I’m about to share with you one of the greatest restaurant hacks of all time: making homemade, restaurant-style salsa is not only easy, but inexpensive, and is best – BEST! – made with canned tomatoes. While fresh tomatoes make great pico de gallo, you gotta go with canned tomatoes if you want that true restaurant salsa flavor.
You heard it here first, folks!
Watch How to Make It!
I’ve been making this homemade salsa recipe since college, which is when I found out that canned tomatoes are the secret to the addictive-deliciousness of restaurant style salsa (ie, I begged the waiter at Carlos O’Kelly’s to tell me how they make their salsa. SO GOOD!) Of course I occasionally slack and buy salsa at the store, but this recipe gives you the restaurant experience at home, and takes just a few minutes to make.
Recipe Details
- My recipe for Restaurant Style Salsa makes 4 cups of salsa for under $5. That said, its very economical and great for serving at parties and get togethers.
- Homemade salsa will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. While I don’t have experience canning, I know enough to confidently say this recipe would can well.
- I use my 14 cup food processor to whip this salsa up in just a few minutes, though a blender would most likely work well too.
- As written, my recipe is mild on the spice scale, but feel free to leave the seeds in the jalapeno to increase the spice level, and/or experiment with adding different kinds of chili peppers.
How to Make Restaurant Style Salsa
There’s just one step involved in this recipe – throw a bunch of ingredients into the bowl of a food processor then pulse – woo!
We’ve got caned whole peeled tomatoes, red onion (white onion works great too), fresh cilantro, fresh garlic, jalapeno, salt, sugar, and fresh lime juice.
NOTE:Â if your canned tomatoes contain sugar in the ingredient list then omit the sugar in the recipe.
Pulse the ingredients until you reach your desired consistency then taste and add more salt and/or lime juice if necessary. That said, this salsa is best eaten 24 hours or more after making, so the flavors have time to meld, and so I like to adjust the seasonings just before serving the day after making.
Scoop the salsa into a 4 cup mason jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid then refrigerate for 24 hours to let the flavors really meld before digging in. The salsa will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, though mine never ever sticks around that long. I hope you love this EASY restaurant style salsa at home! Enjoy!
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Restaurant Style Salsa
Description
Restaurant Style Salsa is a CINCH to make at home, plus it's much cheaper then buying salsa from the store. Learn the ingredient I use to make it taste just like a restaurant's.
Ingredients
- 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 red or white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped (leave in seeds for a spicier salsa)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 - 1 whole lime
- 1 teaspoon sugar*
Directions
- Add ingredients — whole tomatoes through salt — to a food processor. Add the juice of half a lime, plus the sugar if your canned tomatoes do not contain sugar (if sugar is listed as an ingredient on your canned tomatoes, omit the sugar.)
- Pulse ingredients until desired consistency is reached then taste and add more lime juice and/or salt if necessary. Refrigerate overnight for best results then serve.
Notes
- This salsa is mild as written with 1 seeded jalapeno.
- This is the 14-cup food processor I use >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Kalli Corwin 02.14.2019
OKAY YUM. I’ve never made homemade salsa before, but recently got a Ninja kitchen system that has the food processor attachment… because tax return, duh! This recipe was super quick easy and delicious. Mine turned out identical to Carlos O’ Kelly’s and I’m very happy with that. Definitely saving this as my go-to! Boyfriend loves it too. Thank you fellow Iowa girl! ;)
Kristin 02.15.2019
Yesss, exactly the flavor I was going for – so glad you loved it!
Charles Bassi 12.10.2018
This is undoubtedly the best salsa ever! I followed the recipe exactly and it’s perfect! Thanks!
Liz 08.02.2018
Is this the recipe from Carlos? I love their salsa!
Kristin 08.06.2018
It tastes like Carols o Kelley’s to me!
Hank Anderson 06.22.2018
This salsa is great on it’s own, and also makes a fantastic base. Being from Texas I’ve made multiple variations with roasted tomatoes, jalapenos, anaheims, and chipotle and they’ve all been great. Thank you so much for sharing!
Nick 06.07.2018
I just made this and it does not look even look close to the pictures shown. It looks kinda pinkish. I used a blender because I don’t own a food processor. We will find out tomorrow if it tastes good at all.
Kristin 06.07.2018
A blender incorporates air into whatever you’re making so the tomatoes will turn pink as a result.
10 Salsa and Queso Recipes - recipequicks 05.23.2018
[…] Secret Ingredient Restaurant Style Salsa | Iowa Girl Eats Easily make restaurant style salsa at home! No need to go out and pay for this stuff at a restaurant. This recipe makes 4 cups of salsa for less than $5. Can’t beat that! […]
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[…] Secret Ingredient Restaurant Style Salsa | Iowa Girl Eats Easily make restaurant style salsa at home! No need to go out and pay for this stuff at a restaurant. This recipe makes 4 cups of salsa for less than $5. Can’t beat that! […]
Celia 02.02.2018
Hi. this is easy and delicious. I like controlling my ingredients. Thank you!
Chelsea 08.28.2017
Would this recipe be applicable for canning? I think I’ve read that as long as it has lime/lemon juice or vinegar that it can be canned?
Kristin 08.29.2017
Hi Chelsea! Unfortunately I know next to nothing about canning so I can’t be sure. Does anyone else have experience they could help Chelsea with?
Barbara 08.19.2017
I hate cilantro…could you suggest another herb? Eager to make this
Michelle 08.11.2017
I LOVE homemade salsa! I have a recipe I like, but this one looks really good, I think I’ll have to give it a try! Question, I have s two-person household, so we would never go through that much salsa that quickly. Could it be frozen?
Gardening Flavours 08.10.2017
This looks seriously delicious.
stacy 08.08.2017
Any tips in making peach salsa? I love newmans peach salsa but would love to have a homemade recipe
Perry 08.07.2017
That looks amazing, so much better than store bought salsa. The printable reference/recipe card makes it so easy to get it cooked, without ruining my iPad.
Holly 08.05.2017
OMG!! Thank you thank you for this recipe clearly sent from the gods! Used my blender since I only have a tiny food processor and it worked like a dream. Any tips on how to stop eating it by the spoonful? So. Good.
Shirley 08.04.2017
This is the best salsa EVER! And so easy to make.
Jordan 08.03.2017
I’ve been trying different homemade salsa recipes for years and my husband has turned down each of them. When I told him I was going to make yours he was a little skeptical.. but he LOVED it. And I love it because it’s so easy (and obviously delicious)! Thank you for this recipe! It will definitely be a staple in our house!
Liz Powers 08.01.2017
I made this salsa on Saturday then had to make it again on Monday. It was so delicious that we ate it all and needed more! It was so easy to make, I’ll never buy salsa again. Love your website, stories, and recipes. You have a beautiful family. Best of everything to you all.
Aimee 07.29.2017
I just made a third batch! My kids and I serisouly can’t get enough! I put all the ingredients in a glass bowl, pulse with an immersion blender, pop the lid on the bowl, and throw it in the fridge. SO easy with zero cleanup. Thanks, Kristin!!
Amanda 07.29.2017
Made this last night and it’s delicious! My husband and I had some before dinner and then some more today at lunchtime. So good!! I’m go glad it makes a bunch so that we continue to devour it!