5 Minute Restaurant Salsa Recipe
This quick and easy blender salsa takes just 5 minutes to throw together thanks to fire-roasted canned tomatoes. It’s loaded with fresh flavors and tastes just like that smooth restaurant-style salsa from your favorite restaurant!
Blender Salsa?
YES! Blender salsa is just like the smooth, slightly spicy salsa you’ll find at your favorite Mexican restaurant. It’s loaded with fresh flavors of garlic, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. But it’s made with the convenience of fire-roasted tomatoes. This means you can enjoy it all year round!
You Will Love This
- The ingredient list is short and sweet! 8 ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen are all it takes to make this restaurant-style salsa. No fancy, exotic peppers or spices. Just simple, straightforward, common ingredients!
- The flavors are AMAZING. Dare I say the flavors are actually better than restaurant salsa?! I think it might have something to do with how FRESH the salsa tastes, but this is hands down the best salsa I have ever had. Period. This easy restaurant-style salsa pairs perfectly with Baked Black Bean Flautas, Sheet Pan Shredded Chicken Nachos, or Cheesy Vegetarian Enchiladas!
- It’s easy to adjust this salsa to suit your personal taste! Like it spicy? Add a little more cayenne or leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapenos. Do you like a strong acid flavor in your salsa? Add an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice. A 1/2 teaspoon of chiles in adobo added to this salsa will give you a great smoky heat too! This recipe is really easy to use as a blueprint and make it your own!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes – If you can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes you can just use regular diced tomatoes, but fire-roasted are going to add another layer of delicious flavor.
- Red Onion – You could also use white onion or yellow onion in place of the red onion in this recipe.
- Fresh Garlic – This restaurant-style salsa really does taste best with fresh cloves of garlic. If you’re in a pinch you could use the jarred minced garlic or garlic powder, but it will alter the flavor of the salsa.
- Jalapeno – If you like spicy salsa, try leaving some (or all) of the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno. I prefer mild salsa, so I remove the ribs and seeds completely from the jalapeno.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is a really important ingredient in this salsa. It adds a ton of freshness. Do not omit it.
- Lime Juice – If you don’t have fresh limes on hand, this is our family’s favorite bottled lime juice.
- Cumin – I like the earthy, warm flavor that cumin adds, but if you don’t have any on hand it’s not a big deal. The flavor of this blender salsa will still be delicious!
- Cayenne Pepper – Just a pinch of cayenne pepper is going to boost the other flavors in this salsa without making it spicy. If you prefer it spicy, feel free to add a few extra pinches of cayenne pepper to taste.
- Salt & Pepper – The ingredient list for this restaurant-style salsa recipe is short, so be sure to salt and pepper moderately to enhance the overall flavor.
Instructions – How to Make Salsa
Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor.
Blend for about a minute until everything is well minced and combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy immediately with crispy tortilla chips or store in the fridge for 24 hours to let the flavors really come together!
Tips
- If you like a thicker salsa, feel free to drain the juices from the canned tomatoes before blending. I prefer a nice smooth consistency, so I blend the juices along with the tomatoes and other ingredients.
- If you like a chunkier salsa, don’t blend it for quite as long. I’m a HUGE fan of the smooth consistency of restaurant-style salsa, but if you like chunks of tomato and onion, scale back the blending time. Give it a few quick pulses until it reaches your desired consistency.
- You don’t necessarily need a high-speed blender for this salsa. If you’re using just a regular blender, you might need to blend for longer than a minute. Use your judgment – when the salsa ingredients are well minced and combined, the salsa is done. You could also use a food processor to make this salsa! Again, just use your judgment on consistency.
- The longer this salsa sits the more the flavors will blossom. If you’re having friends over, feel free to make this salsa a day or two in advance (and then hide it in the back of your fridge so your kids and husband don’t eat it all)! 24 hours in the fridge will make this salsa the best of the best. ALSO – Add more salt to taste just before serving if it’s been in the fridge for a couple days. This salsa will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Fresh vs. Canned Tomatoes
- You can use fresh or canned tomatoes for this recipe. I prefer the consistency that canned tomatoes offer because living in Wisconsin, we only get juicy ripe tomatoes for a few months out of the year. Canned tomatoes allow me to enjoy fresh, homemade salsa all year round!
- If you’re using fresh tomatoes for this recipe, I recommend using them when they’re in season and try to find beefsteak or Roma tomatoes as those tend to have the best flavors for salsa. Be sure to check out my Roasted Tomato Salsa if you’re looking for another recipe to use up fresh tomatoes!
FAQ
Restaurant-style typically has a more smooth texture. The ingredients are finely minced and the salsa has a thinner consistency. This is why a blender is so helpful in making restaurant-style salsa. Chunky salsa usually has a chunkier texture and less liquid.
It’s much easier than you think thanks to fire-roasted diced tomatoes! Typical salsa ingredients include tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt. You can either chop or blend all the ingredients together and voila – you’ve got homemade salsa!
Homemade salsa costs about the same as storebought salsa. You can either spend a few dollars on a jar of salsa or a few dollars on the ingredients to make your own! But homemade salsa allows you the flexibility to customize the ingredients to suit your tastes!
Serve Salsa With
- Sheet Pan Shredded Chicken Nachos
- Crispy Ground Beef Flautas
- Beer-Braised Pork Carnitas
- Easy Baked Fish Tacos
- Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas
Did you love this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Easy Restaurant Style Blender Salsa
This quick and easy blender salsa takes just 5 minutes to throw together thanks to fire-roasted canned tomatoes. It’s loaded with fresh flavors and tastes just like that smooth restaurant-style salsa from your favorite restaurant!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cooking Required
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
- 3–4 cloves smashed garlic
- 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper
- a couple large pinches Kosher salt
- large pinch fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor.
