• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • about
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

One Lovely Life

  • Recipes
  • lovely living
    • Books
    • favorite things
    • Kids and Family
    • Travel
    • Disney
  • subscribe

Smoky Chipotle Salsa (Restaurant Salsa Copycat)

Dairy FreeGluten FreePaleoVeganWhole30
Jump to Recipe

April 12, 2021 | 6 Comments |This post contains affiliate links.

This Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #veganThis Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe // Salsa Roja // Tomato Tomatillo Salsa // Homemade Salsa recipe #salsa #chipotlesalsa #glutenfree #texmex #vegan

This Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Make it mild, medium, or spicy! (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Overhead view of a bowl of chipotle salsa on a white background with tortilla chips

One of the things I’m looking forward to most as things open back up (other than family and travel!) is eating at restaurants. I miss it! We’ve done LOTS of carry-out and delivery from our favorite places in the last year, but there’s just something so fun about being at the restaurant, with the music and clinking glasses and the buzz of the room. Right?

One of our favorite places closed down last year, and we were SO SAD for the owners and staff. We were also so sad to lose our favorite restaurant salsa. It. Was. GOOOOOOD.

Whenever we went there, we basically planned to bring our dinners home in boxes hardly touched since we’d dive head first into the chips and salsa. Their chipotle salsa was INCREDIBLE, especially with warm, salty house-made tortilla chips. Since we can’t get it in person anymore, I’ve been playing around with a homemade version, and we finally got it down!

One of the secrets of this Chipotle Salsa recipe is the combination of tangy tomatillos with fire-roasted tomatoes. Pair that with the smoky chipotle peppers, a little lime juice, and some cilantro, and you’ve got yourself a truly excellent salsa. We may or may not have finished off all of it in just a few sittings. *cough* (FINE! We did!)

Once you taste it, I think you will, too. Here’s what you’ll need to get started…

Overhead view of ingredients for chipotle salsa
Overhead view of a blender with chipotle salsa ingredients, ready to puree

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR SMOKY CHIPOTLE SALSA:

  • Tomatillos. Our chipotle salsa is actually chipotle tomatillo salsa and uses a combination of tomatillos and tomatoes for really great depth of flavor. I prefer fresh tomatillos when you can find them, but canned will do in a pinch.
  • Onion. Next up is some onion. I find a little goes a long way in salsa, so you’ll only need about half of a yellow or sweet onion for our chipotle salsa recipe.
  • A *Tiny* Bit Of Oil. To help the tomatillos and onion develop their flavor a bit, I drizzle them with a tiny bit of oil and pop them under the broiler. The oil helps keep everything from scorching too much.
  • Fire-Roasted Tomatoes. A cheat I use in my chipotle salsa recipe is canned fire-roasted tomatoes. The fire-roasting gives them a smoky flavor that’s beautiful with our chipotle chiles.
  • Chipotle Chiles in Adobo. Speaking of chiles, our chipotle salsa gets its chipotle flavor from chipotle chiles packed in adobo. Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapeños and the adobo sauce they’re packed in is spicy and smoky. Don’t worry–you can totally control the heat in this salsa! It can be made mild, medium, or spicy.
  • Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is a must in salsa for me. It adds bright flavor and a pretty pop of color I love to see swirled into the chipotle salsa.
  • Lime Juice. The acidity of fresh lime juice really ties the flavors together and keeps your chipotle salsa from tasting flat. I highly recommend fresh lime juice only for this recipe.
  • Salt. Last, but not least is salt. I’ve found that salt is KEY in homemade salsa. Often, if my salsa doesn’t taste *quite* the way I want it to, it just needs a bit more salt. The salt will help break down the veggies and highlight the flavors. If something’s missing, add a little more salt!
Front view of a jar of chipotle salsa with a platter of tortilla chips on a white background
Overhead view of a bowl of chipotle salsa on a wooden board with tortilla chips

