This simple restaurant-style salsa recipe comes together with vibrant, fresh ingredients and a food processor for a quick and easy at-home chip dip!

Easy Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe

I think I've mentioned once or twice(or 34 times) my affinity for Mexican food... And by affinity, I mean I could basically eat it every day. Every Mexican or Tex-Mex dish needs a great basic salsa to throw on top or have on the side with some chips, too. And with this salsa? You'll be ready to ditch the store-bought stuff and just make a big batch of easy restaurant-style salsa at home for all your spicy chip dip needs.

Between the canned whole tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, and jalapeno, plus some delectable choice spices, this is just a classic, really amazing, and fresh salsa that everybody will love. The best part is that you can throw it together in the food processor (or blender, if you don't have a food processor) in about five minutes -- but be sure to let it sit while you prep other stuff for about an hour so all the flavors have a chance to mix and meld. It'll be sure to remind you of a salsa at your favorite Mexican restaurant, and I know you'll be as obsessed as I am!

What's in easy restaurant-style salsa?

This recipe couldn't be simpler or fresher! You'll just need some cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeno, a can of whole tomatoes, a little sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. It makes a beautiful and delicious combination.

Do I peel tomatoes for salsa?

You don't have to with this recipe! Y'all know I love hacks to make cooking quicker and easier, so using canned tomatoes will help immensely and you won't have to mess with peeling.

Should I seed tomatoes for salsa?

Nope! Once again, canned tomatoes to the rescue! They are so low maintenance and still taste fresh.

How do I thicken up my homemade salsa?

This salsa is super easy to customize... If you like a thicker salsa, don't process it quite as much. The chunky veggies will keep it a nice, thicker consistency. You can also add a bit more jalapeno or onion to add more chunkiness.

How long does homemade salsa last?

The great thing about salsa is there are so many natural preservatives in it, like lime juice and salt. This homemade restaurant-style salsa lasts well in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.

Restaurant-Style Salsa

Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 5 cups 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This simple restaurant style salsa comes together with vibrant, fresh ingredients and a food processor for a quick and easy at-home dip!

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup cilantro (more to taste)
¼ onion (about ½ cup)
1 clove garlic, outer skin removed
1 whole jalapeno, halved (I take the seeds out)
1 can whole tomatoes (28 ounce) or 1 quart home-canned whole tomatoes, undrained
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ lime, juiced
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 ounce)

Instructions

Combine cilantro, onion, garlic, and jalapeno in a food processor. Process until all of the veggies are chopped, about 30 seconds.
Add the whole undrained tomatoes, sugar, salt, cumin, and lime juice, and pulse a few times, until you get the salsa consistency that you like (10-15 pulses).
Add the diced tomatoes, and pulse one or two times to combine. Test the seasonings on a tortilla chip, and adjust accordingly.
The salsa is much better when it has time to sit. Let it rest for at least an hour before serving with warm tortilla chips or any other Mexican dish.
And if you missed it, this is amazing with homemade baked tortilla chips!

Prep Time: 5 min
Category: side
Method: no bake
Cuisine: American

Keywords: salsa recipe, salsa, tomato, mexican food

Other salsa recipes you’ll love:

Recipe to use on your tomato salsa on:

This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated and rephotographed in August 2019.

I hope y'all enjoy making and dipping all the things into this simple homemade restaurant-style salsa as much as we do! It's a family favorite, especially in the warmer months when salsa goes great on everything.