This homemade salsa recipe is ready in 5 minutes! All you need is a blender and simple ingredients to make the best salsa that tastes just like what you would get at an authentic Mexican restaurant. I guarantee this easy recipe will be a favorite at parties, game day, and happy hour!
There are a few staples in our house that are non-negotiable, and this homemade salsa recipe is one of them. Chips and salsa and a homemade margarita are a way of life when it comes to Texans! Mexican salsa, or salsa roja, is my favorite. I could put this salsa on everything. Made from scratch at home, this classic tomato salsa tastes so much better than any store-bought brand. And guess what? I’ve nailed the flavor! This homemade salsa tastes just like the kind you’ll find in Mexican restaurants.
Reasons to Love This Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe
- Perfect for snacking. Homemade salsa is great to have on hand as a fresh, easy snack throughout the day. Although truth be told, it takes a lot of self-control to keep it from turning into a meal!
- The freshness is unbeatable. There’s nothing better than homemade salsa made from freshly blended ingredients like ripe tomatoes, onions, peppers, and herbs. I could sit and eat the entire bowl by myself.
- Versatile. Spicy salsa roja is great to drizzle over ground turkey tacos and definitely breakfast burritos. And chips and salsa are a classic combo! I’m sure you’ll never run out of serving ideas once you’ve tried it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Scroll down to the printable recipe card after the post for the full recipe breakdown, including ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Canned Whole Tomatoes – I like to use San Marzano tomatoes, which tend to be sweeter and juicier.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – Diced or whole fire-roasted tomatoes from a can work great here (as a bonus, they’re always in season!). I love the smoky, fire-roasted flavor in my roasted tomato salsa. You can follow the roasting directions in that recipe to roast the tomatoes yourself if you’d like.
- Garlic – Everything is better with fresh garlic. Jarred garlic works in a pinch.
- Onion – I like to use yellow onion with this salsa, but any sweet or mild onion will work.
- Red Pepper – Not exactly a traditional salsa ingredient, but red pepper gives a slight sweetness to this salsa instead of adding honey or sugar. You’ll love it!
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro brings a peppery, zingy flavor that really brightens the salsa. If you dislike cilantro, substitute it with chopped parsley.
- Jalapeños – See below for tips on how to adjust the spice level of your salsa.
- Green chilies – Pick up a can of diced green chilies. They can be mild or spicy.
- Seasoning – I add salt, pepper, and cumin to this salsa. Well-seasoned salsa is everything!
Salsa vs. Pico de Gallo
This salsa recipe and pico de gallo, also called salsa fresca, share many of the same ingredients. The main difference is that pico de gallo is chunkier, made with fresh tomatoes, and the ingredients are chopped by hand. Meanwhile, traditional salsa is blended or reduced until it’s smoother in texture. Both are delicious!
Can I Use Fresh Tomatoes in This Recipe?
Yes. If you’d prefer to make homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes, it’s easy to swap canned whole tomatoes with fresh in this recipe. Good tomato choices for salsa include San Marzano, Roma, and plum tomatoes (seeds removed). Choose ripe, meaty tomatoes for the best possible flavor.
I would also recommend roasting them in the oven first before blending, or blending the seeded tomatoes and adding them to a saucepan to cook and reduce before you make your salsa.
How to Make Salsa in the Blender
There are a couple of methods for making your own homemade restaurant-style salsa. I find that the easiest way is to use the blender or food processor. It also makes clean-up super quick and easy!
- Add ingredients to the blender. Combine the fire-roasted tomatoes, whole tomatoes, garlic cloves, green chilies, fresh cilantro, onion, jalapeño, cumin, half of a red pepper, salt, and black pepper in the blender or food processor.
- Blend. Pulse until the salsa ingredients are smooth, or until your desired consistency.
- Season and serve. Taste the salsa and season as needed. Serve immediately, or transfer the salsa to a sealed container to keep in the fridge. It lasts for up to 7 days!
Tips for the Best Homemade Salsa
- Use the pulse setting. Since some of the tomatoes are already diced in this recipe, using the pulse feature on your blender or food processor gives better control over the thickness of the salsa. You can always blend it more if you want it smoother.
- Adapt the spice. The seeds and membranes hold most of a jalapeño pepper’s heat and spice. For a milder salsa, remove all of the seeds and membranes. Likewise, for a spicy salsa, leave them all in! I like to slice my jalapeño in half. Then, I keep the membrane and seeds in one half and remove them from the other.
- Let the salsa marinate. The longer it sits, the better your salsa will taste. To really bring out the flavor, I recommend letting the blended salsa rest for at least one hour before serving. This allows all the flavors to meld together, giving you the best salsa ever.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this easy homemade salsa as a topping for tacos, sheet pan shrimp fajitas, or beef enchiladas on Mexican night with a side of black beans. Or make it a full appetizer spread on game day with tortilla chips, salsa, and creamy white queso dip.
How to Store Homemade Salsa
- Keep salsa refrigerated. The best way to store homemade salsa is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If stored properly, this restaurant-style salsa will last 1 to 2 weeks.
- Freeze. Transfer the salsa to a freezer-safe storage bag to lay flat and store. Salsa lasts for 3 to 4 months in the freezer. The texture might be a little different upon thawing, but the flavor will still be good.
I cannot wait for you to try this recipe. It’s honestly one of my go-tos during the week and DEFINITELY a must when we have people over for a little Mexican dinner party! Ahem. Cinco de Mayo IS coming up soon! Bon appétit, friends!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
5-Minute Homemade Salsa Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Make this easy homemade salsa recipe in 5 minutes with simple ingredients and your blender! Just like the salsa in a Mexican restaurant, I guarantee this will be a favorite at parties and happy hour.
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
- 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno, stem removed (remove membranes and seeds, if you want less heat)
- half of a red pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place fire-roasted tomatoes, whole tomatoes, garlic cloves, green chilies, fresh cilantro, onion, jalapeño, cumin, half of a red pepper, salt, and black pepper into a blender.
- Blend until all ingredients are smooth, or till your desired consistency.
- Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 7 days.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven
