Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (2024)

This wicked easy salsa is quick, easy, and beyond delicious! You’ll never again rush to a restaurant or resort to a jar to get your fix now that you have this tasty recipe in your arsenal!

Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (1)

I won’t eat jarred salsa.

No way. No how.

#salsasnob

It not only pales in comparison to the fresh stuff, but fresh salsa is so stinkin’ easy to make it would be a sin to waste my money on that sub par jar of meh.

If you’re debating whether or not to finally make your own at home…allow me to convince you!

Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (2)

Ingredients Needed

  • 6Roma tomatoes(approx. 1.5 lbs)
  • ¼medium red onionor white onion
  • 1jalapeño pepper
  • 1-2clovesfresh garlic
  • 1tablespoonwhite vinegarand/or fresh squeezed lime juice
  • salt and fresh cilantro to taste

Wicked Easy Salsa

So how does this salsa situation go down? It’s easy!

You’ll want to either pick some tomatoes from your little backyard garden or pick some up at the grocery store/farmers market. This time of year we have loads of them awaiting all sorts of recipes.

You’ll also want to snag some red or white onion, a jalapeño pepper, fresh garlic, white vinegar and/or lime juice, and fresh cilantro. You’ll also need some salt for seasoning.

Wash tomatoes and place on a baking sheet.

Toss them in the oven

Set timer.

Remove from oven and toss in a food processor or blender w/ the rest of your goodies.

…and last but certainly not least…

Grab some crispy tortilla ships and get ready to shovel this deliciously easy salsa into your face!

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Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (4)

Homemade Salsa Tips and Tricks

This spectacular homemade salsa can be made mild, medium, spicy, and just about everything in between!

To make it medium (a little bit of spice but not too fiery), add a whole jalapeño and further fine tune the spice level by leaving out the seeds initially and then adding back in as many as you’d like as you taste test. Easy peasy!

Want to make it mild?

To make a mild salsa without heat, remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno before blending.

Want it SUPER mild? White onion has less flavor than red/purple and is a little blander for kids and sensitive taste-buds.

Want your salsa super spicy?

You know what to do! Add an extra jalapeño pepper or grab a habanero or serrano pepper even!

When it comes to choosing amounts of cilantro, onion, and pepper to add, start with a little of each and then taste and add as you go. The ratio in this recipe, to me, tastes exactly like the salsa my favorite Mexican restaurants serve.

It’s so good I’ve been making a fresh batch every week!

For thicker salsa, add the onion, pepper, garlic and cilantro to the food processor first, blend, then add the cooked tomatoes and pulse just a few times.

Here are the detailed instructions for those of you ready to get your salsa on:

Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (5)

Restaurant-Style Easy Salsa

This wicked easy salsa is quick, easy, and beyond delicious! You'll never again rush to a restaurant or resort to a jar to get your fix now that you have this tasty recipe in your arsenal!

5 from 69 votes

Print RecipePin Recipe Rate Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: easy salsa, Homemade Salsa, Restaurant-Style Salsa

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

  • 6 Roma tomatoes (approx 1.5 lb)
  • ¼ medium red onion or white onion
  • 1 jalapeño pepper
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 1 TBSP white vinegar or fresh squeezed lime juice
  • ½-1 tsp salt
  • fresh chopped cilantro to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to broil on high.

  • Line a baking sheet with foil and roast tomatoes, halved or whole, for 10-15 minutes on the center rack of the oven.

  • Don't be alarmed when the skin of the tomatoes peels back a bit during cooking; some will bubble, some may turn inside out, but its totally normal!

  • Once they're nice and toasty, remove from oven and allow your tomatoes to cool a bit.

  • Decide if you want mild, medium, or spicy salsa. For mild, use a spoon to scoop out the insides from the jalapenos (ribs + seeds) entirley. For medium, leave some of the seeds in tact. For spicy – leave all the goodies in your jalapenos (minus the stem of course) and feel free to add extra if you'd like!

  • Roughly chop your onion and jalapeño. Smash, peel, then mince garlic. Start with one clove as extra can always be added after.

  • Toss everything but the cilantro in the food processor and pulse a few times and blend to your favorite level of smoothness or chunkiness.

  • Once blended, add some finely chopped cilantro to taste.

  • Allow to cool to room temperature and dig in face first with some chips or veggies!

Notes

Feel free to serve with a side of fresh lime wedges to add burst of citrus to your salsa!

Recipe yields 1 heaping cup of salsa or approx. 4 quarter-cup servings.

Nutrition facts below are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed! xo

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Sodium: 295mg, Potassium: 230mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 815IU, Vitamin C: 17.7mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 0.3mg

Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!

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Favorite uses for homemade salsa

As if you’ve ever doubted it, this it’s absolutely awesome onanything and everything!

Since the oven was already hot, I topped some chips with organic cheddar and some of my DIY fridge pickled jalapeño peppersand made some impromptu nachos to go with it.

It’s also amazing drizzled on top of my famousSheet Pan Nachos!

The next morning this restaurant style deliciousness went on my eggs and, as soon as I finish this post, the remainder is getting mixed into an avocado to make some loaded guacamole. Sometimes I make it pretty basic and other times I load it up with salsa, jalapeño, cilantro, and a little red onion along with my go-to guacamole seasoning blend.

There’s no right or wrong way to make salsa, and with tomatoes so deliciously in season right now, there’s no reason not to make at least one bowl this summer!

Or two.

Make two.

Three even.