- Blend for about a minute until everything is well minced and combined.
- Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
If you like a thicker salsa, feel free to drain the juices from the canned tomatoes before blending. I prefer a nice smooth consistency, so I blend the juices along with the tomatoes and other ingredients.
If you like a chunkier salsa, don’t blend it for quite as long. I’m a HUGE fan of the smooth consistency of restaurant-style salsa, but if you like chunks of tomato and onion, scale back the blending time. Give it a few quick pulses until it reaches your desired consistency.
You don’t necessarily need a high-speed blender for this salsa. If you’re using just a regular blender, you might need to blend for longer than a minute. Use your judgment – when the salsa ingredients are well minced and combined, the salsa is done. You could also use a food processor to make this salsa! Again, just use your judgment on consistency.
The longer this salsa sits the more the flavors will blossom. If you’re having friends over, feel free to make this salsa a day or two in advance (and then hide it in the back of your fridge so your kids and husband don’t eat it all)! 24 hours in the fridge will make this salsa the best of the best. ALSO – Add more salt to taste just before serving if it’s been in the fridge for a couple days. This salsa will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of salsa
- Calories: 33
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 211.8 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This post was originally published in August of 2017. It was updated in February of 2021 to include process shots and tips for making the best restaurant-style salsa every single time!
Can you can or freeze this recipe for later? We always have leftovers after taco Tuesday but it’s not as good next week just storing it in the fridge.
Good question! I am not positive, but I’d worry that the texture of the salsa might break down if frozen. I did a quick Google search though and it looks like with a few additional steps it can be frozen: https://www.wikihow.com/Freeze-Salsa. Great questions Margaret!!
Absolutely adore homemade salsa!!! So easy to make and so much yummier than the store bought kind! Thanks so much for sharing :).
Thanks Daniela!
I love how quick and easy this is! I usually roast my vegetables before making salsa which means it’s definitely not weeknight friendly. I’m giving this a try next week — it will save us so much time!
I might just have to do a roasted salsa version too!! That is one of my favorites when I have the time to make it 🙂
Absolutely nothing beats homemade salsa. And this one is so easy to make—bonus! Stocking up on extra chips so we are ready to scoop!
You are SO right Lorie!!
I love how quick and easy this recipe is! It’s so perfect for patio nights, and I plan on making this quite a bit over the summer. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Amanda!
I love how simple and fast this recipe is! Pantry and refrigerator staples in this house. I have to agree I love the texture of this blender salsa. I won’t say no to chunky salsa but this is much more my style.
Thanks Lauren!
I really like that you can make this with canned tomatoes – fresh tomatoes at the store can be hit or miss so with this recipe I know it will taste great every time!
You are so right Kate!
Salsa and summer go hand in hand. I can’t stop eating salsa and this restaurant style salsa looks absolutely perfect. I wish to have some nachos and salsa right away.
Me too Jo!!
Can’t believe how easy this is! My family loves to snack on chips and salsa before dinner most nights — I’ll have to share some of this with them!
They are going to love it!
I have a pack of chips in the kitchen, and you won’t believe how much I want to dip every single one of them into this salsa. This recipe if absolutely magnificent, and I can’t wait to try it!
I’ll bring the wine! 🙂
This looks incredible! I plan to whip up a batch this afternoon! I’m excited to try it!
You’re going to love in Denise!
Great fan of canned tomato salsa here! *raises hand*
Of course we all love a chunky slasa with fresh tomato, a real pico de gallo… but sometimes good tomatoes are just not in season or simply not available at home. This is why blended salsa with canned tomatoes is such a great solution. I also have a recipe for a similar blended salsa, but I am curious to try yours as it has slightly different seasoning in it.
Totally agree Eva!! Those canned fire roasted San Marzano tomatoes are just perfect for a quick yummy salsa!! Fresh tomatoes have their place too but canned tomatoes are good all year round!
This salsa looks delicious. So easy to whip this up at home Much better than store bought…even the organic store bought. Have printed…and it will be a hit on Mexican themed dinner nights.
Could not agree more Gloria!
This recipe is a great base. I recommend draining the tomatoes and adding the liquid as needed. Maybe it’s the brand of tomatoes I used, but it came out so soupy I had to strain and re-season. I used plain (not roasted) tomatoes, so I added smoked paprika for extra flavor.
Made this yesterday and where has this been my whole life? The flavour is excellent and it takes about three mins to whip up in the blender. If you store in fridge, it also firms up a little bit. Best part is that it is mostly made with pantry items and can be made any time. A keeper!
Best. Review. Ever. I’m SO glad you enjoyed this one Teri!!! It’s one of our family’s favorites – and you’re right – it’s almost too easy to make!! Thank you 🙂
This is the EASIEST and most delicious salsa recipe you’ll find on the internet!
Yum! It came out perfect ??
Oh GOOD! I’m so glad to hear that!! 🙂
Did you all really put a full cup of cilantro, that is all I tasted. Will probably try 1/4 cup and add to taste
Did you use a cup of CHOPPED cilantro? Because a cup of just cilantro leaves ends up being a small handful of cilantro which is the perfect amount for fresh salsa. Also – do you enjoy cilantro in general? If you don’t, then I would recommend using less. But yes, this recipe calls for a cup of cilantro LEAVES (not chopped cilantro) as it’s all going into the blender.