Homemade Salsa (Restaurant-Style, 5 Minutes)

What Makes This Recipe Work

A quick pulse in the blender keeps some texture instead of turning the salsa to puree, and a little sugar balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes.

Ingredients for Homemade Salsa (Restaurant

• 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) whole peeled tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
• 1 can (10 oz / 280 g) diced tomatoes with green chiles, with their liquid
• 1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded (keep seeds for more heat)
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tbsp
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder

How to Make Homemade Salsa (Restaurant

1. Add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, cumin, sugar, and chili powder to a blender or food processor and pulse a few times to break them up.
2. Add the diced tomatoes with their liquid and the drained whole tomatoes, then pulse 6 to 10 times, stopping to scrape down the sides, until the salsa is chunky but combined.
3. Add 2 to 4 tbsp of the reserved tomato juice a little at a time to reach the loose, spoonable texture you prefer.
4. Taste and adjust with more salt, lime, or sugar, and add some jalapeno seeds if you want it hotter.
5. Transfer to a bowl and let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature so the flavors meld.
6. Serve with tortilla chips, or refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to eat.

Tips for the Best Homemade Salsa (Restaurant

• Pulse rather than blend so the salsa keeps a little texture and does not turn watery.
• Canned whole tomatoes mashed by hand give a chunkier bite than machine-blending everything.
• Taste for salt and lime at the end, since canned tomatoes vary in saltiness and acidity.
• Chill at least 30 minutes before serving for a firmer flavor, though it is ready to eat immediately.

Variations and Substitutions

• For a smoky version, add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo and a spoonful of the sauce in place of the jalapeno.
• To can a shelf-stable batch instead, use the tested process on the canning salsa page rather than this fresh recipe.
• Salsa verde with roasted tomatillos is a tangy green alternative made the same blender way.
• Swap in fresh tomatoes when they are in season, draining them well and adding them by the handful until the texture looks right.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerate leftover homemade salsa in a sealed container for up to 5 to 7 days; the flavor sharpens after a day.
• This fresh salsa does not freeze well, because the texture turns watery once thawed.

Homemade Salsa (Restaurant FAQ