This easy to make, savory and delicious South of the Border Salsa is homemade salsa at its finest. With creamy avocado, a little heat from a jalapeño, and a hint of garlic and lime, this tomato and onion based dip will quickly become a family and party favorite!
This past spring, I got a vegetable and fruit chopper from my littlest for Mother's Day.
Thanks to my little chopper (what did I ever do without it???), I am now a homemade salsa connoisseur. I've come to learn that it's quite fun to chop things into tiny squares.
Once you get into the groove, it's also fun to come up with your own salsa recipes!
South of the Border Salsa has been perfected over the last few months and is one of my favorites. With avocados, tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, garlic and more, it has an incredibly fresh flavor that just can't be beat and is quite addicting!
This delicious, juicy salsa pairs so well with tacos and many other of our Mexican meal favs, including Baked Chicken Taquitos, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas and Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup!
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👪Why you'll love it
| Good for you- Packed full of fresh ingredients and zero manufactured preservatives, homemade salsa is low in calories and vitamin rich. Will win over the jarred stuff, every time- Homemade salsa tastes incredibly delicious because you can really taste all the fresh ingredients. Crowd pleaser- No party is complete without the chips and fresh salsa! The added avocado in this salsa recipe always gets raves. |
🥘Ingredients
- fresh tomatoes- Roma or Campari preferred
- avocado- choose a firm one that's slightly soft to the touch for best results
- jalapeño pepper- removing the membranes and seeds makes it much less spicy
- red onion
- fresh cilantro- this is a very fragrant herb, so only a little is needed
- fresh lime juice- used as a preservative
- fresh garlic
- dried oregano
- dash of salt
🔪Instructions
See the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions
- Dice the tomatoes, avocado, pepper and onion using a chopper, processor or chef's knife. Add these ingredients to your mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Next, add the chopped cilantro and minced garlic; stir.
- Drizzle on the lime juice, add a dash of salt and stir.
Hint: South of the Border Salsa tastes best when it sits in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. This gives a chance for the flavors to blend together.
🥣Substitutions
For a sweeter taste, use a Vidalia onion instead of a red onion.
📖Variations
Feeling spicy? Add a habanero pepper to the salsa. You can also add a dash of cayenne pepper.
For an extra chunky salsa, add corn and black beans.
🍽Equipment
- vegetable chopper, food processor, or chef’s knife
- cutting board
- chef’s knife
- medium mixing bowl
- spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- plastic wrap
- garlic mincer
- avocado kitchen tool (optional)
- citrus juicer (optional)
🍶Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 days.
💭Top Tip
You don't need a lot of salt to bring out the flavors in this salsa. Start with just a dash. You can always add a little more later to suit your taste.
🗨️FAQ
No. Keep the skins on for added flavor and texture.
This is optional, but one that's helpful to control the liquid (and longevity) of your salsa. After dicing the tomatoes, place them in a colander and generously sprinkle with salt. Allow them to drain for about 20 minutes before adding them to the salsa.
Add more ingredients to create a chunkier salsa, along with some tomato paste. Start with 1 T. and add extra to suit your taste and preference.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with South of the Border Salsa:
📋Recipe
South of the Border Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, minced
- ½ cup chopped, red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice used as a preservative
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: Wash and slice tomatoes Pit avocado, remove skin and slice into wedges Wash jalapeño pepper, cut in half and remove stem and seeds Slice onion and remove outer layer Chop the cilantro Mince the garlic Juice the lime
- Dice the tomatoes, avocado, pepper and onion using a chopper, processor or chef's knife. Add these ingredients to your mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Next, add the chopped cilantro and minced garlic; stir.
- Drizzle on the lime juice, add a dash of salt and stir.
- South of the Border Salsa tastes best when it sits in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. This gives a chance for the flavors to blend together!
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 days.
Sam D. says
I never had avocado in my salsa before...this was delicious, but any advice on not having it brown so fast?
Kitchen Ready Betty says
To prevent the avocado from quickly browning, place plastic wrap directly on top of the salsa in the container. Then place another layer of plastic wrap just under the lid before sealing. This double layer method helps to keep air out that causes an enzyme in the avocado to react when it’s exposed to oxygen.