Ready to use your homemade salsa? Try it with keto tortilla chips, keto quesadillas, or keto taco casserole. My family loves it when I make a Mexican feast, but when I’m watching my carbs, I have to make some compromises… Just kidding! My low-carb salsa recipe is anything but a compromise. With a handful of ingredients and naturally sweetened tomatoes, we can have the same refreshing flavor as our favorite bottled salsa–without the added sugar.
Why I love this recipe
Healthier than store-bought salsa. Granted, not every brand sneaks copious amounts of sugar and corn syrup into their salsa, but too many do. That’s why I started making it from scratch. Fresher flavor, too. Let’s face it: nothing beats sauces made from scratch. Quick to make. It’ll be ready in minutes, I guarantee it. Customize it. Leave it as is, or give it a kick with added spices.
Ingredients needed
Canned diced tomatoes. I prefer using the kind with no added salt so I can add salt myself. Make sure not to strain the tomatoes–we want those juices! Cilantro. A must for fresh salsa. I’ve used parsley before, but the flavor isn’t nearly as potent. Green bell peppers. Adds texture and color. Onion. White or red onion works equally well. Lime juice. For essential acidity. Cayenne pepper. To give the salsa some heat. You can use red pepper flakes if you don’t have cayenne pepper. Salt and black pepper. To taste.
How to make keto-friendly salsa
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 1- Combine. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add salt if needed. Step 2- Store. Pour the mixture into a bowl and serve immediately or chill.
Arman’s recipe tips
Prefer extra chunky salsa? Use whole canned tomatoes instead. Don’t use fresh tomatoes. I tested this recipe assuming fresh would be best, but I found they lacked the essential acidity and intense flavor. De-stem the cilantro. This doesn’t always happen, but sometimes, when I process the salsa ingredients, I find the cilantro stems don’t fully blend and can get stuck in your teeth.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover salsa in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Give it a stir before serving. I don’t recommend freezing salsa as it makes the tomatoes mushy. Like regular salsa, you can use my version however you want. Here are some suggestions:
As a topping for taco bowls or taco salad Wrapped in keto tortillas with your favorite burrito fixings As a dip with keto crackers or cheese chips Served with fresh celery or cucumbers for even more veggies
Spicy peppers. In addition to cayenne, add de-stemmed peppers (jalapeno peppers are mild, whereas small red peppers are the spiciest). Fruit. Pulse in pineapple, peaches, or mango for a sweet and salty combination. Garlic. I don’t add this because it’s not traditional, but freshly minced garlic adds a great flavor.
Frequently asked questions
More Mexican-inspired keto recipes
Chicken tinga Picaditas Air fryer quesadillas Mulitas Or any of these Mexican recipes
