa, if you ask me.
• Fresh Garlic – You could also use garlic powder if you prefer a more mild garlic flavor. Try 1/2 teaspoon.
• Cilantro – I always go heavy on it, but add as much as you like.
• Fresh Lime Juice – Lime juice balances out the flavors and really brightens up the taste of the salsa.
• Salt – You don’t need a ton because you’ll probably be dipping salty chips into the salsa, but a little is necessary to round out this recipe.

How to make this salsa your own

Why mess with perfection?! But….if you’re craving something a little different:

• You can add a little more heat by increasing the amount of chipotle peppers.
• If you prefer salsa with fresh tomatoes, try this Pico de Gallo.
• If you like green salsa with tomatillos, you’ll love my popular salsa verde.
• Still have a can of cranberry sauce hiding out in your pantry? Try cranberry salsa. It’s so easy, with only two ingredients.

Storage Tips

Smoky chipotle salsa can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge. Give it a little stir before serving.

More yummy dips

Whether you’re planning a party or just hanging out at home, tortilla chips and a yummy dip are always a good idea. Try:

• Poblano Queso Dip
• 7 Layer Dip Recipe — THE BEST!
• Queso Blanco in the Slow Cooker
• Healthy Queso Dip with Butternut Squash
• Mexicali Dip Recipe — Irresistible!
• Mexican Corn Dip
• Mexican Spinach Dip
• Mango Avocado Salsa with Pineapple
• Baked Corn Tortilla Chips — make your own better-for-you tortilla chips.