Salsas can be a tangy relish to serve with grilled chicken or fish, add a picante kick to braised or stewed dishes, or bring a herbaceous freshness to charred tortillas (or, of course, chips!). Start with a blender (and our easy, mix-and-match ingredient combos), and you can achieve silky-smooth or chunky salsas in a flash.

By Angela Carlos for Food Network Kitchen; photography by Karen Cohen