More Sensational Salsa and Dip Recipes

  • Black Bean Salsa
  • Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa
  • NEW! Avocado Corn Salsa
  • Pineapple Salsa
  • Spicy Salsa Verde
  • Fun + Fruity Strawberry Salsa
  • Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo

Can you tell I have a thing for dips? These are just a few as I probably have no less than 30 dip recipes on this little blog of mine. If you’re ever looking for something in particular, use the little search widget at the top of the page.

With vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, low carb, t-rex, and pescatarian options there is literally something for everyone!

Taco Night Favorites

  • Black Bean Taco Salad
  • Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
  • Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl
  • Baked Bell Pepper Tacos
  • Mexican Quinoa Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

If you get a chance to try this tasty recipe, let me know!

You can leave me a comment here (I absolutely LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!

Peas and Crayons is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to readers.

Easy Salsa Recipe - Restaurant Style - Peas and Crayons Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between salsa and restaurant-style salsa? ›

Compared to regular ol' salsa or something like pico de gallo, restaurant-style salsa is usually smoother—just how I like it! It's blended up in a food processor so that all the pieces get minced really finely.

Why is restaurant salsa so much better? ›

While some restaurant-style salsas may be prepared in large batches to meet demand, the emphasis on using fresh, high-quality ingredients remains a constant, no matter the quantity. A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.

What can you use salsa with? ›

16 Easy Dinners to Make with a Jar of Salsa
  • 01 of 17. Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken. ...
  • 02 of 17. Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauteed Shrimp. ...
  • 03 of 17. Easy Taco Casserole. ...
  • 04 of 17. Fantastic Chicken Burgers. ...
  • 05 of 17. D's Taco Pizza. ...
  • 06 of 17. Fast Chicken Over Black Beans and Rice. ...
  • 07 of 17. Black Bean and Salsa Soup. ...
  • 08 of 17.
Oct 13, 2020

How to can salsa for beginners? ›

Once the salsa is ready, pour hot salsa into clean hot pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rim and cap each jar as it is filled. Process jars for 40 minutes* in boiling water bath canner. Turn off heat, carefully remove canner lid, and let jars stand for 5 minutes in canner.

What kind of salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›

By far, salsa roja is the most popular Mexican salsa, and after a bite, it is not hard to see why. Different chefs will often vary the amount of heat by adjusting how much and what kind of chilis are added to the mix.

Why doesn't my salsa taste like the restaurant? ›

Mexican restaurants usually make it from scratch using fresh ingredients. Store bought stuff is tailored to mass produced and usually add things to make them shelf stable. You'll never find a store bought equivalent to fresh ingredients.

Are fresh or canned tomatoes better for salsa? ›

While fresh tomatoes make great pico de gallo, you gotta go with canned tomatoes if you want that true restaurant salsa flavor.

How do you make homemade salsa taste better? ›

Balance flavors; add salt, vinegar, lime juice, bottled hot sauce, and pinches of sugar, tasting frequently, until you achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy.

What's the healthiest thing to eat with salsa? ›

You can eat salsa with other low-carb and low-sugar dipping options—like bell pepper strips, celery or other veggies, or low-carb tortilla chips—for a healthy, filling, and diabetes-friendly snack.

What vegetables are good with salsa? ›

You can use any vegetables you want for your snack, but try carrots, celery stalks, green peppers, radish, or jicama since they'll complement the flavors well.

What is best paired with salsa? ›

You can pair mild salsa with hearty cuts of beef or pork, use it to top baked potatoes, or even mix it into your favorite pasta sauce or soup. Meanwhile, salsas with a chunky texture and layered flavor, like pico de gallo, really shine when paired with milder foods like fish or plain chicken tacos.

Do I need to peel tomatoes for salsa? ›

You don't have to, but you could

Deciding on keeping tomato skins on or off is really a matter of taste — and how much time you've got on your hands. You don't need to peel them.

Can I freeze homemade salsa? ›

Salsa is popular and versatile, is easy to make, and freezes well. Use it plain with chips or as a sauce for many Mexican dishes. The biggest issue in making good freezer salsa is being sure you have boiled off most of the tomato water; otherwise your salsa when thawed will be way too runny.

Can I teach myself salsa? ›

With some good music and a video tutorial, you can learn to salsa dance in your own home, but don't limit yourself to dancing alone. Once you've learned the basic steps, sign up for more classes or get yourself out on the dance floor at a salsa club.

What is restaurant-style salsa? ›

It's not a rigid formula but one that emphasizes texture, balance of flavors, freshness, consistency, and versatility. Altogether, this defines what most of us recognize as the quintessential salsa experience in restaurants.

What are the two main styles of salsa? ›

The two main styles of partnered salsa dancing are linear and circular. In linear salsa, dance couples remain in their "slot," with each dancer switching places from one side of the slot to the other, similar to West Coast Swing— New York–style salsa and LA-style salsa are both danced this way.

What are the three types of salsa? ›

3 Common Salsas and Their Pairings
  • Pico de Gallo. One of the most common types of salsa in restaurants, food stores, and even homes is Pico de Gallo. ...
  • Salsa Verde. Another common, but misunderstood option is Salsa Verde. ...
  • Salsa Roja.

What is the difference between Pace restaurant-style salsa and picante? ›

Salsa and Picante sauce are made with the similar ingredients (tomatoes, onions, our specially-bred jalapeno peppers). The main difference is in texture — picante sauce is smoother and saucier than salsa. Salsa is chunkier with larger pieces of vegetables and is primarily used as a dip.

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