OUR FAVORITE WAYS TO EAT CHIPOTLE SALSA

  1. CHIPS AND SALSA. You knew I was going to start here! I will take ALL of the chips and salsa forever and ever, amen. We really like Cantina-style tortilla chips (the really thin ones that mimic our favorite restaurant tortilla chips). For a grain-free option, Siete chips can’t be beat!
  2. IN BURRITO BOWLS. We eat burrito bowls 2-3 times a month and just LOVE THEM. Try our Chipotle Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with this Chipotle Salsa on top. The double dose of smoky chipotle flavors is tough to beat!
  3. WITH ALL THE TACOS. Whether they’re Breakfast Tacos, Fish Tacos, Chicken Tacos, Barbacoa Beef, Slow Cooker Carnitas, or anything else you can think of, we love tacos with Chipotle Salsa. (But seriously, try the breakfast tacos. They’ll change your life.)
  4. ON FAJITAS. Fajitas are another regular dinner around these parts, whether we stay meatless with our Sizzling Veggie Fajitas or opt for ease with our Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
  5. OVER NACHOS. We always have an easy dinner on Fridays (our family movie night) and nachos make a regular appearance. Pile them high with goodies, pop them in the oven to get melty and toasty, then top with dollops of our famous Guacamole and some Chipotle Salsa. SO. GOOD.
  6. WITH EGGS AT BREAKFAST. I love salsa with eggs, whether I’m having simple scrambled eggs or doing something like Huevos Rancheros. I sometimes swap the traditional pico de gallo for this chipotle salsa. It’s delicious.
  7. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. Okay, not *everything,* but basically everything else! Spoon this chipotle salsa over grilled chicken, roll it into burritos, use it to make Instant Pot Salsa Chicken, add it to your Chicken Taquitos and top all your Tex-Mex faves with this tasty goodness.
Front view of a bowl of chipotle salsa with a platter of tortilla chips on a white background
Overhead view of a bowl of chipotle salsa on a white background with tortilla chips

FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST CHIPOTLE SALSA:

  • MAKE IT SPICY OR MAKE IT MILD. You control the heat here, so if you’re a bit nervous, start small and work your way up. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
  • GLUTEN-FREE? READ THIS! Not all chipotle chiles in adobo are gluten-free, since some brands use flour to thicken their adobo sauce. If you need to be mindful of gluten, double check your chipotle peppers are gluten-free. Our favorite gluten-free chipotle chiles in adobo are La Costeña brand.
  • HELP! I CAN’T FIND FRESH TOMATILLOS. CAN I USE CANNED TOMATILLOS INSTEAD? If you can’t find fresh tomatillos? Look for canned ones! They’ll work just fine in a pinch. (You can even order them online to keep a stash on hand)
  • HOW LONG WILL HOMEMADE CHIPOTLE SALSA STAY FRESH? Homemade salsa usually lasts 5-7 days in the refrigerator. (If you don’t eat it all first 😉)
Close up Overhead view of a bowl of chipotle salsa on a white background with tortilla chips

love salsa? you’d probably love:

Close up overhead view of a bowl of pineapple guacamole with a chip dipped inside

Pineapple Guacamole

Overhead view of Mango Salsa in a white bowl with tortilla chips on the side

Fresh Mango Salsa

Close up view of a tortilla chip being dipped into homemade salsa verde (green salsa)

Homemade Salsa Verde

Pico de Gallo from One Lovely Life

Pico De Gallo

did you make this recipe?

Click to rate it below!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Overhead view of a bowl of chipotle salsa on a white background with tortilla chips

Smoky Chipotle Salsa (Restaurant Copycat)


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 3.5 cups 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This Smoky Chipotle Salsa rivals our favorite restaurant salsa and tastes good on EVERYTHING. Make it mild, medium, or spicy!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 oz. tomatillos (peeled, if fresh or drained, if canned)
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 (14.5oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1–2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced (about 1–2 Tbsp.) 
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • olive or avocado oil

Instructions

  1. Place tomatillos and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil (or mist with spray oil) and broil for 5-8 minutes, turning over halfway through, until slightly blistered. Let cool slightly.
  2. Place tomatillos and onions in a blender with tomatoes, chipotle peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
  3. Pulse or puree until you reach the texture you prefer (if you like more texture, you can just pulse it to break it up a bit). Taste and add salt, as desired.
  4. Makes 3.5 cups
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Keywords: chipotle salsa, restaurant salsa, restaurant copycat salsa, smoky salsa

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @onelovelylife1 on Instagram and hashtag it #onelovelyrecipe

Filed Under: Appetizers & Dips, condiments, marinades, & spreads, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snacks, Vegan, Whole30

Reader Interactions

Previous Post Strawberry Mint Julep Mocktails (Non-Alcoholic)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Ali | Gimme Some Oven

    August 18, 2014 at 7:34 am

    I adore good tomatillo salsa. Looks wonderful!

