Restaurant Style Salsa (Blender Salsa)

Having made this restaurant style salsa recipe for nearly 20 years, I’m sharing all the tips I’ve learned with you. Just stock up on tomatoes (fresh or canned), onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and get to blending!

Restaurant Style Salsa

Blender salsa offers a fresh and flavorful alternative to the store-bought versions that don’t quite hit the mark. The first step to mastering Mexican recipes is to start with an easy homemade salsa recipe like this one or smoked salsa.

Tomatoes – Fresh or Canned

Unless I already have fresh tomatoes on hand, I prefer to use canned tomatoes; I don’t have to worry about the quality of the fresh tomatoes. I’m a huge fan of Rotel, having used it for years, which also factors into my use of canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes. I always have a few cans on hand to make salsa with rotel or Rotel Dip!

TIP – If you find your canned tomatoes have a “tin” flavor (some brands are worse than others), add a tiny bit of sugar. The sugar will help offset this flavor.

If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, pick up 10-12 Roma or Plum tomatoes to swap in for the canned tomatoes. Start with ten and work your way up. The total amount needed will vary based on the size of the tomatoes you utilize. You will need to blanch them first. Here’s a quick video if you need some tips for blanching tomatoes.

how to make mexican salsa

Here’s a quick overview of how to make restaurant-style salsa. For the full steps, see the recipe card below.

1. Prep – Add the ingredients to a food processor or blender.
2. Mix – Pulse 12-15 times until it’s the texture you like. Taste and adjust as needed.
3. Refrigerate – If time permits, let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Hosting Tip – I serve a “hot” and “mild” version when hosting because most guests can’t handle my preferred level of heat.

Darcey’s Recipe Tips and Variations

Homemade salsa is easy to make and very forgiving for different palates. Here are a few variations and tips to consider so you can build the salsa of your dreams:

• Adjust the Heat Level – Pick the Ro*tel Mild if you like a milder salsa. Pick the Ro*tel Hot if you prefer some heat. You can also increase the jalapeños or replace them with serrano peppers.
• Do you hate cilantro? Omit it if you do. I get it. Nobody wants soapy-tasting salsa. I don’t use it in my four ingredient guacamole, either.
• This homemade salsa tastes best after marinating in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• This can be prepared up to a week in advance; however, it’s best used within 48 hours.
• Storage – salsa freezes beautifully. Just transfer to an airtight container, or Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 6 months.

Uses

You’ll want to dive into a batch of this Mexican restaurant-style salsa recipe once you’ve taken your first bite. It’s that good. Here are a few good ways to enjoy this salsa:

Drink Pairings

You can never go wrong with an ice-cold Michelada, Margarita, or Mexican lager.

This recipe was originally posted in March 2016, but was updated in May 2024 with new photos and additional text. Pictured above is one of the original photos.

Restaurant Style Salsa (Blender Salsa)

Make Restaurant Style Salsa at home in less than 10 minutes! Also called Blender Salsa, this homemade staple is loaded with the Mexican flavors you love – tomatoes (fresh or canned), onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro and more.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Refrigeration: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 9kcal

Cost: $5

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Equipment

Ingredients

• 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel, drained (Note 1)
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (Note 2)
• ½ jalapeno, seeded and roughly diced
• ¼ small red onion, roughly diced
• ¼ cup roughly chopped, loosely packed cilantro (Note 3)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (Note 4)
• ½-1 tbsp minced garlic (Note 5)
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt + more to taste
• ¼ tsp OPTIONAL: sugar (Note 6)

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse 12-15 times until the salsa is puréed with a bit of small chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

• Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 1 week.

Notes

Note 1 – Any flavor will work well.
Note 2 – To make with fresh tomatoes, use 10-12 Roma tomatoes instead of the canned tomatoes. Start with 10 and increase from there. The total number needed varies on the size of each tomato. Make sure to blanch them first. 
Note 3 – omit if you’re not a cilantro fan. If you’re unsure, add 1/2 the called for amount and work your way up.
Note 4 – fresh is best, but bottled will work in a pinch. 
Note 5 – start with 1/2 tbsp. and work your way up if you’re a garlic lover.
Note 6 – add a tiny bit of sugar if you find your canned tomatoes have a “tin” taste. The sugar will help offset this flavor.
Nutritional information is estimated. Each serving is 1/4 cup.

Nutrition

Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.5mg