Cilantro-Lime Salsa

Five ingredients, no cooking, and you’ve got a salsa that puts jarred stuff to shame. This cilantro-lime version is heavy on the herbs and heat, with two full cups of fresh cilantro, eight cloves of garlic, and five jalapenos bringing serious flavor to a dead-simple preparation.

The beauty of this salsa is its flexibility. Leave it chunky for a textured chip dip, or puree it smooth for a drizzling sauce over tacos, grilled chicken, or fish. The recipe even offers a tartness adjustment: use the juice of both limes for a punchy, acidic salsa, or dial back to half a lime if you want the cilantro and garlic to lead.

This is an unapologetically bold salsa. Eight garlic cloves and five jalapenos is not shy. If you’re sensitive to heat, seed the jalapenos first. The capsaicin lives in the membranes and seeds, so removing them cuts the burn significantly while keeping the pepper flavor.

Chef Tips

• Seed the jalapenos for less heat. Five jalapenos with seeds will be fiery. Removing seeds and membranes keeps the pepper flavor without the sweat.
• Chop the cilantro stems too. The stems carry just as much flavor as the leaves, sometimes more. Don’t throw them away.
• Let it sit 30 minutes before serving. Even though it’s a no-cook salsa, the flavors bloom as the garlic and lime juice meld with the cilantro.
• Taste and adjust after resting. Salt and lime often need a final tweak after the flavors have had time to come together.

Variations

• Add diced tomatoes for a more traditional salsa with body and extra moisture.
• Tomatillo base: Blend in roasted or raw tomatillos for a proper salsa verde with more depth.
• Avocado crema version: Blend this salsa with a ripe avocado for a creamy, spreadable condiment.