    Reply
    • emily

      August 18, 2014 at 7:56 am

      Ali – You just made my day by commenting! You are one of my VERY favorites. Thank you!

      Reply
  2. EllenL

    August 18, 2014 at 8:03 am

    This looks yummy! I’ll be trying the recipe.

    Speaking of salsa, we love this Mango Salsa that I found on the Epicurious website:

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mango-Salsa-5707

    Some options for add-ins:
    *finely chopped jalapeno (for heat)
    *diced avocado

    Best wishes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • emily

      August 18, 2014 at 8:26 am

      YUM! I love mango salsa!

      Reply
  3. Mama Lynn

    August 18, 2014 at 8:36 am

    One can never have enough good salsa recipes! Hooray!

    Reply
  4. Robin B.

    August 18, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    I made this today and I thought it was really yummy but that was without the chipotle part…just saw that tonight! I was wondering how to spice it up for my husband, but I guess that answers that question!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

about emily

Hi, I’m Emily! I create fresh, flexible family recipes to help you feel more confident in the kitchen. Whether you’ve got picky eaters, food allergies/intolerances to navigate, or just a serious craving to satisfy, I want to help you eat delicious, gorgeous meals without a lot of fuss.

let’s be friends

more about emily

Simplify Your Weekly Meal Plan With Our Free Mini-Course!

Learn how to DIY delicious meal plans in minutes to make meal planning a breeze.  

One Lovely Life will use the information you provide to be in touch with you & provide email updates.

join the lovely list + never miss a recipe

get recipes + tips + favorites + more by signing up below

Footer

  • Favorite Things
  • Our Home
  • Kids and Family
  • Travel
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • about
  • Contact

follow along on instagram!

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting (Da Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting (Dairy-Free Friendly!). Monday seems like a good day for cupcakes, yes? These Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting are PERFECT for Easter this coming weekend, or make birthdays and celebrations even more special.
.
If you watch the video, you'll see you don't even need a ton of fancy skills to make them look extra beautiful. I'm sharing the full recipe + all my best decorating tips and tricks (whether you have a piping bag or not!) and more in today's post.

Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe.

