Whip up this restaurant-style salsa for a quick and easy Cinco de Mayo party appetizer. It’s ready in about 5 minutes! Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and wow your guests with this fresh homemade salsa recipe.
One taste of this restaurant-style salsa will have you kicking that store-bought stuff to the curb and realizing that homemade is the only way to go!
Whether you're looking to dip chips or top tacos, this is the go-to salsa.
Ingredients
These few simple ingredients are all you need to make salsa at home.
- Tomatoes: Canned, whole, peeled tomatoes are used because they are an easy, no-hassle prep. Use fire-roasted or San Marzano style for a little extra flavor.
- Onion: Fresh white onion is suggested. It is the most common onion added to Mexican salsa.
- Jalapeño: For the heat, I used one pepper with the seeds removed. Feel free to add more peppers or use the seeds if you like your salsa spicy.
- Seasonings: Salt and cumin are used to slightly enhance the flavors of the fresh ingredients.
- Remaining Ingredients: Fresh cilantro, garlic, and lime juice are added to complete this restaurant-style salsa.
Instructions
This salsa is quick and easy to bring together. It takes 2 simple steps to make. And you only need a food processor (or blender) and 8 pantry staples.
Step 1
To make the salsa toss all the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Add the tomatoes first since they are the largest ingredient and need a bit more blending. Then pile everything else on top.
Step 2
Secure the lid and pulse until the salsa reaches your desired consistency.
For a thinner salsa follow the recipe as-is.
If you enjoy your salsa thick and chunky, simply omit the juice from the canned tomatoes. You can always add in a few Tablespoons after blending.
Serving Suggestions
For a party classic or easy dinner side, serve this salsa with tortilla chips.
It can also be used as a topping for meatless tacos filled with tofu ground beef, vegan burritos, loaded nachos, jackfruit tamales, or black bean enchiladas.
Helpful Tips
- Pulse the ingredients together so you can better monitor the consistency.
- To make blender salsa, add all the ingredients to a blender and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency.
- For a thicker salsa, leave out the juice from the canned tomatoes. After blending, add it in as needed for the preferred thickness.
- Allow the salsa to rest in the fridge for at least an hour to give the flavors a chance to calm down and marinate together.
- Add agave nectar (or sweetener of choice) to neutralize the acidity in the tomatoes. This is optional to enhance the flavors.
Since the flavors need a chance to combine together, this is a great make-ahead recipe.
Looking for a new twist on the classic tomato salsa?
Try my mango pico de gallo recipe. It's sweet, savory, and mildly spicy. Perfect as a dip with chips or on top of your favorite Mexican dish.
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Recipe
Easy Restaurant Style Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
- 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ⅓ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, gently packed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon agave nectar, (optional to neutralize the tomatoes)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor starting with the tomatoes on the bottom.
- Pulse the ingredients until they reach your desired texture. Periodically stop the blender and check the texture as to not over blend the ingredients.
- Taste the salsa and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Transfer to an airtight container. Place the salsa in the fridge for at least an hour before serving for best flavor.
Enjoy!
Nutrition
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
Vegan Mexican Favorites
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Nathan
So long as the garden goes well this year, I'll have to make up and can a bunch of this! Need to make this still (literally just found it) but it looks and sounds easy enough. Provides a good base to go off of too!
Where you get your protein
It’s a great recipe and super easy to whip up in the food processor. Hope your garden is abundant this year!
Nathan
I'm hoping my Carolina Reaper pepper plants take off and actually grow and produce this year (I've got three little ones taking their good old time)! If so, I'll be making up a couple jars of some salsa with it!