Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On July 14, 2025

We'll show you how to make fresh, homemade gluten-free salsa recipes. And, guess what, some don't even have tomatoes. They're all packed with fresh ingredients and perfect for Mexican dishes or party snacks.

Overhead view of chunky gluten-free bell pepper salsa in a white bowl surrounded by tortilla chips.

Table of Contents

The Best Gluten-Free Salsa Recipes

Fresh salsa is one of those condiments that adds to most dishes. I often neglect to buy a jar at the store, and don't have tomatoes on hand due to all the Summer salads we make. So these recipes are a welcome addition to those bell peppers I need to use up before they spoil.

They're a great make-ahead recipe and are also a thoughtful gift if you are going to a Summer function and the host doesn't want you to bring anything along.

We love adding them to anything and everything, ranging from breakfast tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowl, and roasted veggies. And if you like, here's an Instant Pot salsa chicken recipe that's tasty.

Hand holding a tortilla chip scooped with chunky bell pepper salsa, showing texture and diced vegetables.

Why You’ll Love These Recipes

Versatile - We love bottling them up and then having them on hand for nachos, tortilla chips, wraps, and more. You can also enjoy it mild or add chilis for a bit of a zing.

Use up seasonal ingredients - If you have an abundance of fresh bell peppers and garlic or garlic scapes, they make a lovely fresh seasonal dish packed with flavor.

No tomatoes needed for some recipes - If you don't like tomatoes, these salsa recipes are for you. I seem to always not have any on hand, but do have peppers lurking around after only a portion being used for salads and fajitas.

Types Of Gluten-Free Salsa Recipes (Chunky, Smooth, or Cooked)

Salsa is incredibly versatile, and everyone has their preference. I love chunky and cooked, which is why our bell pepper salsa is featured below.

Fresh salsa - This style of salsa uses freshly chopped ingredients with no cooking involved. It usually has tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. Drain excess liquid so it's not soggy.
Smooth or blended salsa - This salsa has canned or roasted tomatoes, white onion, garlic, jalapeño or serrano peppers, cilantro, lime juice or vinegar, and salt. You can add cumin or chipotle for extra flavor.
Cooked and chunky - I am team cooked and chunky, so follow our bell salsa pepper recipe below.

You can choose the type based on what you are going to use it for. If using it with tortilla chips, make sure the chips you select can hold all that tasty goodness.

Ingredients For Our Bell Pepper Recipe

You need only a few ingredients to make this recipe, the bulk of which are bell peppers in various colors.

Bell peppers - This is the base of the salsa. Sweet, colorful, and rich in flavor. I've used a mix of red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers, but you can use what is available. Red is your sweetest pepper, then yellow and orange, and green is the most bitter. Play around with your combo.
White onion - Onions are sautéed to make them a little sweet, and it balances out the flavor. You can use a brown onion, red onions, or yellow onions. Note that there's a difference between summer and autumn onions!
Garlic - We've used a single clove; anything more and it will overpower the flavor you're looking to achieve. You can use garlic scapes when they are abundant in Summer. They are, however, milder.
Smoked paprika - Adds a nice smoky taste. It also brings out the flavor in the other ingredients.
Salt - Balances out all the flavors. Adjust according to your taste. If your tortilla chips are salty, use less salt.
Habanero peppers or jalapeño peppers (optional) - For heat. Adds a fruity, intense spice that cuts through the sweetness. Start with one and increase to taste.

If you're interested in the economics of peppers, there's a pretty interesting write up from the University of Florida.

Equipment Needed

Use a chopping board and a sharp knife when preparing the ingredients. Use a large skillet or sauté pan to simmer the salsa with a wooden spoon.

You'll need a blender or food processor to blend half of the ingredients. Get some canning jars so you can place the salsa in them for storage, or if you'd like to give it as a gift or to store it for longer.

Spoonful of chunky cooked bell pepper salsa being lifted from a glass jar, showing its thick texture and vibrant red-orange color.

How to Make Homemade Salsa

This is our signature tomato-free salsa recipe, made by blending and simmering fresh bell peppers.

Chop And Saute

Diced green, yellow, and red bell peppers lined up with chopped white onion and garlic on a wooden cutting board, ready for salsa prep.

Diced green and yellow bell peppers with onion cooking in a black cast iron pan, next to a knife and seasoning.

Roughly dice 3 of the bell peppers, the white onion, and the garlic clove. Set aside. Chop the remaining 5 bell peppers and keep them separate. These will be blended to form the base.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced peppers, onion, and garlic with a small splash of oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Blend And Combine

Bright orange-red blended bell pepper mixture in a glass bowl with an immersion blender on the side.

Gluten-free bell pepper salsa cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Add the 5 chopped raw bell peppers to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. For more texture, pulse instead of puréeing completely.

Pour the blended peppers into the sauté pan with the cooked mixture. Stir in the smoked paprika and salt. Mix well to combine.

Bring to a low simmer. Let cook for 15–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salsa thickens and deepens in color.

Simmer, Cool, And Serve

Fully cooked gluten-free bell pepper salsa served in a white bowl, showing softened chunks of onion and pepper.

Remove from the heat and let the salsa cool completely. For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve with fresh cilantro.

Other Gluten-Free Salsa Recipes You Can Make

We've made the base recipe above, and all you need to do is customize it to your taste by choosing one of these recipes below. So with just one base, you’re getting four easy salsa recipes. That’s a win!

Habanero peach salsa - Add ½ chopped ripe peach to the blended pepper mix before simmering, and add 1 small habanero, finely chopped or blended
Jalapeño and lime salsa - Add 1–2 fresh jalapeños to the sauté or blend stage. Add lime juice only after cooking, for fresh acidity.
Roasted poblano and garlic salsa - Replace 1 or 2 bell peppers with roasted poblano for a smoky taste. Roast the garlic before sautéeing it for a deeper flavor.