https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-lemon-cupcakes/

#OneLovelyRecipe #LemonCupcakes #GlutenFreeCupcakes #GlutenFreeBaking #EasterDessert #GlutenFreeCake #FeedFeed #KingArthurBaking #ChosenFoods #WholesomeSweet #RodelleVanilla #SimplyOrganic #LoveSprouts #DriscollsBerry #FinestBerries #CupcakeDecorating
Fudgy brownies + creamy mint frosting + chocolate Fudgy brownies + creamy mint frosting + chocolate ganache = AMAZING Gluten Free Mint Brownies that are perfect for St. Patrick's Day (or your next chocolate craving).
.
These yummy brownies are a polished take on an old classic, with each layer done *just* right. Use my quick gluten-free brownie recipe for the base or swap in your favorite boxed mix instead! (I've linked my favorite boxed mix in the post, too!)
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe. It's THE BEST!
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-mint-brownies/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #MintBrownies #GlutenFreeBrownies #GlutenFreeDessert #GlutenFreeDairyFree #GlutenFreeBaking #Brownies #WholesomeSweet #KingArthurBaking #Guittard #LoveSprouts #FeedFeed #StPatricksDayRecipe #ChocolateCraving
Does Taco Salad count for Taco Tuesday? It's one o Does Taco Salad count for Taco Tuesday? It's one of my favorites, and this Black Bean Taco Salad is a gorgeous vegetarian option that'll please even the most fervent meat eater. 
.
With a blend of colorful veggies, crispy tortilla strips, and a creamy dressing that’ll keep you coming back for more, it's absolutely worth adding to your menu this week!
.
To get the recipe and our favorite dressings to top it with, tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/black-bean-taco-salad/
.
.
#TacoSalad #TacoTuesday #MeatlessMonday #PlantBased #Meatless #HealthyDinner #AvocadoLove #GlutenFree #VegetarianDinner #Flexitarian #BlackBeans #FeedFeed #LoveSprouts #BushsBeans #SimplyOrganic #AvocadosFromMexico #MissionTortillas
🍓🥗It's *allllmost* officially spring, so I'm 🍓🥗It's *allllmost* officially spring, so I'm craving lighter, sunnier meals lately. This Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of our long-time favorites. It's a hybrid of the ones we grew up eating from our moms, made with a lighter dressing and finished with a few tasty details we LOVE.
.
I love that it's easy enough to serve on a weeknight as a side salad to your favorite main dish, but looks gorgeous at Easter brunch or Easter dinner, too! Want to turn it into a full meal? I've got ideas for that, too. 
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the full recipe + more yummy mix-ins to try + our best tips for this super delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/strawberry-spinach-salad/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #StrawberrySpinachSalad #SideSalad #SaladRecipe #FinestBerries #Driscolls #FeedFeed #EasterRecipe #HealthyDinner #HealthyRecipe #GlutenFree #LoveSprouts #SpinachSalad #EatYourGreens #EarthboundFarm #SimplyOrganic #BHGFood #Paleo #PlantBased #WholesomeSweet #AvocadosFromMexico #EatTheRainbow🌈
These Raspberry Overnight Oats are the kind of rec These Raspberry Overnight Oats are the kind of recipe that's worth waking up for! Mix them up the night before and pop them in the fridge. Future you will thank you for it!
.
The recipe is super simple + with all our topping ideas you're bound to feel inspired and ready to dive in with a spoon!
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe + all our favorite toppings! https://www.onelovelylife.com/raspberry-overnight-oats/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #OvernightOats #MealPrepBreakfast #GlutenFree #Vegan #HealthyBreakfast #FeedFeed #AlmondBreeze #BobsRedMill #Navitas #DriscollsBerry #FinestBerries #LoveSprouts #RodelleVanilla
🍍🥬🍹Could anyone else use a tropical pick- 🍍🥬🍹Could anyone else use a tropical pick-me-up on this Monday? This Pineapple Mint Smoothie's got what you need! Made with a handful of simple ingredients (+your favorite smoothie boosts), it tastes like a mocktail and sneaks in some greens while it's at it!
.
Get the full recipe + our favorite smoothie boosts to add on the blog today! Tap @onelovelylife1, then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/pineapple-mint-smoothie/
.
.
#onelovelyrecipe #pineapple #pineapplesmoothie #greensmoothie #kidfriendlysmoothie #kidfriendlyrecipe #healthybreakfast #healthysnack #feedfeed #earthboundorganic #lovesprouts #lovesprouts #thaikitchen #blendtec #stayvital #dole #glutenfree #plantbased #paleo #dairyfree #vegansmoothie
Back to Top

Copyright © 2021 • One Lovely Life • Privacy Policy

Design by Grace + Vine Studios

istisnasız her gün profesyonel sporlarla uğraşan sikiş yengesi bir süredir kapalı olan mekanlar yüzünden çok porno büyük sıkıntıya düşmüştür parası çok olan kadın porno özel bir eğitmen tutarak spora devam etmek istediğini sex söylediğinde yüzmeyi güneşlenmeyi ve bikini ile güneşin altında porno izle saatlerce uzanıp hiçbir şey yapmamayı çok seven porno izle sarışın kız evine çok uzakta olan sahil kesimine sex video gitmeye üşendiği için mahallesinin sonunda bulunan porno lüks villayı gözüne kestirerek kimsenin modern sex izle ve gelişmiş bir toplumun parçası olmak isteyen hd porno bir kafa yapısına sahip olan mature aşırı fazla porno bir modern yapısına evrilmiştir