Cherry Tomato Salsa with Red Onion

Fresh and delicious, this cherry tomato salsa is sweet, tangy and so easy to make! It's the perfect accompaniment to any Mexican feast!

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Close up of cherry tomato red onion salsa in a white bowl with a spoon.

Last Updated on January 25, 2022 by Betty Davies

Fresh, tangy and sweet, this cherry tomato salsa recipe is a great topping for tacos and tostadas, or serve it up as an easy side salad. With flavors of red onion, cilantro and lime, this Mexican inspired recipe is vibrant in taste and looks! Quick to make and ready to serve in minutes with just a few basic ingredients.

Overhead shot of cherry tomato salsa in a bowl with a spoon, next to a squeezed lime and fresh cilantro leaves.

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This is my go to salsa recipe whenever we have tacos, nachos or tostadas! It takes minutes to make and is wonderfully fresh and vibrant, with hints of sweet, salt and acid.

Making salsa with cherry tomatoes was a real game changer, the tomatoes are so much quicker and less messy to prep than regular ones and they have a natural sweetness that I find much more palatable. The added red onion, cilantro and lime juice add zing and freshness.

As well as being a great accompaniment to Mexican dishes, it makes for a great side salad for weeknight dinners and cookouts, or serve it up as a dip with some tortilla chips.

Be sure to try my Tomato Basil Rice and Rice Stuffed Tomatoes too!

Why you will love this recipe!

Quick and easy: It takes no more than 5 minutes to chop your ingredients and mix everything together.
Simple ingredients: You don’t need a long list of ingredients to make this dish, but for best results, make sure that everything is fresh.
Make ahead: This salsa tastes best when it’s left to sit before serving to let the flavors develop. It will keep well in the fridge for several days.
Dietary info: This cherry tomato salsa is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, and one serving is low in carbs, coming in at around 6 g per serving. The dish is low in calories and fats, and you get a good helping of vitamins and minerals in every serving.

Cherry tomato salsa in a white bowl next to a squeezed lime.

Ingredients

Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are sweeter than regular sized tomatoes and you just have to wash and quarter tham and you are good to go. I used mixer cherry tomatoes that have a variety of colors, but you can just use regular.
Red onion: A little red onion adds a nice tang. Dice it finely so that it’s not too overpowering.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Cilantro: Chopped cilantro adds a nice freshness to the salsa dip, and I love the pop of color it adds.
Lime juice: Use fresh lime juice rather than bottled for the best tangy flavor.
Sugar: A little granulated sugar helps to balance out the acid in the tomatoes and lime juice.

How to make cherry tomato salsa

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Chop the tomatoes, red onion and cilantro and add to a bowl with the other ingredients (photo 1).
Mix together to serve (photo 2).

Two step by step photos to show how to make the recipe.

Recipe Variations

This cherry tomato salsa is pretty delicious as it is, and it’s easy to adapt to suit your specific tastes. Once you have made the salsa, give it a taste and adjust the lime juice, sugar or salt if needed.

If you don’t like cilantro, you can swap this for parsley, so that you don’t miss out on that fresh flavor.

You can use other tomatoes to make this recipe, just dice them finely and add them to a bowl. You may need to add a little more sugar as they won’t be as sweet.

Red onion is mild enough to be eaten raw, you can swap it with green onion or shallots, but it’s best not to use yellow or white onions which have a much sharper flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you blend this salsa to make it smooth?

I personally love a fresh and chunky salsa like this one, but you can easily make a smoother sauce style salsa by mixing everything together in a blender or food processor.

How do you make red onion milder?

I find that the finely diced red onion in this salsa isn’t overpowering at all, but if you are sensitive to the taste, you can easily make them a little milder. Dice the red onion, then soak in some water for 5 to 10 minutes, this will reduce the acidity levels.

How long does it keep?

This will keep well in the fridge for around 3 to 4 days. As it sits, the juices from the tomatoes will settle in the bottom of the bowl, you can just drain this away to serve. I do recommend that you let the salsa sit for about half an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

Chopped cherry tomatoes in a bowl mixed with red onion and cilantro.

Serving Suggestions

This cherry tomato salsa recipe is great to serve with all your favorite Mexican foods, serve it as a topping, a dip or an addition to a larger salad. Try it with:

It’s also a really great topping for some grilled or baked chicken – it’s and easy way to and some flavor and color to an otherwise boring dish.

Recipe Notes and Tips

I like to quarter the cherry tomatoes so that they are small in size making them great for topping or scooping. You can just half them if you prefer.
Dice the red onion finely so that it mixes well with the other ingredients and isn’t too overpowering.
The secret to this salsa is to use the freshest and best ingredients. Do not be tempted to use bottled lime juice!

Close up of the salsa with diced red onion and chopped cilantro.

Simple to make and delicious to eat, this cherry tomato salsa is a wonderful addition to your Mexican night, potluck, picnic or weeknight dinner. Fresh and vibrant, it’s a real winner!

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