This homemade salsa recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make, it’s easy to customize (to make it extra spicy, smoky or tangy if you’d like), and it’s SO irresistibly delicious.
Happy Dos De Mayo!
Which also means…happy birthday to me!
My birthday feels a little extra-special this year because it also happens to mark exactly one more month until my wedding. (Can’t wait!) But every year, my birthday also happens to conveniently fall on the week of Cinco De Mayo, which I must say I couldn’t have planned better myself. Mexican food on my birthday for life! (Literally!)
Last year for my birthday, I had all of my friends over for an epic chips-and-salsa-a-thon, which was downright dreamy. Instead of cooking, Barclay and I drove around town all afternoon and picked up a dozen or so different salsas from our favorite Mexican restaurants. And then we whipped up an enormous batch of my classic margaritas, opened up a zillion bags of chips, and had all of our friends over for the most delicious taste test ever. Totally my kind of birthday.
This year’s plans are TBD, thanks to my sweet fiancé who knows how much I love a good surprise. But I did go ahead and whip up a batch of this salsa recipe to have on hand for my bday and Cinco De Mayo this week, which I’ve already been putting to good use. And hey — since I don’t eat many sweets or crave a traditional birthday cake anymore — this seemed like my kind of birthday treat recipe to share on the blog today. ?
Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe | 1-Minute Video
It’s actually one that I shared on the blog a few years ago. But — like many of the recipes around here lately while I’ve been busy with wedding planning — it’s one that I recently re-photographed and updated to share with those of you who might have missed it the first time around, because I’m convinced that everyone needs this recipe in their lives.
Seriously, it’s been my go-to homemade salsa recipe for years. And for someone who makes homemade salsa nearly once a week, that’s sayin’ something.
But the best part? It’s incredibly quick and easy to make! Also, since it uses canned fire-roasted tomatoes (gotta use the fire-roasted), it’s a really accessible recipe to make year-round, even beyond your regional tomato season.
To make it, simply toss all of your ingredients together in a food processor or blender…
…puree until the salsa reaches your desired texture…
…then taste and season as needed.
If you’d like a smokier salsa, I strongly recommend adding in a chipotle pepper or two in adobo sauce. If you’d like a spicier salsa, you can add in an extra jalapeño (or just add in the seeds from the original one). If you’d like a tangier salsa, you can’t go wrong with extra lime juice in my opinion. And as always, don’t be afraid to add in extra salt to kick up the flavor if needed!
Then, once your salsa is all seasoned and ready to go, partay like it’s yo birthday and DIVE IN.
Seriously, I’ve made this recipe probably hundreds of times, and still never grow tired of it. So if you need some chips and salsa in your life this week — as I believe everyone always does — I can’t recommend it enough.
Enjoy, amigos!
The BEST Salsa Recipe!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 0 About 4 cups 1x
Description
This restaurant-style salsa recipe is easy to make, and full of amazing fresh flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounce) cans fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 bunch (about 2 cups loosely-packed) fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 large jalapeño, stemmed and cored
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Purée. Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
- Serve. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
I can not wait to try this – homemade salsa is an absolute favorite of mine!! :) Looks delicious!
I am overflowing with fresh tomatoes! How many should I use to make this salsa with fresh tomatoes?
Thanks.
About 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes. :)
Made this with regular tomatoes, drained, and half the cumins because i don’t love cumins so much, and a squirt of lime, and hands down best salsa i have tried! Even better than Ree’s drummond salsa.
Ali,after reading all the comments, I can see everyone understands or knows what is fire-roasted tomatoes, I am a Canadian, I don’t seem to find this kind in here. Would you please give me more details about this product, like the brand name, so when I head to Bellingham, Oregon, I can look it up?
Hi Edna,
Absolutely. In the USA, fire-roasted tomatoes are available next to the traditional canned tomatoes. They just have a bit more flavor since they are roasted and a little charred. Good luck finding some! (If not, the salsa tastes great with traditional canned tomatoes too.) :)
~Ali
Great recipe! The one I usually use is VERY close to this, but I keep the sugar out. Takes it from “mmm, this is good”, to “I am eating the whole thing and making more. tonight.” Ha!
Awesome recipe …..I halved it and made an extra spicy version for me and a not so spicy version for everyone else …..delicious!!!
I am full out addicted to restaurant salsa. I’ll go out to eat just for that reason! So glad I found this recipe. I just made it and it was delicious! However, the cilantro is too much for my liking. I used leaves only (am I supposed to do that?) and ended up taking out about 1/4-1/3 cup because it looked like a bit much in the blender. I also used a bit more onion and half a jalapeño. I will be making this again!! Thanks so much! :)
I just made this salsa. I used 1 whole jalepeno without the seeds. It is delishious! Must different than when I make salsa with fresh tomatoes from the garden. Thanks! It will be a standby in our house!
Looks super yummy! Do you have a favorite brand of canned tomatoes? I will try and look for the fire roasted ones!
I used Hunt’s and it tasted wonderful! Only 98 cents a can at Walmart, too :)
My goodness I’m so glad I’m not the only one who eats too many chips before the meal comes! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect restaurant salsa recipe.. trying this!
Really loving your blog, by the way!!