Tips On How to Make The Best Homemade Salsa Recipes

Use fresh spices- Make sure your spices are fresh so you get the correct flavor.
Add some heat - If you prefer a spicy salsa, consider adding in roasted poblano, fresh jalapeño peppers, or habanero.
Pepper selection - Use red and yellow sweeter peppers for the blended portion and green and orange for the sauteed portion. I find a ratio of 4:2:2 ratio works, 4 red, 2 yellow or orange, and 2 green.
Cool in a bowl - Cooling it in a bowl makes the sauce thicken more, and then transfer it into a jar.
Chill overnight - If possible, let it chill overnight. It tastes better.
Don't peel the peppers - Keep the skin on for a thicker salsa.
Simmer uncovered - Don't cover the salsa when sauteeing. It will make it too watery.
Chop the peppers to your liking - I prefer a chunky salsa, but if you prefer it less chunky, then slice the peppers a little smaller. Not too small or else they will break down when simmering.

Side angle of cooked gluten-free salsa garnished with a cilantro leaf, with chips and bell peppers in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions to help you along the way.

How Long Does Homemade Salsa Last?

Store your gluten-free salsa in a jar in the fridge for 5-7 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe jar for up to 3 months. If it's a glass container, make sure it can be frozen and leave a bit of space on the top as it expands.

Should I Add Lime Juice?

It has not been added to this recipe, but it's very commonly added to taste. So feel free to add a drop or two of fresh lime juice.

Bowl of gluten-free cooked salsa surrounded by tortilla chips, garlic, bell pepper pieces, and habanero peppers.

Is Salsa Always Gluten-Free?

No, store-bought salsa is not always gluten-free. It is a good idea to either check the recipe for gluten or, if it is bought from a supermarket that you read the ingredients on the jar. Things to look out for are thickeners, malt vinegar, and shared facilities, depending on your level of sensitivity.

And remember, the FDA has its own rules for what qualifies as gluten free.

What Is Salsa Fresca?

Salsa fresca, also known as pico de gallo, is a type of uncooked Mexican salsa made from fresh, raw ingredients. It's usually chopped tomatoes, onions, chilies, cilantro, and lime juice.

Unlike our recipe below, which is blended and simmered salsa, salsa fresca is meant to stay crisp and vibrant with no cooking. Ingredients are chopped by hand, then lightly salted and drained to remove excess liquid before serving.

If you want to adapt our recipe to serve in the salsa fresca style, blend less of it and don't simmer any of it. All the ingredients are washed, cut, and served raw. I like it with the pieces diced small. That makes it easier to serve on a chip.

How Do You Make Restaurant-Style Salsa?

It varies so much by restaurant! Some use a smoky chipotle, while others serve salsa verde, so it depends on what kind you want to make. The one below is a great restaurant salsa recipe, and it's easy to make.

Where Can You Buy Gluten-Free Salsa?

Salsa is widely available. You can buy it online, at your local supermarket, and at specialty delis. Here are a few of our favorites:

Fody Mild Salsa - This is a certified gluten-free salsa with clean ingredients.
Pace Chunky Mild Salsa - It is a chunkier style of salsa.
All-Natural Fiery Red Salsa - If you prefer something with a lot of spice.

Of course, I prefer to make mine at home. That way I know what's in it, that it's completely fresh, and that it's exactly as spicy as I like it.

Yield: 3 - 3.5 cups

Gluten-Free Salsa

Name: Gluten-Free Salsa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or orange); 1/2 white onion; 1 clove garlic; 1 tbs Smoked paprika; 1 tbs salt; Optional: 1-3 habanero peppers; Optional: Use garlic scapes instead of garlic cloves

This homemade gluten-free salsa recipe is delightful as a party snack and doubles as the perfect condiment for Mexican food.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

8 bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or orange)
½ white onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbs Smoked paprika
1 tbs salt
Optional: 1-3 habanero peppers
Optional: Use garlic scapes instead of garlic cloves

Instructions

Roughly dice 3 of the bell peppers, the white onion, and the garlic clove. Set aside.
Chop the remaining 5 bell peppers and keep them separate. These will be blended.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced peppers, onion, and garlic with a small splash of oil (or water for oil-free). Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the 5 chopped raw bell peppers to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. For more texture, pulse instead of puréeing completely.
Pour the blended peppers into the sauté pan with the cooked mixture. Stir in the smoked paprika and salt. Mix well to combine.
Bring to a low simmer. Let cook for 15–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salsa thickens and deepens in color.
Remove from the heat and let the salsa cool completely. For best texture and flavor, refrigerate overnight before serving.
Serve with gluten-free tortilla chips or your choice of mains and sides.

Notes

Use fresh smoked paprika - Make sure your spices are fresh so you get the correct flavor.
Add some heat - If you prefer a spicy salsa, consider adding in roasted poblano or habanero.
Pepper selection - Use red and yellow sweeter peppers for the blended portion and green and orange for the sauteed portion. I find a ratio of 4:2:2 ratio works, 4 red, 2 yellow or orange, and 2 green.
Cool in a bowl - Cooling it in a bowl makes the sauce thicken more, and then transfer it into a jar.
Chill overnight - If possible, let it chill overnight. It tastes better as all the flavors intermingle.
Don't peel the peppers - Keep the skin on for a thicker salsa.
Simmer uncovered - Don't cover the salsa when sauteeing. Let that water evaporate, so it gets a bit thicker.
In season, use garlic scapes instead of cloves for a garden-fresh taste.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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Gluten-Free Salsa Recipes