This quick and easy Restaurant Style Salsa takes just minutes to make using a mix of fresh veggies and canned goods, all in your blender. It’s packed with fresh flavors and tastes like that smooth salsa from your favorite Mexican restaurant!
Other Mexican condiments we love include our Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, and Chimichurri Sauce.
There’s a local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant just a ways from our house that we go to once a month or so. They have the best authentic Mexican food, including this salsa recipe that we fill up on every time. I asked how they make it and they handed over the details. I love them. I made some slight adjustments, but the recipe we’re sharing today is essentially it.
Restaurant Style Salsa – Why We Love It!
Restaurant Style Salsa (also known as blender salsa) is just like that smooth, flavorful salsa you find at your favorite Mexican restaurant. It’s bursting with aromatics, made with a combination of fresh, common vegetables, and also with some pantry items, so you can make it all year round.
- Amazing flavor
- Quick and easy
- Convenient
- Inexpensive
- Stores well
Restaurant Salsa Recipe
Ingredients you’ll need to make this salsa recipe:
- Canned diced tomatoes and fire-roasted tomatoes: fire-roasted tomatoes will give you a lot of added flavor, but if you can’t find them, you can double up on regular diced tomatoes.
- Canned diced green chiles: These add another layer of flavor, with just a bit of heat.
- White onion: we love white onion in our Pico de Gallo, so that’s what we use in this salsa, but you can substitute with red or yellow onion, if you prefer.
- Jalapeno pepper: Remove the seeds and ribs for a more mild salsa, or leave some of them in if you like it spicy.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic makes a huge difference here, so opt for that. Jarred minced garlic would be ok, but don’t sub in powder.
- Cilantro: I’m not a lover of cilantro, but it’s so good in this salsa and a really important ingredient. If you absolutely can’t get on board with it, then sub with parsley.
- Lime Juice: Fresh, fresh, fresh!
- Seasonings: cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar (Note: just a little sugar is a great ingredient in tomato based recipes, like sauces and salsas. It helps cut the acidity and enhances the other flavors.)
Adjust Salsa to Personal Taste
It’s easy to tinker with this salsa recipe to get it perfect for you.
- Like it spicy? Leave some ribs and seeds in the jalapeno, add in a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a 1/2 teaspoon of chiles in adobo will kick it up a notch and give it a smoky flavor.
- Want it thicker? If you prefer a thicker salsa, drain off the juice from the canned tomatoes before blending.
- Want it chunkier? We like a smooth consistency, so we blend until no large pieces remain and then blend more, but if you like a chunkier texture, just give a few quick pulses.
- Add-ins: After it’s blended, stir in some corn kernels and/or black beans for another delicious variation.
How to Make Restaurant Style Salsa
Making this salsa recipe is practically effortless. You simply give your fresh ingredients a rough chop and then pulse them in a blender (or food processor) with the canned goods and seasonings until the desired consistency is reach. Chill it for a bit and enjoy! (Pssst. The longer you let it chill, the more flavorful it will be.)
Let It Chill
Storing Salsa
- This salsa can be made up to a day in advance of serving (in fact, we recommend that for best flavor), stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Any leftovers will keep up to 4 days. Taste and add a little more salt before using again.
- Freezing salsa: Freezing does affect the texture of salsa, so it’s not our preference. But you can freeze it and use within 1 month for best quality. Thaw in the fridge overnight and give it a stir before using.
- Canning salsa: Canning salsa requires boiling the mixture until thickened, cooling, sterilizing jars, and a hot water bath for 20-25 minutes, along with other details. We have not tested this particular recipe for canning, so proceed with caution.
Restaurant Salsa Video
Using Leftover Salsa
If you do have leftovers, it would be put to great use with these recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Restaurant Style Salsa
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes , undrained
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes , undrained
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles , drained
- 1 small white onion , peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper , seeds removed, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , peeled and chopped
- 1 cup packed cilantro , roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 1/2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl of a food processor in the order listed. Pulse a few times to break up the large pieces, then process until texture is as smooth as desired.
- Taste the salsa and based on personal preference, adjust as necessary.
- Transfer to airtight container and let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or 1 day for best flavor.
- Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
LOVED this recipe! So simple and bursting with fresh flavor. Definitely tastes like real Mexican restaurant salsa. Thank you for sharing!